(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Get Grillin' Week 2026Welcome to Get Grillin' Week 2026 here at Tom's Guide. We're celebrating everything about the perfect backyard cookout. We want to help you choose the best grill (and the gear to go with it) as well as learn new tips and tricks when it comes to maintenance and best practices. Because now summer is here, it's time to get outside and get grillin'.With summer fast approaching, it's time to pull the best grill out of retirement and get ready to host those backyard cookouts.But while you might feel confident in your grilling game, experts warn that some routine outdoor grilling habits could, in fact, be secretly damaging your garden or patio.What’s more, many homeowners only realize the damage — from permanently stained patios to ruined outdoor furniture — after the season, when it's too late.“People usually think winter is the hardest season for patios, but summer can honestly be just as bad,” states Morgan Smith, Director of Pegseo Stone. “You’ve got grills going, sauces and drinks getting spilt, hot trays being put down, and furniture left out in all weathers. It all builds up without people really noticing.”So before you fire up the grill for your summer gatherings, an expert shares the common grilling mistakes that are secretly damaging your garden — and the simple ways to fix them.1. Grease stains from cooking up a feast
