flat top takes only a couple of minutes and it's much easier to do when the food is fresh off the grill and it's still hot. use a metal food scraper to clear the flat top and use a small amount of water to boil away stubborn bits. after a final wipe down with a paper towel or dish rag, don't forget to add a thin layer of oil to protect your flat top from moisture.
buy a second drip tray - sometimes we forget to empty and clean our drip tray after the flat top has cooled down. it's hard to beat the convenience of having a second clean drip 