Nasty WSM Worth Saving?


 
W

Webster

TVWBB Member
I purchased a 18.5" WSM about five years ago and enjoyed it very much. Due to health issues, it has been sitting untouched for just over three years. I briefly removed the lid for the first time yesterday and gagged, super nasty mold infestation throughout the inside. Not sure if I should consider using it for cooking food ever again.

Any ideas for saving this thing? Can it be made food safe? I'm thinking is needs an Andromeda Strain style cleanup effort. I'm not opposed to removing the Tel-Tru thermometer and tossing it into a dumpster. Yes, it's that bad.

Any and all ideas appreciated.
 
Webster, I would start a load of charcoal throw it in there and let it burn up as much of the nasty as it can, throw the grates on a gas grill or camp fire and burn them off, then stray down the inside with oven cleaner, garden hose and repeat if needed, should come out good as new.
 
+1 Steve said, but I would add wood to the coals and get a flame going. After all the cleaning and burning, test a piece of meat on your worst.......... WAIT, that may not be ethical. I think it will be fine. There probably is a germacide that would work too. Besides the mold is probably not dangerous.:eek:

Mark

P.S. Webster, I just noticed you live due north of me. If you decide to give up on the cooker, please just send it rolling down Hwy 101 and let me know when. I will intercept it at Hwy 12.:cool:
 
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Warning : Gross Pictures...

Building a hot fire or two was my first thought, but then I wondered about the smoke / fumes. Scrubbing it out is going to make one heck of a mess. Maybe I could do it in the park (not in my yard)??

Here it is in happier times (X-mas morning '08):

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This is where it's sat unused for three years. The only thing I use the gas grill for these days is seasoning vintage cast iron cookware. The kettle grill gets used often.

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If you don't have the stomach for it, don't look at the following. Scroll back up now...
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Believe me, it smells toxic. Yuk!
 
If it were mine, I'd load it up in a truck or trailer, take it to the local self-service pressure washer and blast it a few time. I'd then bring it home and run it as hot as it will go. I'd put the defuser on the top rack upside down, fill the charcoal ring to the top, and just let it rip. I'd bet it would be good to go after all that
 
Would a car wash with the high pressure soap wash and about $10 in quarters, then a really hot fire inside of it work?
 
I know some are against washing, but I would scrub it with a stiff plastic brush and soap. You may want to replace the grills or try a steel brush first. Then burn it off as suggested, maybe the wood would not be needed, but go as high as you can with charcoal - vents all open.

Just noticed the car wash suggestions, that will work too - I think it just need a good scrubbing or washing.
 
A car wash - great idea guys.

Never would have thought of that... Fantastic!

Yeah, a bunch of quarters for sure.

Nearest pressure wash to me is about 30 miles away. The next time I go to town, this is gonna happen.

This is why I asked. You guys are great.
 
I'd mix Clorox and water (maybe 25% Clorox) in a spray bottle. I'd spray it down inside and out. Give it an hour or two to do its thing. Rinse and repeat. Then, I'd scrub with soap and water and stiff brush. Finally, I'd light the hottest fire I could make and burn it. The Clorox should kill it. The soap and water should remove it and the fire should kill anything left.
 
To continue my post from above, one of my 18 1/2's was given to me after it had sat 5 or 6 years in a storage area. It looked like yours - covered in mold. A little (or lot) of Dawn and a scrub brush cleaned it perfectly. The water pan had been lost, so I got the brinkman pan from Academy Sports for around $5.00, which is better any way. The grills had rusted too bad, so I replaced those. After washing, I may have sprayed on grill cleaner, but I cannot remember (senior moment). It was so clean, it did not need the "burn off", just seasoning. You may want to try washing/scrubbing first before lugging it to a car wash.
 
jfortson said:
To continue my post from above, one of my 18 1/2's was given to me after it had sat 5 or 6 years in a storage area. It looked like yours - covered in mold. A little (or lot) of Dawn and a scrub brush cleaned it perfectly. The water pan had been lost, so I got the brinkman pan from Academy Sports for around $5.00, which is better any way. The grills had rusted too bad, so I replaced those. After washing, I may have sprayed on grill cleaner, but I cannot remember (senior moment). It was so clean, it did not need the "burn off", just seasoning. You may want to try washing/scrubbing first before lugging it to a car wash.
Click to expand...

Good to hear, thanks.

Also, the bleach idea is good. Can't hurt! :)
 
Combine all the advice all this guys gave you and this wsm will be good as new. We need after pics and your first cook on it. :)
 
Guys,
Please don't suggest to wash these smokers at car washes. The grease causes the owners to spend big bucks unclogging drains. My brother-in-law owns a self-serve car wash, which has signs posted "no grills, smokers, fish cookers, and etc" people still wash them out there. He spends a lot of money having drains unclogged, and it's always from grills, cookers, and smokers.
 
Also had a mold problem after a long wet winter and neglect on my part. I power-washed the grates and water pan. Then built a hot fire with no water pan and let it burn off as much mold as possible. Then I scraped the inside clean. Now my WSM is back in business. New grates also a good idea. I'm gonna store it in my Tuff Shed this winter and take it out when needed. Which will be a lot. Never throw out your WSM. Someone will always want it.
 
I would toss the cooking grates then remove the brackets and hose it down, then use a plastic paint scraper and oven cleaner to get everything off the enamel, then finally rinse it off real good. Take a wire brush to the charcoal grate and brackets/hardware and order new cooking grates and new brackets/hardware if needed. Reassemble and start cooking brother!
 
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