Well I usually just leave it and let the grease build up but I have some little things I want to do to the cooker before winter. I hate working on anything that is greasy and this thing is so gunked up I dont take it apart anymore.....seriously I had to really whack it to get it apart for cleaning. I used a preasure washer.....big mistake, Now i am greasy and ashy instead of the cooker. Anyone else have a better way to do this? In case you are wondering I caved and got some technology to help me maintain good temps in these sub zero freezing days again....Yes I swore I would never buy a pit minder but I have to get uninterupted sleep. 10 lashes for me for saying i would never get one then doing it anyway. Whats your technique for cleaning? Mine really wasnt a good idea, head to toe in ash, grease, and gunk.....yummy!
Cleaning the WSM....advice
- Thread starter Chris K
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John Mason
TVWBB All-Star
Would an oven cleaner work? Or maybe a degreaser like Gunk engine cleaner?
Jerry N.
TVWBB Emerald Member
Oven cleaners and degreasers would certainly clean the unit. I feel like the build up is like seasoning even though on porcelain this probably makes no sense. If I wanted to work on a wsm I'd just run it hot to burn of the gunk. If I had to clean a spot to work on it, I'd use vinegar.
Doug D
TVWBB Hall of Fame
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Glenn J:
How do you wipe the flakey stuff off the inside of the lid? Paper towel, nylon brush? Over newspaper? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
With whatever's handy-- crumpled newspaper, paper towel.
How do you wipe the flakey stuff off the inside of the lid? Paper towel, nylon brush? Over newspaper? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
With whatever's handy-- crumpled newspaper, paper towel.
See Cleanup, Maintenance & Storage for a suggested cleaning routine.
I brush the inside of the lid with a palmyra brush, the same brown, natural material used for push brooms. If the lid is flaking really bad, a squirt of the garden hose and a quick brushing takes it all off.
Regards,
Chris
I brush the inside of the lid with a palmyra brush, the same brown, natural material used for push brooms. If the lid is flaking really bad, a squirt of the garden hose and a quick brushing takes it all off.
Regards,
Chris
Mike Zarecky
TVWBB Pro
Maybe I'm off the deep end here........
I clean my WSM with "Greased Lightning" after every cook. I've had it for over 5 months now and it looks like it did when it came out of the box. I use it about once a week. I'm not really sure if it needs "seasoning"? It doesn't run hot and never did. My wife calls it surgically clean!
MikeZ
I clean my WSM with "Greased Lightning" after every cook. I've had it for over 5 months now and it looks like it did when it came out of the box. I use it about once a week. I'm not really sure if it needs "seasoning"? It doesn't run hot and never did. My wife calls it surgically clean!
MikeZ
I was gonna say whatever you do dont use a power washer. I did it once and just remember a big wave of greasy brown water comming at me.
Best bet is to get a large tub and fill it with soapy water and clean the smoker by submerging it piece by piece. For the outside I wipe it down with a wet towel as Im cooking and it gives it a nice steam cleaning and takes all the sticky gunk off.
Best bet is to get a large tub and fill it with soapy water and clean the smoker by submerging it piece by piece. For the outside I wipe it down with a wet towel as Im cooking and it gives it a nice steam cleaning and takes all the sticky gunk off.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jim Babek:
I was gonna say whatever you do dont use a power washer. I did it once and just remember a big wave of greasy brown water comming at me. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I guess I will chalk that up to one thing I learned through experience....ICK! I think I still feel charcoal grit in my teeth.
I was gonna say whatever you do dont use a power washer. I did it once and just remember a big wave of greasy brown water comming at me. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I guess I will chalk that up to one thing I learned through experience....ICK! I think I still feel charcoal grit in my teeth.
Mike,
When I first started using my WSM, I cleaned it fully after every session. For me this turned out to be overkill and (kinda) a waste of time.
I take pride in the way my cooker looks. I can tell you do too. But if you spend too much time cleaning, then using it becomes a chore, not something to look forward to. So I learned to make it as easy as possible to conduct a smoke session. Doug's advice in his first post is the best approach for me. Basically, KISS.
Glenn
When I first started using my WSM, I cleaned it fully after every session. For me this turned out to be overkill and (kinda) a waste of time.
I take pride in the way my cooker looks. I can tell you do too. But if you spend too much time cleaning, then using it becomes a chore, not something to look forward to. So I learned to make it as easy as possible to conduct a smoke session. Doug's advice in his first post is the best approach for me. Basically, KISS.
Glenn
Jim Morgan
TVWBB Fan
This may be a little extreme, but I take mine apart and and rinse it with the hose, then hit it with my weed burner real good to kill any germs and burn off some gunk. Some extra work, but I rarely clean it after a cook, and sometimes it's a little nasty when I open it up after a few weeks.
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