How often do you clean the inside of your WSM?

[Guest]

I was reading on bbq.about.com that you should keep the inside of your smoker clean because the buildup that occurs will increase the amount of creosote in your food.

Do you guys clean the inside of your WSM very often?

 

[Mike Zarecky]

I know this isn't the opinion of most of the WSM users out there but, I keep both of my WSM's as clean as the day I put them together.

MikeZ

 

[tjkoko]

I spray the inside and out with the garden hose and wipe down the mating surfaces with aluminum foil. Also, the bottom piece is scrubbed with aluminum foil to remove all remaining ashes. Leaving them causes acidification that'll, I hear, ultimately cause corrosion.

 

[Mike Draper]

I clean the grates, and empty the ashes after each cook. I wipe the outside with a rag...that's it.

 

[Scott P.]

I haven't really cleaned out the inside save for the grates. We are redoing the backyard with a new patio, gazebo and other lanscaping, so I'm sure I'll wash and wax the three Webers to finish everything off. The Genesis needs some scraping for sure on the inside.

 

[Ed Jones]

After a few cooks I'll take a ball of crumpled aluminum foil and knock off the loose black bits on the underside of the lid. I put the grates on the dying fire when I'm done to bake off all the food bits. I empty the ashes. That's all I do to clean mine.

 

[Tom O]

I've only had mine for a couple of years and I only clean the grates and remove the ashes. I will clean it when it looks dirty...tom

 

[Jimbo B]

i hosed it out once. i clean the grates.

 

[Larry D.]

I use a brass-bristled wire brush on the inside - especially the lid - when the deposits start looking flaky (like they might fall off into the food). I have never tried to restore the WSM to its like-new condition, though.

 

[Craig Castille]

I've never touched the middle section of either wsm.

I'll deflake the lid once in a while.

 

[JRPfeff]

Every couple of decades. Actually, never more often than 23 years, 1981-2004.

Right now I've got a layer of goo on my WSM that makes my lid leak tight and helps insulate my WSM. It is truly a thing of beauty.

Steve - Don't go to those other websites. Everything you need to know is here.

 

[Jerry N.]

Originally posted by craig castille:
I've never touched the middle section of either wsm.

I'll deflake the lid once in a while.

Ditto. I do clean out the ash with a brush after every cook and clean the grates. Outside gets a bath when it looks bad. That's it.

 

[Ines Burriola]

I clean mine like a well seasoned cast iron skillet. I never touch the inside except for the grates and the ash pit.

 

[Mark Rosen]

Once or twice a year, I bring mine to the self serve car wash and give it a good cleaning with the high pressure gun. Takes just a few minutes (make sure to bring towels so the car doesn't get soaked,) and comes home good as new.

 

[Drew G.]

Creosote? Sounds tasty! Just like crow's feet show signs of good times past all that crusty junk on the inside gives character to my WSM. I'm all about crust. No cleaning for me!

 

[DS Moore]

I used to clean mine after every cook but it was kind of a pain. Now I just give the grates a good scrub with a brass bristle brush before each session.

I don't see any change in taste of the finished product good or bad, but I know it makes using the WSM more enjoyable knowing that I won't have to scrub it down the next afternoon!!!

-Dave

 

[Kevin S.]

Once a year (usually around now) I spray everything down with an oven cleaner for cold ovens, let it sit for awhile, scrub off the spots I think are the worst, and then blast it real good with the garden hose. This usually removes most of the thickest gunk, but always seems to leave just enough to make it look "seasoned."

I clean the outside with 409 when it needs it.

 

[John Swanson]

The only thing I clean on my WSM is the cooking grates and I usually clean them before I put it away.

 

[Bill Sutton]

Except for the occasional "deflake" of the lid, I only ever clean the grates and I do that by heating them over the charcoal and hitting them with a wire brush. Once and a while I'll wipe down the outside...

Bill

 

[Randy Parr]

I wouldn't allow a chemical from an oven cleaner or anything like it to come in contact with my WSM...I wouldn't chance the chemicals interfering with the flavor no matter how hard I washed it afterwards. I rinse both of mine with a hose maybe once a year. I put my racks and water pan on the grill of my Weber gas grill and let it cook at high until the smoke stops then just scrub off the ashes with a piece of tin foil, works like a charm and couldn't be easier. I like the power hose idea, might try that the end of the season.