Pressure washing a kettle.


 
Bruno

Bruno

TVWBB Hall of Fame
Picked up some new toys and want to clean up a couple kettles. What’s your thoughts on pressure washing the inside of the lid?
Thanks
 
I actually called Weber about that and they did not sound very positive about it. To tell the truth, they didn’t recommend it at all. They were more direct about simple soap and water.
But, if I had one and if the kettle was seriously nasty, I’d give it a shot.
 
I have done it with electric power washers, PSI of 2K or less. It didn't hurt the kettle, it didn't help much either. I found using something like Simple Green or Greased Lightning & razor blades work the best.
 
I've used a pressure washer. The cold water washers don't really do much but remove the loose dirt. The Hotsy oil fired hot water pressure washer I had at my shop did a much better job, but there was still elbow grease required.
 
Bruno said:
Picked up some new toys and want to clean up a couple kettles. What’s your thoughts on pressure washing the inside of the lid?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Spray it with some of the Sams Grill stuff or simple green and a razor blade as usual practice. Doubt the pressure washer would do anything the inside of the lid is usually pretty easy to get the crud off.
 
Can you hook up your pressure washer to your water heater?
If that can work there is an easy to use drain valve on your water heater that will accept a hose.
 
There is a risk running hot water through a cold water pressure washer. They aren't designed for the heat, you could melt something or blow out the seals (extra expansion in the pump= seal failure). Proceed with caution.
 
I don't see the need to power wash your grill. Do a burn off. Brush/scrape* off all the loose stuff. Get a scouring pad and warm, soapy water to remove some more of the stubborn stuff. Rinse. What baked on stuff that doesn't come off won't do any harm whatsoever, plus who's going to see it?
*Use a plastic putty knife or similar.
 
I have pressure washed more than one hundred kettles. Zero issues, unless the porcelain
is chipped, in which it will likely chip off anyway. Pressure washing is great to remove
grease, but does nothing to remove carbon. Chemicals and elbow grease still required.
 
Simple green and greased lightning can damage/dull paint, worked at a rental yard as a young man and found out quickly that high concentrations and too long hurt the paint jobs , cleaned great though, these days I use a small electric pressure washers on the grates
 
Tim Snyder said:
There is a risk running hot water through a cold water pressure washer. They aren't designed for the heat, you could melt something or blow out the seals (extra expansion in the pump= seal failure). Proceed with caution.
Click to expand...
This was my initial thought as well. If you running straight from your water heater you are looking at 110-120, I wouldn’t recommend, I have a faucet with hot and cold in the yard but not sure I’d even do that, I do like my pressure washer and don’t want to buy another.
 
Dave in KC said:
I have pressure washed more than one hundred kettles. Zero issues, unless the porcelain
is chipped, in which it will likely chip off anyway. Pressure washing is great to remove
grease, but does nothing to remove carbon. Chemicals and elbow grease still required.
Click to expand...
Good info, I was hoping to blast off the carbon from the lids. Looks like more elbow grease coming up.
 
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