Water pan went dry


 
Just add water to it and it will boil it off at some point, clean while still hot for a few cooks and it will get better. stains are a part of smoking so don't sweat it if it looks used.
 
Drastic, but I did this. Forgot some sugar water on stove (humming bird food) and boiled it dry. Really nasty hard stuff burnt on bottom of pot. Got a small abrasive disk and put on my Dremel tool. Cleaned it off real quick and pot was as good as new.
 
In a perfect world IMO you should use just enough water so most if not all of it is gone and then you don't have to deal with a bunch of greasy water.
Like Mike said add some water and boil it off or you can get it back to almost new with easy off.
I rarely use water and my pan looks like somewhat seasoned steel pan
 
Like the others have said heat and water work good on cleaning things.
There are other things like scottsbrite wheels and wire wheels that you can use in a drill motor or on an angle grinder if you want something very clean looking.
I prefer using cleaning wheels that have adapters for a drill motor because their speed is adjustable and they can grind & polish slow comfortably whereas a grinder for the most part is all out full throttle and is easier to get in trouble with.
Good luck to you.
 
+1 on water and boiling.
If you don't have any meat on the grid when you do this, then add some dishwasher as well
 
You can use Easy-Off oven cleaner spray on a porcelain coated water pan. Apply a good coat to the pan, stick it inside a plastic garbage bag to keep things moist for a while, then scrub with a non-abrasive scrub pad. Don't use the green ScotchBrite pads, as they will leave fine scratches in the porcelain. The old school SOS steel wool scrub pads work fine, too.
 
Old school SOS pads are a wonderful product for cleaning grills! As is 4x0 steel wool! Not too much pressure, let the soap and wool do the work.
 
Agreed, either SOS or Brillo steel wool soap pads are great for the water bowl or the food grates. Just use them wet, never dry, or they may scratch.
Same with the ScotchBrite pads. Use a spray bottle and keep the surface wet or you will get scratches.
Used them for doing " punch list " on painted and anodized aluminum and SS removing caulk and adhesive.
 
I just thought of this one, though I've not tried it myself. Anyone ever used Bar Keeper's Friend (powder) and water on their water pan? BKF is supposed to be safe for porcelain coated surfaces as well as enameled cast iron pots, so it seems like it could work. BKF may have to be applied and left on for a a minute or two to allow it to work Use gloves if you try it though, as it can be rough on skin. BKF's active ingredient is oxalic acid, which occurs naturally in spinach, cabbage, broccoli, rhubarb, as well as other fruits & vegetables.
 
Agreed, either SOS or Brillo steel wool soap pads are great for the water bowl or the food grates. Just use them wet, never dry, or they may scratch.
Wow, Brillo pads. Do they still make them? Used to use them to get the white wall tires clean on my car many, many years ago. Thanks for the memory.
 
Yep, Brillo pads are out there! Some things seem to endure but, one never knows what that will be!
Full disclosure, I do not use the water pan (never have) but, have spent hours cleaning stovetops and other enamel surfaces as well as glass. As long as it’s wet, it’s pretty hard to scratch the surface of “most” glass. Window glass is usually no problem unless it’s coated.
 

 

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