MES Window Cleaning Made Easy

roadkill cafe · Jun 16, 2013

I know this has been mentioned by folks in other threads but I am here to bare witness. I've tried just about all of the suggestions I've seen posted here on how to "easily" clean the inside of the MES window. Most work good, some better than others. Unfortunately, being in South Florida, I don't have a fireplace or wood stove to use Bear's wood ash method which sounds the cheapest.

What I have found that works the BEST (for me at least) without ANY chemicals is a bucket of hot/warm water and the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I just did the window on my MES 40 which has been sitting since a Mother's Day smoke and you couldn't see through it at all. The crud was baked on and holding tighter than a tick to a hound (or a Wall Street banker to a dollar, whichever you prefer). Broke out the Magic Eraser and in just a few minutes it was like new. I wanted to try this nifty sponge as I just don't care for the idea of using any chemicals on the inside of my box. I'm sure glad I did. They are fairly inexpensive at Wally World for a 2 pack (won't get more than one use out of one). Give it a try!!

Steve

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.JPG

roadkill cafe
Jun 16, 2013

themule69 · Jun 16, 2013

Good idea. thank

Happy smoken.

David

daveomak · Jun 16, 2013

holding tighter than a tick to a hound, or a Wall Street banker to a dollar

Now that describes it and it's funny to boot.......

ajbert · Jun 16, 2013

Nothing against the OP or anyone else that has one of the smokers with the windowed door, but what is the purpose of the window? I have a buddy that has one and asked the same question.

His answer? I can see the meat getting smoked for the first hour or so. For some reason, I still don't understand???

themule69 · Jun 17, 2013

AJBert said:
Nothing against the OP or anyone else that has one of the smokers with the windowed door, but what is the purpose of the window? I have a buddy that has one and asked the same question.

His answer? I can see the meat getting smoked for the first hour or so. For some reason, I still don't understand???

At the end of any smoke. I can still see Through my window. I use a AMNPS for smoke.

Happy smoken.

David

Bearcarver · Jun 17, 2013

I can usually see the meat through my MES window through the whole smoke, unless it gets covered with condensation, but then later in the smoke it clears up again.

I never have to open the door to see how my meat or AMNPS is doing. Also sometimes I just love to stand there and gaze at the beautiful meat. Try that without a window.

Bear

roadkill cafe · Jun 17, 2013

Bearcarver said:
I can usually see the meat through my MES window through the whole smoke, unless it gets covered with condensation, but then later in the smoke it clears up again.

I never have to open the door to see how my meat or AMNPS is doing. Also sometimes I just love to stand there and gaze at the beautiful meat. Try that without a window.

Bear

hillbillyrkstr · Jun 17, 2013

I've only used my mes twice now (chicken, and then ribs) but I'm guessing the feeling I got watching that meat change colors, and drip wonderful juices is the same kind of joy women talk about when they speak of the autumn color change here in the Midwest, or possibly a California, ocean sunset. IDK, maybe I'm digging to deep... Could have been the case of beer I had while smoking them ribs. Then again, maybe it's just that damn sweet!! You make the call.

tjnamtiw · Jun 27, 2013

Bear, you must have a VERY SPECIAL edition of the window MES because mine is completely covered with condensation/gook (not the VC kind)/black crud after every smoke. I'm using it a lot for pulled pork, chicken, and brisket and it ALWAYS is blacked out after 7 hours except for the chicken, which only takes about 1 1/2 hours. I keep the vent wide open, never open the door, and don't use any water in the pan. Mine is the new model with the controls at the front.

I rue the day I spent the extra money for the window, which is a great gimmick but totally useless IMHO. I, as of now, refuse to clean the darn window 2 or 3 times a week. Maybe a tear off, like in NASCAR???

There has to be something that doesn't result in this black spot of gunk on my driveway that looks like I park an old Harley over there. Just a total waste of time and effort!

Maybe if you use it only once a month, you could put up with the mess but not every other day!

Bearcarver · Jun 27, 2013

tjnamtiw said:
Bear, you must have a VERY SPECIAL edition of the window MES because mine is completely covered with condensation/gook (not the VC kind)/black crud after every smoke. I'm using it a lot for pulled pork, chicken, and brisket and it ALWAYS is blacked out after 7 hours except for the chicken, which only takes about 1 1/2 hours. I keep the vent wide open, never open the door, and don't use any water in the pan. Mine is the new model with the controls at the front.

I rue the day I spent the extra money for the window, which is a great gimmick but totally useless IMHO. I, as of now, refuse to clean the darn window 2 or 3 times a week. Maybe a tear off, like in NASCAR???

There has to be something that doesn't result in this black spot of gunk on my driveway that looks like I park an old Harley over there. Just a total waste of time and effort!

Maybe if you use it only once a month, you could put up with the mess but not every other day!

LOL--No, just a regular MES 40 (two year old model).

I clean it before every use---Takes me 2 to 3 minutes.

Sometimes it gets covered with condensation, and I can only see through the glass near the edges, but later in the smoke it usually dries up, and just leaves a lot of little brown spots. My old MES 30 didn't have a window, and I would never want to go back to that.

Bear

tjnamtiw · Jun 27, 2013

I believe you, Bear. Mine just gets worse and worse as the day goes on. Never goes back to dried up stuff. Looks more like creosote. Maybe it has something to do with the different paths of circulation between the models. I've smoked with apple, oak, and plum. All have the same result. That's strange as heck.

Cleaning the window on my mess takes about at least a half hour of nasty work.

daveomak · Jun 27, 2013

tj, evening..... are you old enough to remember the Farrah Fawcett poster ??? The one where beads of water covered her body ??? Put that in the window and forget cleaning it....

....

Dave

tjnamtiw · Jun 27, 2013

DaveOmak said:
tj, evening..... are you old enough to remember the Farrah Fawcett poster ??? The one where beads of water covered her body ??? Put that in the window and forget cleaning it....

....

Dave

Hell, I'm 70 so I remember Farrah Fawcett in diapers............

Well, not really but that's a great idea! I'm sure I can think of quite a few different ones. hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

roadkill cafe · Jun 27, 2013

tjnamtiw said:
I believe you, Bear. Mine just gets worse and worse as the day goes on. Never goes back to dried up stuff. Looks more like creosote. Maybe it has something to do with the different paths of circulation between the models. I've smoked with apple, oak, and plum. All have the same result. That's strange as heck.

Cleaning the window on my mess takes about at least a half hour of nasty work.

Hey TJ, like I was saying at the beginning of this thread, I know the pain it is to clean that window. Try the Mr.Clean Magic Eraser. They'll make short work of it.

Steve

tjnamtiw · Jun 27, 2013

Roadkill Cafe said:
Hey TJ, like I was saying at the beginning of this thread, I know the pain it is to clean that window. Try the Mr.Clean Magic Eraser. They'll make short work of it.

Steve

Yea, I was leaving that as an option until you said you needed a new one every time. I'd use 3 a week at the rate I'm trying to feed the troops! I did find that Westley's BleachWhite for tires works good as does my wife's oven cleaner but I have to agree with you that I don't like the idea of spraying nasty chemicals into and around where food will shortly go. I may still give your idea a try. We have some of those pads already. I can't envision doing this in the middle of winter out in the driveway though. I'm tending toward the Farrah Fawcett idea.

tromaron · Jun 27, 2013

Rubbing alcohol and a few paper towels cleans it right up. Works best right after the smoke, while the smoker's still warm.

travisb · Jun 28, 2013

I love the magic erasers. I just get a portion of them wet and use part of it. I've probably been using the same one for the last 5 cleanings I've done, and it works like a charm.

overground · Jun 28, 2013

tjnamtiw said:
I believe you, Bear. Mine just gets worse and worse as the day goes on. Never goes back to dried up stuff. Looks more like creosote. Maybe it has something to do with the different paths of circulation between the models. I've smoked with apple, oak, and plum. All have the same result. That's strange as heck.

Cleaning the window on my mess takes about at least a half hour of nasty work.

Bear is using the AMNPS for smoke. Are you? If not, that is the difference.

rabbithutch · Jun 28, 2013

While I can appreciate your aversion to putting chemicals into your smoker, here are a few things to consider.

Do you (or your SO) ever clean the oven in the kitchen? What about the pots and pans? The dishes and silverware? I daresay you use a good many rather potent products in that environment to achieve cleanliness and the absence of disease; so I don't understand a different rule for the MES.

Some months back I asked about cleaning the window on my MES 40. I had used Dawn but wasn't happy. Then someone (CRS prevents me recalling the name for proper credit) suggested Simple Green. Whoever it was (my apologies) said that they used it all the time in a drug lab because it is supremely non-toxic while being an excellent cleaner. I've used it ever since, but I clean with old newspaper then with paper towels. I don't know if there is any abrasive in the Magic Eraser - or any other sponge - but I would be more concerned about abrading the glass than the chemical nature of Simple Green.

Just my 2¢ worth, and cheap and twice the price.

tjnamtiw · Jun 28, 2013

overground said:
Bear is using the AMNPS for smoke. Are you? If not, that is the difference.

No, while the AMNPS is interesting, I don't see how that could make a difference but I'm willing to learn. I've read as much about people having trouble keeping them lit in MES' without making mods as I have about how good they are. Smoke is smoke is smoke, me thinks. Maybe for my next butt, I will forgo smoke altogether and see what happens. :)

Seriously, I'd love to know how it would make a difference.

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