cleaning your mes 30?

[captturbo]

Yes Karl, but with real practice in the field, I think you will come to agree that some warm soapy water used with a wash cloth or scrubby works best and is not damaging to your smoker.

 

[stephenh]

Last time I used my MES, I set a dish of ammonia inside after it had cooled a bit and left it to sit overnight (vents shut). The ammonia fumes softened up the crud. The next day, I took a microfiber cloth and hot water. After wringing out the cloth well, I used it to wipe out the accumulated crud. I also would not spray water inside. This worked well enough to remove the build-up without being aggressive to the internal parts.

It is an old oven cleaning trick I had read about years ago. It seems that old tricks still work for some things. :)

 

[domapoi]

Last time I used my MES, I set a dish of ammonia inside after it had cooled a bit and left it to sit overnight (vents shut). The ammonia fumes softened up the crud. The next day, I took a microfiber cloth and hot water. After wringing out the cloth well, I used it to wipe out the accumulated crud. I also would not spray water inside. This worked well enough to remove the build-up without being aggressive to the internal parts.

It is an old oven cleaning trick I had read about years ago. It seems that old tricks still work for some things. :)

If the ammonia has permeated the insulation or got into the nooks and crannies, I wonder it it will affect the taste or quality of the food the next time you smoke?

 

[jwneural]

The one interior part of my MES 30 I clean is the area surrounding the temperature probe on the back wall and the probe itself.  If you don't clean this, the temperature control is not consistent from smoke to smoke.  I do this every 3rd time I smoke.

I do a quick scrape with a putty knife about 2" around the probe (just to remove the heat conductive crud) and then a wipe with a course steel wool on the probe itself.

 

[stephenh]

Doesn't seem to have affected it since I did a thorough job of wiping the softened crud out with a microfiber cloth and plain water. Anyway, if it left a residue, it would not be something that could be used for regular ovens either. An alternative method is to have the oven/smoker hot and also use hot water on a rack below to assist the ammonia to soften and loosen the residue. Since the smoker is located outside, ammonia fumes are not quite as much of a consideration

http://www.ehow.com/way_5315374_cleaning-oven-ammonia.html

 

[tailgate72]

We haven't had our 40 but for a short time but after our smokes we do what alot of ppl do and just use warm water to wipe things down. Racks go to the dishwasher ( I have yet to find the voice shut off for it), water pan, drip pan and the bottom of the chip tray are foiled so clean up is a breeze there. The glass we spray with spray away glass cleaner. Its ammonia free works excellent IMO and supports breast cancer research. When we are done with the glass cleaner though we do take clean warm water and just wipe off the glass and door where the cleaner ran to eliminate any chance of something tainting the meat with an odd taste.

 

[shamong9]

Just as others have said, foil the drip pan and water pan. Then wash the racks in the dish washer. If i see a large amount of build up I wipe it before it cools with vinegar. Never put anything in there you would not eat, except the wood chips.

 

[15ft smoker]

good morning, i take my rig to the local care wash, and just used a high pressure wash no soap, untill i do my racks, which i remove out of the unit,

 

[Bearcarver]

good morning, i take my rig to the local care wash, and just used a high pressure wash no soap, untill i do my racks, which i remove out of the unit,

Your "rig" isn't electric is it, as in MES ?

Bear

 

[15ft smoker]

nope my rig , runs off only enought charcoal to et my chimmey starter going and the rest apple wood,

 

[Bearcarver]

nope my rig , runs off only enought charcoal to et my chimmey starter going and the rest apple wood,

I love my MES 40 Watt burner, but if I had to clean the whole interior, I'd wish mine was like yours.

That would be nice & easy!!

Thanks,

Bear

 

[SmokinAl]

I don't understand the reasoning behind cleaning the walls. I clean the grates, water pan & drip pan & dump the ashes out of the chip pan. But I worked so hard getting that nice crust on the walls, I just couldn't bring myself to clean it off.

 

[fpnmf]

I don't understand the reasoning behind cleaning the walls. I clean the grates, water pan & drip pan & dump the ashes out of the chip pan. But I worked so hard getting that nice crust on the walls, I just couldn't bring myself to clean it off.

Yup!!

  Craig

 

[billebouy]

This stuff works great to get the nasty crusty stuff off.  Sort of like oven cleaner.  Wal-mart's around here have it, couple of bucks a bottle.

 

[fire393]

what works well on the glass door for a cleaner???

 

[coconuts]

I use some Dawn liquid dish soap and either a sponge or if smoke build up is really thick a blue Scotch Brite non-scratch pad on my MES 40 window.

Dawn seems to break it down pretty easily without too much scrubbing.

 

[bigbill]

Hey SmokinAl, I agree with you except I do use a scraper to knock off the loose chunks, don't want them falling off onto my food.

Fire393 .... I like to use a new razor blade, fast and easy.

 

[rubbin butts]

I don't understand the reasoning behind cleaning the walls. I clean the grates, water pan & drip pan & dump the ashes out of the chip pan. But I worked so hard getting that nice crust on the walls, I just couldn't bring myself to clean it off.

X2

 

[Bearcarver]

what works well on the glass door for a cleaner???

I clean my glass every time I use it with Windex & paper towels.

I open the door all the way (180˚), so no Windex gets inside my smoker.

Works Great.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

Hey SmokinAl, I agree with you except I do use a scraper to knock off the loose chunks, don't want them falling off onto my food.

Fire393 .... I like to use a new razor blade, fast and easy.

Yup---I also scrape up the little piles of dried up fat in the bottom, and on the chip burner shield, so they don't catch fire.

One time I looked in there, and it looked like a whole Boyscout troop moved in----There were little camp fires burning all over the place in there!!!   

Bear