I like to clean mine every 2-3 smokes with a good steam clean. i scrubbed the racks with a wire brush and rub excess grease out with paper towels and then get her up to 425-450 degrees in the cook chamber and hit her with a garden hose a few times. yesterday i did a deep clean on Black Betty by taking the racks out and scraping the top of the convectiuon plate and the grease drain opening and clean her about 3 times with heat and steam. I never use soap on her. just heat and water/steam is all you need.
accessories i recommend when getting a lang (you already have some or all of these but if you don't i would get them)
garden hose
wood pile (try craigslist for a local supplier)
fire poker or metal rod that would work for this
stove shovel (for ash)
charcoal basket if you plan on use charcoal as a starter or
weed burner/pencil torch if you don't
fire extinguisher
long handle wire brush
mineral oil (rub once a month on the fire box and the pant wont peel/chip)
a pair of heat resistant gloves
standard kitchen tools (tongs, mops, brushes,
thermapen)
metal bucket (to catch grease)
Congrats on the new smoker. its a purchase you wont regret.
phatbac (Aaron)