Wasp spray in smoker... thanks honey! :(

[rhankinsjr]

Short version (TLDR):
Smoker covered in wasp spray inside and out, whats the best course of action?

Long version:
So I come home today and look over at the smokers and I see the Bandera looks wet. I figure it got some water on it or something and I ignore it. I go in the house and fiddle around and stuff then look outside again in a couple hours.

It is still wet looking so I walk out and inspect it, I notice it has an oily substance on it and it has a smell to it that I can place but I can't put my finger on it. So I go in and ask around to see if anyone knows what could be up with it.

Turns out my daughter saw some wasps go in the top thru the smokestack. And being the overzealous little angel she is... she shot most of the can down the stack, opened the door and shot the rest in the chamber.

It's hard to be mad at her because she was trying to help and she's just too dang cute, but what do I do now?

I thought about taking it to the car wash and degreasing it, then getting it home and easy-offing it. And giving it a hell of a scrub job... but wasn't sure. Figured it would be best to ask ya'll so I don't end up killing everyone on memorial day. haha

 

[beer-b-q]

Sounds like your only choice to me and then you will have to re-season it also...

 

[mballi3011]

I think I would have a good burn and large one at that too. You want to get all of that nastiness out of your smoker. Then put all the bug spray alittle higher on the shelfs.

 

[hannibal]

That sux.

I would say a good scrubbin' for sure, maybe a once over with a (low-power) power washer and then definately bring it up to max heat empty to burn off the rest and re-season it, maybe even a couple times before you cook in it.

As for the lil' one, you are right. They can be a handful but she was just trying to help. My advice there would be just to talk to her and explain not to mess with your smokers or use insecticides without adult supervision.

 

[Dutch]

Dang, that totally sucks. Sounds like it's time to hit it with some degreaser, power wash it and reseason it.

 

[rhankinsjr]

Thanks everyone for your input, I guess I'll load her up tonight and give her a good cleaning. Then run a hot load thru her every day this week.

She is 12, and knew better. We both agree it was good intentions, but bad execution. I told her once I get it cleaned she'll have to eat the first piece out of it so I could make sure it was safe for everyone else. haha.

 

[nebraskaheat]

Heck, I just want to congratulate you. My 11 year old daughter would have seen the wasps, screamed at the top of her lungs and ran to my wife, who then would have decided that they are surrendering the back yard to the wasps and are staying inside until I got home..

 

[rhankinsjr]

I am actually surprised that she didn't just shut the smokestack then leave me a note to check the smoker when I got home with no details on it.

I'm pretty sure a hand full of red wasps closed up in a smoker baking in the sun would have been a nice surprise when opening the vault. haha

 

[suthrngrllr]

ROFLMAO Run Gump Run

 

[boykjo]

Your smoker is no good anymore............. You'll have to go buy a new one and give me the old one

 

[rhankinsjr]

haha, if it wasn't for all the people before you I might have believed you... but just maybe. ;)

 

[bbally]

There is a product sold at Walmart you can use. It is Purple Power or something like that, it is a purple degreaser. If you spray it down with the purple degreaser and wash it a couple times, then burn it out, then season it the unit will be like new.

We use it a lot to get the cutting oils and tapping fluids off of our builds.

I recommend it because my Powder Coating guy put us onto it. He charges us less if he can get right to soda blasting and skip the degreasing. He says even finger prints can mess with powder coat adhesion so we clean with it all the time. And it is water based not oil based so it rinses clean.

 

[mythmaster]

^^^ I have heard of this, also, and I agree that it would work well.

 

[jirodriguez]

Yup.... wash it out at the car wash (or if you have a power washer at home). Burn it hot and hard a couple of times, then re-season.

Reminds of a few years back when I had my last gas grill.... wife decided to grill some steaks and make a nice dinner before I got home. She walked outback, lifted the lid on the grill, and realized she was face-to-face with a rat that had somehow crawled in and was sitting on the grates! Not sure who freaked out more... her or the rat! LOL.

 

[rhankinsjr]

Well good think I checked before I left work, was heading to wal-mart on the way home. I will look for this stuff, I think I know what you are talking about.

 

[rhankinsjr]

haha, that would have been a great youTube video! Or might have won you some cash on America's Funniest Home Videos.

 

[coffee_junkie]

It is made by castrol, IMO a can or two of oven cleaner would work better. I worked for a place in college that refurbished grills, this is the method I used to clean them. Spray it down, let it set, then hose it off, repeat if necessary, if you read the directions on the can follow the "cold" method not the "hot" method. Once clean re-season.

 

[jirodriguez]

For a degreaser I like Simple Green.... and best of all it is non-toxic!

 

[rstr hunter]

Wife and I loved the story. Good luck.

 

[kman]

Insecticide will be one of two chemical types. 1- Pyrethrin/permethin or # 2, organophasphate (cholinesterase inhibitor) both are degraded by heat so a good hot burn afer scrubbing with soap (phospholid) and or bleach(oxidizer) should do the trick. Personally I'd wash it with a good strong degreaser followed by a spray with 1/10 bleach then take a weed burner to it. after which a good hot burn to reseason it.