What do you folks use to deep clean your kettle (or whatever cooker)?

[pknj]

I get it hot. A few half-assed scrapes with the wire brush. Shop vac out the bottom every once in a while. I use a drip tray, but if it gets gunky (technical term) I use a citrus based cleaner to spray on set parts, then a plastic scraper, then back to the hot. Thing is pretty bullet proof.

[Jfrosty27]

Clean my cookers? You’re supposed to do that? 😂

[bbqLuv]

Won't that ruin the seasoning?

[Huskee]

What I usually do is think to myself "man I need to clean this cooker" and go about my business. Repeat many times. Then once or twice a year I might scrape the insides with an old credit card and call it good.

[Finster]

Ok. I got a little curious, so spent some time at lunch searching the internet for cleaning methods..
anyone ever use shaving cream?...🤣

https://youtu.be/9d-jgQ6BHpU

[Dadof3Illinois]

Rod Do you use the shaving cream before those razor blades.....lol

[Rod]

Dadof3Illinois That would be a no.

[Felix OJ]

The video makes it look easy, but both grills look as if they only had been used once. Too good to be true? Anyone try it?

[Washblue]

I wash my kettles & WSM’s between uses… using Dawn, a dish brush and water hose….
And when the pressure washer is out, they get a few minutes of attention…
Seldom do they go two cooks between washes… to require a difficult cleaning…
I do the same with my big pit…

[Finster]

I salute your diligence. ✊

[Washblue]

Chuckle Finster … I don’t clean my truck, tractor or guns as diligently! 😂

[Richard Chrz]

I’m with you, I clean them constantly, even a monthly on the outside shine wax with fine steel wool.

[Dr J]

Mix filtered water vinegar and citric acid as a homemade cleaner or citrus safe you can get from any big box store

[texastweeter]

Clean?....um....

[jerrybell]

I use a putty knife, shop vac, and high heat once or twice a year on my gas grill. The pellet cooker gets the same, often minus the high heat, every third or fourth cook.

[mrteddyprincess]

I never cook directly on the grates during an indirect cook. I put the meat on a disposable Al pan on a wire rack and catch the drippings in the pan. I cook this way on both my offset smoker and my PK360. For briskets and ribs I sometimes use an Al oven liner directly on the rack. Bottom line is I throw away drippings in disposable Al and never clean the racks on my grills.

[Finster]

Funny this topic popped up, as I decided to give my kettle a cleaning yesterday. Watched a few videos for ideas. I used a putty knife, and degreaser with steel wool. I took the cooking grate with me to the car wash this morning and hit it with the high pressure wash. Not sure how the guys in the videos get theirs so clean. Must have more grease in their elbows than I do.
I managed to get mine from pretty cruddy to possibly passing for gently used.....lol

[DavidNorcross]

My cookers dont get dirty. Thats why I cook in my suit!

[Panhead John]

😂😂

[CHNeal]

I’ll knock some smoke build up off the inside of the lid when it starts to flake. I’ll take a putty knife to the bowl if the ash sweeps get hard to move. I brush the grates after the cooks over and Once a week or so I’ll toss a bucket of lit coals in to give the grates a good burn and scrape.
After 40+ years of 4 time a week lighting a kettle this is the first time it even occurred to me I was supposed to clean it.

[Jfrosty27]

Yeah I only do the minimum of cleaning and only when it’s unavoidable. 🤣. I consider it “seasoning”. (Laziness is what it really is 🙄)

[Finster]

We've seen your collection.
Cleaning the kettles could be an all day project for you 🥺