# Mold in smoker



## muley05

I have a Weber bullet that I have not used for about six months. I am planning on smoking ribs and chicken tomorrow.  Tonight I looked inside my smoker and there is a lot of mold growing around the charcoal ring.  The food grates have been out of the smoker since the last time I used it. 

Should I just run the smoker at high heat for a little bit to burn off the mold before putting my meat on?  Or should I clean the mold off first before starting my fire?


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## DougE

I think I'd clean and re-season it just to be safe.


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## fftwarren

mine had mold and I just ran it at a high heat for a lil while and brushed it with a grill brush. everything went fine after that


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## muley05

DougE said:


> I think I'd clean and re-season it just to be safe.


I've never done this, how do you do that?


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## jirodriguez

I would give it a good scrub with some Simple Green then run it for a couple of hours at high heat.


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## mballi3011

I would build a really good size fire and let it run it's cleaning course and you should be fine. Then I would brush the grates really good too and then hit them with some pam or an oiled rag with maybe some olive oil and smoke on.


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## nickelmore

I have sprayed mine down with bleach water, hosed every thing down real good, repeated and wiped down with wet rag, rinsed out real good.

Preheated it real good.


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## love2"q"

mold only grows on things that are organic ..

or have organic materials in them .. since you see it growing on metal ..

more than likely there are some food particles stuck on there somewhere ..

you can wipe it clean with any household cleaner ..

do not do it inside your house ..

oh .. i am certified in mold remediation ...

hope that helps ..


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## eman

I Forgot (was to lazy) to clean my grates after doing some ribs w/ bbq sauce.

 Looked like a fungus jungle next time i opened the MES. I went the bleach route for cleaning.


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## pgsmoker64

I am also certified in mold remediation...I would listen to Love2"Q".

Also, high heat will kill the mold, be sure to brush down well, rinse with water, then heat 'er up again.

Good luck.


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## patriots

I have been teaching food safty for going on fifteen years. Please clean it really well and discard anything that was in it. dont take a chance on making alot of peope ill. Its not worth it.


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## ellymae

Yep - fire it up and burn it out.


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## bayouchilehead

Burn Baby Burn!! Sorry had to put that in. mballi and ellymae said what I was going to advise. Either way you do it just don't let it happen again or the Smokin' Pit Police will pay you a visit
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.


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## pit 4 brains

How did ya go so long without smokin' somethin'? I don't get it. 

Don't let it happen again and admit to it here...


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## bbally

Definately in the 10 percent bleach solution.  Then a good burn out.  Let the bleach solutions dry on the metal prior to firing it up.

No more than 100 F on the temp of the water for the bleach solution.  No more than 10 percent solution concentration.


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## love2"q"

bleach has no effect on mold except for lightening the color of it ..

just a heads up ..


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## pit 4 brains

> bleach has no effect on mold except for lightening the color of it ..
> 
> just a heads up ..


 Then what should he use? This is a site for information. If you have some that is helpfull to the subject, please elaborate.


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## bbally

Bleach will kill mold.  Especially in this instance.  While on porous surfaces it will not kill mold, on  a non porous surface it does a good job of killing it.  You want to spray it on in a couple applications as some of the oxidization will be spent on the surface grime.  But it will kill mold and for this application you want bleach since it is broad spectrum it will also handle any bacteria that may be living with the spores.


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## love2"q"

bbally ... when the epa or the IICRC signs off on bleach to kill mold i will start using it ...

now... in this particular case .. bleach is fine .. except it is a corrosive to metals ..now im sure the servsafe program loves them some

bleach ... but it only has effects on aspergillus and athletes foot ... and if you have a nasty case of itchy feet ...

a 10:1 solution is great .. in your bathtub ....

and just to be clear .. i put bleach will not kill mold for one reason ... so people on this site do not start scrubbing

their bathroom walls with it thinking that it is the right thing to do .. then wonder why its back in two months ..

and has started to spread throughout their house ...

but .. clorox says their product kills mold .. has to be true ..


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## sqwib

One mans mold is another mans "Flavor Enhancer", sorry

Remove the food that the mold is thriving on

Spray are with straight vinegar.

an hour or 2 later spray out with hose.

Bring temps up on smoker as high as it will go for 1 hour

Let the smoker cool to warm and Rinse again

Bring temps up on smoker as high as it will go for 1 hour again

then re season with wood only, after all moisture is gone.

make sure to wear the proper equipment







Hope this works


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## bbally

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Love2"Q"*  


bbally ... when the epa or the IICRC signs off on bleach to kill mold i will start using it ...

Well I guess you can start using bleach now???  Here is the EPA endorsement of the CDC mold recommendation.

Here is the link from the EPA site: 

http://www.epa.gov/region07/cleanup/pdf/CDC-Get-Rid-of-Mold.pdf


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## sqwib

bbally said:


> Quote:
> 
> Originally Posted by *Love2"Q"*
> 
> 
> bbally ... when the epa or the IICRC signs off on bleach to kill mold i will start using it ...
> 
> Well I guess you can start using bleach now???  Here is the EPA endorsement of the CDC mold recommendation.
> 
> Here is the link from the EPA site:
> 
> http://www.epa.gov/region07/cleanup/pdf/CDC-Get-Rid-of-Mold.pdf


It will kill it if there's no grease or other particles, but why would you want to use bleach when vinegar does a better job and is much safer. I would not use bleach but that's my opinion.


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## venture

What a fun post!

Dang, use that thing more often!


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## buzzard

when this happened to mine, i simply took a scraper, scraped the inside fairly clean and got rid of the mold by  trying to feed it to a wild cat that will not leave my house alone (did not work)  then i got that smoker as hot as i could.

i am allergic to mold and did not want to take any chances.  i will get blisters all over my lips and nose, its gross.

i had it good and hot for over 2 hours let it cool to my smoking temp and did not have a problem, and the porkloin and smoked meatloaf turned out well


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## glgoodwin

bbally said:


> Quote:
> 
> Originally Posted by *Love2"Q"*
> 
> 
> bbally ... when the epa or the IICRC signs off on bleach to kill mold i will start using it ...
> 
> Well I guess you can start using bleach now???  Here is the EPA endorsement of the CDC mold recommendation.
> 
> Here is the link from the EPA site:
> 
> http://www.epa.gov/region07/cleanup/pdf/CDC-Get-Rid-of-Mold.pdf


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## carhoplady

What do you do for mold in an electric smoker?


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## joe black

Carhoplady,  I'm sorry' but I can't pass this up!  If you have mold in an electric smoker, take it to the dump and get a stick burner.  I'll probably regret saying that, but it just came out.  Good luck,  Joe.


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## brazosbrian

Agree with the chlorine treatment ...really, it's the only commonly available and reasonably safe way to kill mold and mildew.  I'll add a little more though:

1. Chlorine kills stuff and most other stuff just washes it off.  I'd wash and then treat with chlorine (and stronger than 10% is OK, just don't use straight.)

2. Ammonia lifts proteins and is a good way to remove the protein stuff that remains (BTW - best way I've found to remove bugs off of your car is to use a 40% ammonia/water mix and wash down all the bug collecting surfaces ...twice, letting it soak in.  Wash car as normal with suds and the bugs come right off.)

3. Detergent lifts grease - Laundry detergent is the best for this.  Doesn't take much.

I'd wash with soap and water, wash with detergent water, wash with ammonia water, then finish with chlorine treatment.  That'll lift the physical mold, the grease, the proteins, then kill whatever remains.  Follow with a hot fire and you're good.  Man ...this is way too anal. :)

Brian


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## czechboy95

After each use I clean my MES with white vinegar and water(50/50 mix-kills Bacteria) or use it full strength if you want.then I leave the door open atleast a couple inches if not all the way open to allow air to get inside.I was told to do this from a Long Time Smoker who also owns a MES, to keep any mold from forming.













Smoker.jpg



__ czechboy95
__ Jul 20, 2015


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## brazosbrian

Czechboy95 said:


> After each use I clean my MES with white vinegar and water(50/50 mix-kills Bacteria) or use it full strength if you want.then I leave the door open atleast a couple inches if not all the way open to allow air to get inside.I was told to do this from a Long Time Smoker who also owns a MES, to keep any mold from forming.


Probably the washing itself is what's preventing mold, that and a possibly dry environment.  Mold grows best in a slightly acidic environment, e.g. a pH of 5-7 or so.  That's why most foods will grow mold... most are slightly acidic.  Vinegar can _encourage _mold growth.  Washing with something slightly _alkaline _....say, a mixture of water with some baking soda in it ...would be a better mold preventative.

Brian


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## cliffcarter

Carhoplady said:


> What do you do for mold in an electric smoker?


Turn the unit on, put the heat to maximum and cook that mold for 30-45 minutes. Then wipe out the pit with a clean towel.

Mold needs moisture to remain active, if you take away the moisture mold becomes inactive.

FWIW bleach does not kill mold, Simple Green will, however.

IMHO cider vinegar will give the mold more sugars to feed upon and grow, the best way to get rid of it in a pit is heat, works every time.


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## brazosbrian

Wow ...I just researched it and found out that I am wrong ...chlorine indeed does not kill mold.  It's an urban myth.  There ARE products out there that do though, e.g. the 'Moldex' brand products.  Chlorine is not EPA-registered as an agent that kills mold.  Oh well ...I sit humbly corrected, but glad to know the truth.

And HEAT is an effective method of killing mold.  From what I read online, you only have to heat to above 140 F to kill mold, and all BBQs get hotter than that.

Sounds like the simplest mold fix is to just a) physically wash it off (soap and water), then b) fire up the BBQ good an hot, and call it good.

OK ...mouth shut, ears open :)

Brian


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## greywolf1

I went on holidays and my son used my MES but didn't clean it ( party time ) . I sprayed the inside with oven cleaner , left it for half an hour, hosed it out , wiped around the element did a burn at 250 for an hour and a half, let it cool , wiped the inside down and re-seasoned it. , Did two racks of Texas rids and a batch of wings that same day that came out fantastic .


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## gary s

I run an RF, here is what I do after and before every smoke.

When I am through smoking and food is off, I'll throw another split on the fire, open my vents wide open

'and let the temp climb.

Open the cook chamber door and take the water hose and spray out the inside, Using the finer spray.

I make sure the grates get special attention. The water causes steam and really does a good job.

Then close the door, the temp will climb and I just let it go till the wood has burned up.

When I start my next smoke I take my wire brush, go over the grates and then wipe them down with a wet rag.

I open all the dampers, get my fire going using my weed burner and go over the cooking grates

and inside the Cooking chamber. This does a couple of things helps get all the metal up to temp quicker and

kills and burns up anything I might have missed when I sprayed it out.

I know a lot of people say Never spray out a smoker, you will loose and wash away all your seasoning.

NOT TRUE, I have been doing this forever, you can go out there right now open my door and it smells

wonderful. 

I like clean !!!   I do realize you cant take a water hose to electrics, but you can clean them. I also have

an ECB, take the grates out, clean them, take a wire brush to the inside wash it out lit it dry before putting

it back together and away.

Gary


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## inkjunkie

If an Egg gets any mold in it the only thing you need to do is run the temperature up for an hour or so....


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## butt rub

You would be best to clean after it cools down, If you don't get the mold and it get into what you are cooking can cause serious problems. That's my advise.


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## gditys

cliffcarter said:


> Turn the unit on, put the heat to maximum and cook that mold for 30-45 minutes. Then wipe out the pit with a clean towel.
> 
> Mold needs moisture to remain active, if you take away the moisture mold becomes inactive.
> 
> FWIW bleach does not kill mold, Simple Green will, however.
> 
> IMHO cider vinegar will give the mold more sugars to feed upon and grow, the best way to get rid of it in a pit is heat, works every time.


as a power washing guy who cleans houses all the time bleach will 100 % kill mold it is one of the best things to use to kill it and the best thing to use is liquid pool chlorine it is 12% 12% soldium hypochlorite that is 2x as strong as household bleach they are one in the same


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## gditys

BrazosBrian said:


> Wow ...I just researched it and found out that I am wrong ...chlorine indeed does not kill mold.  It's an urban myth.  There ARE products out there that do though, e.g. the 'Moldex' brand products.  Chlorine is not EPA-registered as an agent that kills mold.  Oh well ...I sit humbly corrected, but glad to know the truth.
> 
> And HEAT is an effective method of killing mold.  From what I read online, you only have to heat to above 140 F to kill mold, and all BBQs get hotter than that.
> 
> Sounds like the simplest mold fix is to just a) physically wash it off (soap and water), then b) fire up the BBQ good an hot, and call it good.
> 
> OK ...mouth shut, ears open :)
> 
> Brian
> 
> liquid pool chlorine  is 12% soldium hypochlorite that is 2x as strong as household bleach they are one in the same





Love2"Q" said:


> bleach has no effect on mold except for lightening the color of it ..
> 
> just a heads up ..


it kills it dead my friend


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## czechboy95

Well, I guess to each their own method and opinions aye


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## cats49er

Just a reminder. Remember to clean all brushes and any other items used to clean  with so as not to contaminate your cooker next time you clean.


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## joe black

Just wondering,  does some of the confusion about clorox come from mold vs. mildew?  Some say it works for this or that and others say it won't.  Again, just thinking???


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## candurin

Let's clear up some misinformation (note: I have two graduate degrees in microbiology and I work for a company who manufacturers disinfectants):

1.  High heat is your best bet.  It will eliminate mold in your smoker.  Then simply clean to remove residue.

2.  Chlorox will kill mold!  BUT! It should be a fairly new container.  When new, the sodium hypochlorite concentration is 5.25% (chlorox professional/germicidal is 8.25%).  As Clorox ages, the chlorine comes out of solution and you get "salt water".

3.  Generic bleach is usually not 5.25%

4. The surface needs to remain wet in order to kill molds.  This is typically more caustic and harmful to metals.  This is why I recommend heating to burn/kill mold.

5. You can also try to spray hydrogen peroxide to kill the mold.  CAUTION!!!  Never mix bleach and peroxide.

6. Mildew is mold.

7. Bleach will only kill mold it contacts.  So, if all your mold is on the surface of metal, your good to go.  If you have debri (charcoal, creosote, food, etc), this must be removed before bleach can reach all the mold.  Again, use heat.

8.  You can also use a benzalkonium chloride (e.g. Lysol).  You're mold is likely superficial and very easy to kill.

if there is any additional questions, please ask.


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## candurin

gditys said:


> as a power washing guy who cleans houses all the time bleach will 100 % kill mold it is one of the best things to use to kill it and the best thing to use is liquid pool chlorine it is 12% 12% soldium hypochlorite that is 2x as strong as household bleach they are one in the same



Just be cautious...  Without a thorough rinse, 12% will eat through steel very quickly.


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## gditys

candurin said:


> Just be cautious... Without a thorough rinse, 12% will eat through steel very quickly.


No i can't see it eating through steel but u should thorough rinse whenever u use it. You never want to leave any bleach on any surface for a long time also u are not going to need 12% the only reason power washing guys use it is because just in case they need something stronger u have it  I all ways dilute bleach that I use. To get a smoker clean use the stuff you have in your house u can mix it 50/50 with some water and u should use a surfactant ( dish soap, laundry detergents) it will stay in place longer and work better for u and give it a good rinse


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## candurin

Sorry...  Descriptive wording is not my strong point.  I should have said it will cause pitting, not eat.

The surfactant use is a great recommendation!


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## land08033

I have to agree with SQWIB, use vinegar. it works far better than bleach and is not as toxic to you.

"White vinegar is for cleaning, apple cider vinegar is for eating" passed down through the ages.


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## aldenmiller

To help keep mold out of my smoker I bought a little solar powered fan.  I keep the fan in the smoker and the solar panel on top.  Helps when I don't get to use the smoker for a couple weeks.

-Alden


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## mr chuck roast

If I had mold in my MES 30, I would give the innards a good cleaning with some hot soapy water then liberally spray it down with "StarSan."

Its one of the best products used to sanitize home brew equipment.

A little bit goes a long way. 1 oz (40 ml) per 5 gal water. I use 2-3 ml in a 32 oz spray bottle to sanitize my home brew stuff.

Being a "no rinse" solution, I would just let it dry.

Like I said, I've never used it in my smoker but I think it would work. YMMV.

Don't fear the foam!!!

Just my 02 ¢...


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## sgtdrilllbit

Yeah I know it's an old thread....Mold, built up residue....run your internal cook chamber temp to 300 degrees. then break out the water hose and spray every inch while it's hot, basically you're steam cleaning your cooker. This will take care of the mold and the build up, also, this will reduce any risk of rancid meat contaminating any new smokes.


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## novegan007

It's all about the color of the mold, black and red are bad.  Blueish to white are usually benign. Treat the mold as you would on curing ham or sausage, if blue or white simply wipe it down with vinegar this will preserve the cure in you smoker....then bring up to heat to sanitize. If black chemically sanitize then bring up to heat......mold is not uncommon and the spores wil not remain viable under heat/smoke conditions.
Smoke with confidence and enjoy!


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## sausageface

Bleach will not kill mold on a porous surface  google it it will tell that it doesn't kill it


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## inkjunkie

SgtDrilllbit said:


> Yeah I know it's an old thread....Mold, built up residue....run your internal cook chamber temp to 300 degrees. then break out the water hose and spray every inch while it's hot, basically you're steam cleaning your cooker. This will take care of the mold and the build up, also, this will reduce any risk of rancid meat contaminating any new smokes.


Can I watch you do these to  Big Green Egg? Run the temperature up...as hot as it will go...


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## sgtdrilllbit

If I had one I'd be more than happy to show ya, but I'd also use a wire wheel after the burn.


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## inkjunkie

SgtDrilllbit said:


> If I had one I'd be more than happy to show ya, but I'd also use a wire wheel after the burn.


No reason for a wheel..had mold in one of my Eggs once...after 800* for 45 minutes just needed a paper towel...


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## cayotica

Fungus yummy but seriously when I get that moldy looking stuff in my grill I just crank'er up to 500 for a while then just brush away the ashes. My question is does a smoker get hot enough to fully kill the mold and sterilize the grates, I would go the hot soapy water route and wash that stuff away.


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## inkjunkie

cayotica said:


> Fungus yummy but seriously when I get that moldy looking stuff in my grill I just crank'er up to 500 for a while then just brush away the ashes. My question is does a smoker get hot enough to fully kill the mold and sterilize the grates, I would go the hot soapy water route and wash that stuff away.


Run an Egg up to 800* and it pretty much burns everything off. I usually wait til my grate is really nasty and let it rip. Grate will be spotless...
Couple years back, prior to me becoming interested in this stuff we did a beer can chicken in December. Left the half fill can of beer and stand in the Egg...til July or so. Walked by the Egg, it literally stunk. Dome was glued shut with gooey stuff. The 2 of us got it open, filled the firebox up and lit it. Let it run until it burnt out. Entire inside of it was spotless....nothing left to even brush off...


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## cayotica

My MES doesn't go that high, guess that's what I get for playing with electricity [emoji]128521[/emoji]


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## inkjunkie

cayotica said:


> My MES doesn't go that high, guess that's what I get for playing with electricity [emoji]128521[/emoji]


Seen some folks mention putting a pot of water in their MES and running it full throttle for a while...guess the steam from the boiling water cleaned things...may want to keep the exhaust shut..


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## cayotica

Steam becomes water, water is the universal solvent, the universal solvent alway does the job. Thanks (actually never thought of using steam).


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## inkjunkie

cayotica said:


> Steam becomes water, water is the universal solvent, the universal solvent alway does the job. Thanks (actually never thought of using steam).


Neither had I until I read about it on here. Hoping to make some Taylor Ham in the near future. Our MES40 has been sitting.....more like has been buried....in the garage for 6 months now....can't wait to see what kind of science experiment is growing in it...


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## cayotica

That's okay my new MES (40") is still in its box going on 9mths now. My 30"er was just too dang narrow.


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## inkjunkie

I did give it a quick cleaning....and sealed the drain with steel wool so hopefully it will still be sorta clean. When I opened it up to put the grates back in after I moved it pretty much all the "seasoning" had removed itself...


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## Deguarddog

sqwib said:


> One mans mold is another mans "Flavor Enhancer", sorry
> 
> Remove the food that the mold is thriving on
> 
> Spray are with straight vinegar.
> 
> an hour or 2 later spray out with hose.
> 
> Bring temps up on smoker as high as it will go for 1 hour
> 
> Let the smoker cool to warm and Rinse again
> 
> Bring temps up on smoker as high as it will go for 1 hour again
> 
> then re season with wood only, after all moisture is gone.
> 
> make sure to wear the proper equipment
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope this works


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## Deguarddog

muley05 said:


> I have a Weber bullet that I have not used for about six months. I am planning on smoking ribs and chicken tomorrow.  Tonight I looked inside my smoker and there is a lot of mold growing around the charcoal ring.  The food grates have been out of the smoker since the last time I used it.
> 
> Should I just run the smoker at high heat for a little bit to burn off the mold before putting my meat on?  Or should I clean the mold off first before starting my fire?


Just to start off, I have 19 years of training on hazardous materials. That being stated, heat your smoker up. It will be empty so crank it on high. Next, let it cool down and spray it down with ammonia or a good cleaner/degreaser. Scrub it out thoroughly and then rinse it out with a hose. 

DO NOT USE BLEACH! Bleach does not cut grease and is toxic and corrosive. If you don't get all the seasoning (grease) off of the interior of your smoker, it will be contaminated by the bleach. Washing it won't matter because the grease will coagulate and remain in your smoker. 

Household ammonia is a solution of NH3 in water (i.e., ammonium hydroxide) used as a general purpose cleaner for many surfaces. Because ammonia results in a relatively streak-free shine, one of its most common uses is to clean glass, porcelain and stainless steel. It is also frequently used for cleaning ovens and soaking items to loosen baked-on grime. Household ammonia ranges in concentration by weight from 5 to 10% ammonia.


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## dr k

Deguarddog said:


> Just to start off, I have 19 years of training on hazardous materials. That being stated, heat your smoker up. It will be empty so crank it on high. Next, let it cool down and spray it down with ammonia or a good cleaner/degreaser. Scrub it out thoroughly and then rinse it out with a hose.
> 
> DO NOT USE BLEACH! Bleach does not cut grease and is toxic and corrosive. If you don't get all the seasoning (grease) off of the interior of your smoker, it will be contaminated by the bleach. Washing it won't matter because the grease will coagulate and remain in your smoker.
> 
> Household ammonia is a solution of NH3 in water (i.e., ammonium hydroxide) used as a general purpose cleaner for many surfaces. Because ammonia results in a relatively streak-free shine, one of its most common uses is to clean glass, porcelain and stainless steel. It is also frequently used for cleaning ovens and soaking items to loosen baked-on grime. Household ammonia ranges in concentration by weight from 5 to 10% ammonia.


TSP trisodium phosphate is a great alkaline degreaser like ammonia but is an odorless dishwasher surfactant, food alkalizer and food emulsifier. It rinses clean with wet paper towels.  1lb box at Home Depot is $4 and 2 tsp in a cup of water in a spray bottle works great on smoker windows.  I spray the top of the window and wipe the bottom as I work my way up,  pitching papers towels in a garbage can as I go.


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## MeatCowboy5

love2"q" said:


> mold only grows on things that are organic ..
> 
> or have organic materials in them .. since you see it growing on metal ..
> 
> more than likely there are some food particles stuck on there somewhere ..
> 
> you can wipe it clean with any household cleaner ..
> 
> do not do it inside your house ..
> 
> oh .. i am certified in mold remediation ...
> 
> hope that helps ..


Thanks for posting this. I have mold and bugs in my smoker right now as I did NOT clean it out last weekend. 

I’m running it at 275 for 4 hours and then plan on brushing it all down and wiping with soap and water... 

Is there a specific brush I should use? 

Thanks -

MeatCowboy5


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