# Cleaning a super messy Smoke Hollow



## vetmp (Jan 27, 2013)

I've got a 34cu/in Smoke Hollow propane that I have been using for about 8 months now and it has gotten filthy. I went on a smoking spree and now I have oil and junk all over the sides. I've got to take the time to get it cleaned up and I was wondering what the best way to clean it up. Should I just crank it as hot as it will go and then wipe it down or is there something that I can use to help break it all up. Also, once I wipe it down and get the majority of the junk out of it, am I going to have to re-season it or will there be enough residue left over that I shouldn't have to worry about it.

Recent smoke and you can see how dirty the inside is....













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__ vetmp
__ Jan 26, 2013


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## backwoods bbq (Jan 28, 2013)

I have cleaned hundreds of pits with a PAINT SCRAPER! works good get the pit hot, grab some gloves and scrape away sometimes you may have to take a butane toch or propane torch to the inside to  loosen it up more if it has been caked for a long time,

hope this helps


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## doctord1955 (Jan 28, 2013)

Scrape it with a putty knife becareful of all probes and cables and sensors!

When done with top and sides scrape out bottom!

would not use any soap or water or any chemicals at all!


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## wes w (Jan 30, 2013)

Backwoods BBQ said:


> I have cleaned hundreds of pits with a PAINT SCRAPER! works good get the pit hot, grab some gloves and scrape away sometimes you may have to take a butane toch or propane torch to the inside to  loosen it up more if it has been caked for a long time,
> 
> hope this helps





doctord1955 said:


> Scrape it with a putty knife becareful of all probes and cables and sensors!
> 
> When done with top and sides scrape out bottom!
> 
> would not use any soap or water or any chemicals at all!


Would this work the same for a brick smoker?   

How often should a smoker be cleaned?

I'd rather not run water down through my smoker.  It wouldn't hurt it.  It just seems like the wrong thing to do.

Thanks in advance


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## yardbird (Feb 2, 2013)

When they're WARM, wipe them down with rags or paper towels. DON'T use soap or chemicals on them. If you have chunks of something, by all means scrape them off, but generally I reat my smoker like a cast iron skillet. Once it's seasoned it NEVER gets scrubbed with soap. The gets boiling hot water and a wipe. I don't cook on any of the surfaces of the smoker (except the grills) so a good wipe down is all it gets. 

The grills come out and get washed in the sink, dried, and then lightly oiled with olive oil before going back in the smoker. They still look great.

If a cast iron skillet gets really bad, or if I find a nice one at a flea market, I stick in my grill and run it up to about 500 or so for half an hour (or more) or I've been known to toss them in the coals of a campfire and just let them sit in there over night. Anything on them turns to ash and you are basically starting over. Oil it and warm it several times. It BECOMES a non-stick cooking surface when seasoned. The inside of your smoker will do pretty close to the same.

For the brick smoker, crank the heat up and burn off any residue like the self clean cycle of an oven. Don't get it wet. Don't use chemicals. You can scrape off the big pieces before hand but be careful not to scratch up the brick. 

These things get better with age. They do have to be clean enough to be healthy, but don't get crazy on them. I mean... why would you take the time to carefully season it and then UNseason it?


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## wes w (Feb 2, 2013)

Thanks  yardbird.

I take a wire brush to the racks when I finish a smoke while its still warm.   Before each smoke I  run the wire brush over them again and burn them off with a weed burner.   I just don't want stuff falling off the walls into the food.  

Thanks for taking the time to reply.     In the spring when it warms up,  I'll  take the racks out and  and lightly wipe the walls for any lose stuff and call it good.

Thanks

Wes


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## michael ark (Feb 5, 2013)

My gosm gets ran up as high as I can get it . Then pressure washed. Steam cleaned.


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## vetmp (Feb 6, 2013)

Just tried to clean the Smoke Hollow and even after getting it as hot as I could and going at it with a scraper, the only thing I was able to get remotely clean was the bottom panel around the burner. Everything else is so caked and baked in, it is smooth and won't let the scraper bite into it, it just slides right over the surface. I don't want to put too much elbow in it because I don't want to scratch the metal of the cabinet. Guess I'll just say that I have an ultra seasoned smoker.....


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