# Had to put out fire in Char Griller smoker w/ extingisher. How do I clean it now?



## yellowfintuna (Mar 15, 2010)

i used my Char griller smoke w/ side firebox as a charcoal grill last night. Ive done it in the past but I guess I had a ton of grease in it from recent smokes. The grease lit up realy quick and temps were extremely high. Closed the dampers and the stack but it wouldn't go out. After I waited about 10min, it didn't look like it was burning out soon and didn't want it to get out of hand, so I hit it with a fire extinguisher. Tons of nasty black smoke was filling my yard.

Now whats the best way to clean before my next smoke?


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## cheech (Mar 15, 2010)

I would start by taking a pressure washer to it.

Then start a very hot fire. 

That is me however I would like to hear from others to get their take on what to do


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## yellowfintuna (Mar 15, 2010)

Sounds good. I used a class D (i think) chemical extingisher. Some nasty stuff you want to get out of there.


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## pitrow (Mar 15, 2010)

I'd probably hit it with a pressure washer, then a good scrubbing with simple green, then do it again a couple times. Then a good hot fire and reseason it after all it said and done.


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## medic 82 (Mar 15, 2010)

I would agree on the pressure washer, etc.. Class D is kind of an unusual can to have around, but at any rate the material used in dry chemical cans is very corrosive and will start to do damage very quickly.  Be sure the wear some sort of respiratory protection while you are cleaning up the initial powder residue.. It's really hard on the resp system...   Clean, clean clean is about it I think...


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## yellowfintuna (Mar 15, 2010)

Im sorry it was  a class B


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## athabaskar (Mar 15, 2010)

After a pressure wash you might consider a good hand scrubbing with baking soda in water to neutralize any acids that might be present in the extinguishing agent. Regardless of the pressure wash and reseasoning, the presence of acids guarantees corrosion. PitRow's suggestion of the Simple Green might get it, but there's really no substitute for baking soda when it comes to killing acid.


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## slingah (Mar 15, 2010)

toss it and get a new one....


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## fire it up (Mar 15, 2010)

I disagree, why throw your smoker out if you can clean it up?
Not everyone is comfortable tossing something like that and spending a few hundred on a new one.


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## slingah (Mar 15, 2010)

if it be cleaned, by all means keep it


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## graybeard (Mar 15, 2010)

Next time use baking soda to put it out.

beard


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## hdsmoke (Mar 15, 2010)

next time keep some baking soda to douse the grease fire...easier than cleaning out dry chemical...did you burn all the paint off your smoker?

I also find it kind of ironic the first suggestion after cleaning was to "start a very hot fire."  Anyone else think that?  I know what you were getting at...just kinda funny.  Ok, ok its been a long Monday and doesnt take much to humor me right now...


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## yellowfintuna (Mar 15, 2010)

The inside is ok and all the paint on the outside looks new. But I think I will be starting another fire to fix a problem that a fire started. After I power wash it of course.

 I don't think I had enough baking soda to put it out. It was going pretty good.


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## caveman (Mar 15, 2010)

Okay, personally & this is only me, not anyone else, I would use this as a great excuse to buy another one or something different to add to the arsenal. Keep this one, clean it up & re-season it but also get a new something or other to make awesome modifications on. I don't know where you live or what tools you have on hand or even if you are married. All that is to say, I don't know what your circumstances are. If you need approval from wifey, if your funds are low, if you don't have tools, etc. Cleaning it up is a great way of saving it but I _*LOVE*_ to shop & this would be the perfect opportunity for me, (YOU), to add to your collection. Good luck on the cleanup. 

If you check the Char Griller link in my sig, you'll see the model I own.  I normally drop some cheap tin pans in the bottom as I don't invert my coal ash catcher, or whatever you want to call it, to use as a baffle.  I do that to catch the drippings from my smokes.  This will save a lot on clean up when you are ready to grill.  I hope this helps in the future.


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## moltenone (Mar 15, 2010)

if it happen's again don't panic,let it burn off and go on with your cook,i've done the same thing twice now,once your finished with your cook and everything is cooled down,make sure to oil your grate's real well because they have been cooked !!! as far as the clean up from the class B, soap and water should work just fine.

Mark


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## meateater (Mar 15, 2010)

Just pressure wash it, if you dont have one spray it with oven cleaner and hose it down real good. If you hit bare metal wipe it down with a dry cloth and spray with vegetable oil and reseason right away. No need to toss it.


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