I assume you have been changing the foil for each smoke? Or is it the same foil for a year? The foil should be changed for each smoke. I just wipe down the excess grease with paper towels after removing the foil. If the foil is stuck, turn your smoker on 100 degrees for a while to warm it up. Then scrape it off with a plastic putty knife or old credit card. If that doesn't work, pour a little warm water on it. Make sure to have the drip pan underneath. You can use oven cleaner to clean up the rest, but it doesn't need to be sparkling clean. If you use oven cleaner, wrap the element in foil to protect it. After cleaning, run another seasoning cycle to burn off any chemicals.