cleaning/maintenance?

[mrgoose]

Greetings, Can some of you long time SI users tell me how you clean your smokers and if there is any maintenance I need to do on a regular basis? Thank you in advance, mrgoose.

 

[swthorpe]

I foil the bottom of the smoker and the wood box, so clean up is a breeze...just remove the foil and wipe down the bottom to catch any liquid that slips passed the foil.  Every couple of months, I remove the side panels and run those through the dishwasher.    I clean the racks after each use by hand with hot soapy water and a brush.    Maybe once or twice a year, I will scrape the inside of the box just to free up some of the build up that occurs on the side walls over time.  Other than that, not much maintenance required.

 

[old sarge]

Over time the seasoning inside will start to alligator/crack and flake and I find a medium stiff paint brush works well to remove all the loose stuff off the interior before it falls on the food. I may do that every couple of months; just depends upon how it looks.  Otherwise, just ensure the smoker is dried out before covering and clean the racks after each use. I also hand wash.

 

[mrgoose]

Thank you two for the answers. Pretty much what I figured, but seeing it in writing gets in my brains rolodex.