Which EZ Off?

Grady

New member
A while back someone posted a certain chemical to avoid when buying EZ-Off. After searching all the cleaning threads, no luck finding it. Anyone?
 
Sorry... no idea.  For my part, I'd just question the use of any EZ Off...  I've never used anything more than soap/water and scrub pad on the grates and nothing but a putty knife inside the smoker.  I can't think of any reason that's going to change for me either... 
 
For really bad cases, I will use oven cleaner (any brand) on my grates. Put them in plastic bag, spray generously and let sit overnight. Then I take them out rinse cleaner off with hot water and then wash with dish soap and rinse again. Last step is to spray liberally with white vinegar, let sit for a few minutes and then rinse off with plain water.

I know some people used to use oven cleaner as paint stripper. And vinegar is used to neutralize most paint strippers that I've used.
 
I've used EZ off before in my #2 and then (after using putty knife and a LOT of paper towels to get it all out), sprayed the inside down with 1/2 white vinegar and water solution, again.........a LOT of paper towels to get it as dry as possible.......note: wrap around the heating element cage with aluminum foil and then saran wrap to keep it clean and dry.

Then do an empty cook, small block of oak to season the smoker......at 225* for 2 hours. 
 
A friend of mine gave me some stuff he picked up from Sams Club, it’s a stainless steel grill cleaner that works really well. Cuts grease and build up great. I use it on the grates, like one above, in a garbage bag and let it sit in the hot sun in the summer for a few hours. Then clean them with soap and water a few times. If you have Sams Club access,  let me know and I’ll get a pic to you.

For the smoker, I just The the grates on my grill and turn the heat up to high and that does the trick with the brush.
 
I have had to use EZ off.  Once on my old Cook Shack.  A rodent or two slithered their way into the cabinet through the drip hole and set up housekeeping.  There were hairs and droppings and I am assuming urine.  Plain old heavy duty EZ Off all over the interior.  Twice then had to re-season. No damage. After that, I used a heavy stove bolt with a washer JB Welded to the bolt.  Just drop it in the hole and no more rodent issues. And the EZ Off did no damage. Just sponged it off with hot water and followed with a white vinegar rinse.
 
old sarge said:
I have had to use EZ off.  Once on my old Cook Shack.  A rodent or two slithered their way into the cabinet through the drip hole and set up housekeeping. 

Yeah, ok... I'd probably do the same in that case. :)
 
Over on another forum, someone had a similar problem and the advice was don't worry, the heat and the smoke would basically clean everything up.  I wasn't sure about that, thus the EZ Off.  But I never clean to like new.  Just brush off the flakey stuff every once in a while, clean the racks after each use and smoke on.
 
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