Help me clean my OTG

[hubmacfan]

I have a OTG that's coming up on its one-year birthday. As much as I've tried to keep it looking nice, it looks horrible compared to some of the kettles I've seen on here. How do you guys clean the exterior of your kettles? Any recommended products?

[pbe gummi bear]

I just use soap and water on a sponge/scour for the exterior. Don't press to hard with the scour pad. If there's caked on stuff that must be dislodged, I just a razor blade. If you press lightly and hold an acute angle It won't scratch the porcelein. If there is soot that won't come off with normal soap and water, I use Easy-off oven cleaner. It's safe on the porcelain but I would not leave it on the aluminum for more than a minute or two as it's caustic.

[MINIgrillin]

I just use water and 0000 steel wool. Most of the crud that builds up on my kettles is dust, pollen, and a little spatterings of grease. Overall I'd say it's light to medium buildup. I don't have enough grease to require soap. But then again I clean more than once a year..
I have used dawn and water with success on rescues. Just make sure your mix is lite on the soap or you will be driving yourself batty with streaks and soap scum. ...but enough that get the job done.

[MacEggs]

Spray Nine, 0000 steel wool, and a hose ready to rinse.  Easy-peasy.

[Jason]

EDIT: This is what I do with an already clean kettle, to keep it lookin good.

I try and keep the outside of my daily cooker (Performer) lookin as sharp as I can. I keep a tube of those disinfecting type wipes on the bottom rack and give the kettle and table a wipe down after I'm done. I use a damp paper towel to remove the soapy film off the kettle afterwards. All that takes literally less than a minute to complete. I also use my grill cover, if I'm not gonna use it for a few days.

The inside of the kettle just gets the ash removed before each new cook. I'll occasionally scrape off excess gunk, melted cheese, sauce etc, if it's getting outta control, with a plastic putty knife. The inside of my kettle has a very nice buildup of "seasoning" and shuts down very nicely! I have never had a grease fire (yet) either