As expected, I should've cleaned it yesterday, to use today :(

[Harleysmoker]

I would take a bleach/water solution and spray the inside of the center section, let in sit for 15 minutes or so, then scrub with a plastic brush. Rinse well and light a hot fire and let it burn out.

I keep mine in the garage with the vents all closed and the cover on it here in Florida. Also the next day after every cook I empty the used charcoal, save it, and take a 4" paint brush and sweep all the ash dust off of the charcoal grate and the inside of the bottom bowl. Charcoal ash draws moisture in the WSM and a kettle. Leave it in there too long, you get rust, mold, ash sweep froze up and an environment for mold. Trust me here in SW Florida mold grows like crazy, steady work pressure cleaning pool decks, sidewalks, drive ways etc. for mold.

2 years, I never have seen any mold in mine.

I heard the Weber covers are not rain proof, to fix that, put a black garbage bag over it, then put the Weber cover over that to prevent rain leaking in

[MikeRocksTheRed]

I think it would be easiest to just hit it with some easy off, let it sit a bit, then scrap with razor blades.  But since I don't have a WSM I'm not really sure if the weber kettle cleaning technique applies to the mid section of the WSM or not....is that the same porcelain/ceramic as kettles?

Referring to Easy-off - I try to avoid that stuff at all costs,  it is extremely bad to you personally and the environment.

Isn't everything!  LOL.  I get it though.  I just figure if it is safe for use in your house (and maybe I need to read the can to see if I still think this) in your oven it can't be that bad.  The Ace Hardware by me actually has a version meant for cleaning grills that I'm thinking might be better for the environment since it would be used almost exclusively outdoors.

[toolhead]

@kettlecook  what make /model ss grates did you buy

[kettlecook]

@kettlecook  what make /model ss grates did you buy

I just ordered it from Weber.


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[Big Dawg]

When this happens to one of mine, I spritz it with a little greased lightning, let that soak in a while and hit with the power washer. 

This is part of my cleaning ritual getting ready for the competition season.





BD

[SmokenJoe]

Eugene knows something about "mold", think it has to do with all the rain.   My WSM 18 is out on the deck w/ the top vent closed and the bottom vents open.  Always has the basic Weber cover on.  Usually dump the ashes as soon as I can and remove the water pan.   Haven't had to deal with mold yet ??                                  SJ

[kettlecook]

Eugene knows something about "mold", think it has to do with all the rain.   My WSM 18 is out on the deck w/ the top vent closed and the bottom vents open.  Always has the basic Weber cover on.  Usually dump the ashes as soon as I can and remove the water pan.   Haven't had to deal with mold yet ??                                  SJ

FYI, unless you've seemed the seals, it's odd if your cover doesn't leak. But as long as your top vent is tight, turning the middle section upside down will do the trick. A buddy of mine keeps his under a covered patio all the time but got mold pretty bad because he forgot about dumping the water pan after a cook. Nasty.


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[Metal Mike]

Looks like a good excuse to bust out the Lighter Fluid...

Burn lots of Fats/Oil, then use LF burn to "dry" the resulting cresote & just peel it away...

[addicted-to-smoke]

Brief update:

Taking each section and tilting at the ground I poured a little bleach and gave a light scrub with a brush. Seemed to mostly do the trick. I let it dry and then applied lighter fluid, which I couldn't get to light.

I do have access to some cut firewood but no reasonable way to light it, so I assembled the smoker, loaded it up with a huge pile of sacrificial Kingsford and proceeded to pour a whole bunch of the lighter fluid on the charcoal. Figured I might as well use it up since I never "cook" with it anyway. Waited a short while for it to soak in. I probably wasted 10 matches on it ... damn stuff would not light.

BTW I'm using some "alternative" lighter fluid, no petrochemicals. Same price as the regular kind so I thought I'd try it. Maybe it's not as volatle.

Meanwhile, I'm watching one or two coals meekly smoke and then, the POOL of lighter fluid at the bottom of the thing slowly catches. Now I have a decent fire underneath the charcoal --- nice.

I go to retrieve the lid which still has a small pool of lighter fluid in it and put the lid on. Yep, I mostly extinguished the fire by flooding it. Forget all those scary YouTube videos of people pouring lighter fluid on a lit fire ... no such drama here.

Something's happening, don't know if it's helping in any way. It's been smoking like this for 2 hours now.

[swamprb]

Weed burner

KISS

just sayin'

[addicted-to-smoke]

Don't think I haven't been eyeballin' those things.

[Metal Mike]

""alternative" lighter fluid"

Rubbing Alcohol ?

[addicted-to-smoke]

""alternative" lighter fluid"

Rubbing Alcohol ?

No, it's sold as lighter fluid but it's not petroleum-based. I think this might be it: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Smarter-Starter-Fluid-32-oz-Natural-Charcoal-Lighter-Fluid-SSF32/204509933

"made from agriculturally derived ingredients"

Like maybe cow shit? Worked about as well.

[Travis]

I'm glad I read this post. I went out and check my uds, and had a couple of fuzzies starting in there. I had all the vents closed which I never do m, but it is stored in the garage so I probably did to sit a damn box on top or something like that. Nothing bad like in the picture but I'm running a load of lump through it now wide open, high heat to burn it out. I always smoke a couple butts in April for my daughters birthday so I'm glad I ran across this now and not later. How did yours turn out and what did you do??

[addicted-to-smoke]

I've since been storing mine with vents open but I do keep the cover on it. Used it 2 days ago after having been covered up for a month and there wasn't anything inside. I did however keep the cover lifted a little, exposing the bowl vents. I know some moisture still gets trapped, there was some between cover and WSM despite not having rained for a week. But I don't want to leave it uncovered.