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Do not use oven cleaner, abrasive cleaners, or
abrasive cleaning pads on the exterior surfaces of
your smoker.
Let the cleaner sit for about 30 seconds to give it
a chance to break down grease and smoke stains.
Wipe off the cleaner with a clean paper towel or rag.
Wipe with the grain if you’re cleaning stainless steel
or in circles, if you’re cleaning a painted surface.
Repeat the process once more to clean off any
remaining grease or smoke. With a rag, rinse
thoroughly if you used soapy water.
Cleaning the interior:
Safety first! Make sure your smoker is totally
cool, then unplug it from its power source.
Empty the pellet hopper to prevent your pellets
from getting wet or coming into contact with
cleaning substances.
Pull the Ash Clean-out knob and empty the ash
from the burn cup.
Open the door and remove the cooking grates,
any extra racks, drip tray, and heat diffuser plate
from inside the smoker. Pay attention to how
these pieces are installed (or even take a picture)
so you’ll have an easier time reassembling your
smoker.
Use a wet/dry vacuum with a hose attachment to
remove loose ash and debris.
Remove creosote buildup from updraft walls.
Look for places inside your smoker where grease
has built up. Use something with a flat edge (a
paint stick, pan scraper, etc.) to dislodge and
remove it.
Use hot, soapy water and a rag to wash the
interior of your smoker, as well as each piece you
pulled out.
Repeat the process until most of the grease
buildup is gone.
With a rag, rinse thoroughly if you used soapy
water and allow everything to dry.
NEVER cover slots, holes, or passages in
the smoker bottom or cover an entire rack with
material such as aluminum foil. Doing so blocks
air flow through the smoker and may cause
carbon monoxide poisoning. Aluminum foil
linings may trap heat causing a fire hazard.
Tip: Use our grease bucket liners to make
cleaning your grease bucket a snap.
Allow to dry for at least 24 hours before cooking,
and double-check that the hopper has no water in
it before reloading pellets.
Cleaning the exhaust vents:
When wood pellets are burned slowly, they
produce tar and other organic vapors that
combine with expelled moisture to form creosote.
The creosote vapors condense on cooler areas
of your smoker, like your exhaust vents. When
ignited, creosote can produce an extremely hot
fire and damage property or the exterior finish
of your smoker. Creosote and grease should be
removed to reduce the risk of fire.
Remove the bolts on either side of the vents on
the back of your smoker. From the inside of your
smoker, remove the vent cover that is now loose.
Remove any grease or creosote buildup and
replace the cover.
Dedicating a bit of time to cleaning out your pellet
smoker, both between cooks and a couple of
times a year, will keep the good food coming for
years. When you love your grillfriend, it will love
you back.
Let us know if you have any pro cleaning tips by
sharing it with everyone on our social media.
Pellet storage:
Store pellets indoors in a dry space away from
humidity, moisture fluctuation, and heat producing
appliances. If your pellet smoker ever isn’t running
properly, pellets are the first thing to check.
The use of Camp Chef pellets is recommended
but not required. Camp Chef pellets are 100%
hardwood, non-toxic and contain no oils,
chemicals, or added binders.
