Cleaning Nitre

[nas]

I have had a lot of nitre build up in my syrup pan this year. I need to clean my pans every 8-12hrs of boiling. I usually soak the pan overnight with water and vinegar and scrub it in the morning. Is there a faster way to break down the nitre? I would like to pull the pan off, clean it, and put it back on within about a 1/2 hour. I have heard some guys say they use acid. What kind? Does it work faster? I hope to get another syrup pan made for next year, but I have to deal with just one this year.

Nick

[PerryW]

I use Leader Pan cleaner, which I believe is; Phosphoric Acid.

I reverse my flow after every 5-6 hours so I only clean my pans at the end of the season. I use less than a quart of concentrated acid for the whole evaporator, so it's mixed pretty weak. I think if you mixed it to the directions on the label, it may remove the nitre in the front pan pretty quick.

Somebody said that milk scale remover is the same thing, which may be available at tractor supply.

[brookledge]

I reverse flow every 1 to 1.5 hours since it is so easy with rev. pans. It definately helps keep the nitre down. As for acid I use a Zep acid which is formulated for stainless and removing deposits. I'll try to remember to get then number
Keith

[wiam]

On my 2' x2' front pan I clean at 3 hours or every day. This is boiling 8-12%. I leave blower on until probe stack thermometer says 300 then drain front pan and pour cold permeate in. Most nitre flakes off then, but most will come off with a nylon bristle brush the next day after saoking.

William

[Brent]

vinegar is acid
Leader cleaner is acid
Milkstone remover is acid

They will all work given time. If you want to do it faster, add heat. It doesn't take much. Just enough to make a little steam come off the acid ( hold your breath)

come back in a half hour and it will be all done but the cheering.

Really the heat is the key. I tried to clean cold pans for 3 years with all the above with lousy results. Then decided to follow the instructions. Add heat. Bingo !!!!

[Brian Ryther]

Dry wall sanding sponge.

[nas]

Thanks Brent. I have tried to use hot water with the vinegar and it did not seem to help. Today I put some heat to the bottom of the pan, and the nitre flaked right off with very little effort.:)

Nick

[GramaCindy]

vinegar is acid
Leader cleaner is acid
Milkstone remover is acid

They will all work given time. If you want to do it faster, add heat. It doesn't take much. Just enough to make a little steam come off the acid ( hold your breath)

come back in a half hour and it will be all done but the cheering.

Really the heat is the key. I tried to clean a cold pan for 3 years with all the above with lousy results. Then decided to follow the instructions. Add heat. Bingo !!!!

Dangit, I will add heat next time. Did the vinegar and water and green scrubby thing, worked like a dog, got most of it off. Next time….HEAT! Thanks Brent!

[Brent]

When I put the acid in my syrup pan I use the same propane flame throught (from Lee Valley that sell is as a weed killer) I move it slowly around the bottom and you can see the steam bubbles form between the nitre and the pan and lift the flakes right off. If I had started doing this 6 years ago I would have had at least a week of my life more to live doing fun things.

[hounder]

Anyone every use the acid on the stove top enamel. I made, or should I say tried, maple cream and had a big boil over and my stove is not coming clean. It was unbelievable how it cleaned our pans and really want to try it on the enamel?

[Brent]

Easy off oven cleaner

[Brent]

Dry wall sanding sponge.

The more you scratch it the harder it gets to clean.

Think about painting ... you sand the surface to rough it up so the paint can grip.

If anything, after the acid is done, take a lapping compound and polish the pan as smooth as you can get it.

[hounder]

Oven cleaner takes the big stuff off, but left a lot behind with alot of scrubbing. It is a brand new stove and don't want to scratch it up and started thinking of the acid and how well it worked when we scorched our pan. Just wondering if anyone has ever tried it. Maybe I will find an old stove to try it on before I get my brand new ruined!

[Brent]

generally ... very generally ... you want to use acids to clean mineral deposits ... nitre, calcium etc and alkaline stuff like oven cleaner for carbon based stuff ... like syrup.

Let the Easy-0ff soak for a half hour and it should get it all.
Might take two or three whacks. It only takes off the top layer each time.