Cleaning Stainless Pan With Maple Vinegar

[wnybassman]

Over the years I have read on here a couple times where folks have left sap in their stainless pans for a couple months or more and let the sap ferment and turn to vinegar, thus cleaning the pans. I remember some saying that was the cleanest their pans have ever been.

Does anyone here still do that? Or have tried it in the past?

While pulling taps today I collected enough sap to put 5" of sap in the pan. It is sitting there now. Just don't know whether to just get a gallon or two of white vinegar like I usually do, or just put the cover on it and forget about it until June/July.

[wnybassman]

OK, so maybe this isn't a good idea then. lol Perhaps I will just drain it out and clean it like I always do.

[PerryW]

Goodriches sugarhouse up near Danville VT used to clean their pans that way, but I don't think they waited all the way till june/july. They just put the last run of raw sap in the pans and left it for a couple weeks as I recall.

[Bruce L]

We still do it that way,depends on your weather as to how quickly it works.When I see lines in the flue pan where all the stuff has lifted off of the crimps like Sani Flush used to do in the toilet,the sap/vinegar has done it's job.I check the syrup pan which usually takes longer with a finger scraping the bottom,if it feels smooth and clean it is done,just a wash down with pressure washer and good as new.

[lpakiz]

Just so you are forewarned--you will need a clothespin for your nose. The smell is most disgusting, but it does clean the pan very clean

[Thad Blaisdell]

You leave it till middle of june, but make sure you flush really well with baking soda after....... But it does require more than a couple of weeks

[stoweski]

Left mine until may last year. Had really dark sweet in the pans and flooded it with water to bring up the level (while still boiling). Left it until May 1 and then cleaned it out that weekend. It stinks (would like to have made maple vinegar but didn't trust it after smelling it) so I dumped it out. Rinsed with pressure washer and left it. Pans were nice and shiny.

This year I dumped in 1/2 gallon of white vinegar with soft water. Boiled for 20 min then shut her down. After it cooled I noticed scale & niter lifting right off the pans. Looks great... only smell was vinegar and the best part is I didn't have to wait until May to clean it out. Pressure washing and cleaning all of my equipment this weekend. Then I don't have to worry about it until next season!

[wnybassman]

Well, I cleaned up everything today, except the pan. I'll let it sit a few weeks or more. Got nothing to lose and am in no hurry. Playing with water on a hot day in May/June sounds refreshing. lol Besides, it will be about then when I start thinking about making some firebox alterations.

Thanks!

[wnybassman]

Well, it's been almost a month since I put 5 inches of sap in the pan, but today was the day I decided to clean it up. It seemed to work. I drained it out and blew it off with a pressure washer. Very little rubbing required. Definitely a weird smell to it. Kind of had a sweet offensiveness to it. lol

[Shorty]

That's the way we do it but wait until late July or August to drain it. I fill it to the brim though.

[Maple Ridge Farm]

We also fill it too the brim and usually wait till the end of May before cleaning.

[Sugar Warrior]

I just drained my pans and did a rough scrub this morning. Had about 4 inches of sap and sweet left in them from mid-April. It was a microbiologist's deam. Lots of good stuff growing! I was able to flush it out pretty good. The niter was pretty loose and easy to get rid of.