Cleaning underside of pan

[MarkL]

Any tips for getting the sooty buildup off the bottom of your pan? Mine's about .5mm thick and pretty stubborn.

Mark

[SeanD]

Easy Off - for the underside only. Scrape as much of off as you can with a scraper or brush, then use the Easy Off. If you don't scrape the loose, thick top layer of soot first, it just absorbs the Easy Off and only that layer washes off. Then you have to repeat.

Sean

[WESTMAPLES]

even adding some pressure washing into the cleaning process helps. markL where you located in western mass? how did your season play out, mine was slow and spotty, I didn't break any records but I made plenty of nice syrup and candy . mother nature was tough on thoughts of us that had to work thru the bad spots. but expanding is my plan more taps and a ro. what are the rest of the massmaple people planning for next season

[MarkL]

Hi Sean,

I've been scrubbing and rinsing and some is coming off, but maybe it is time to hit the thing with chemicals. What about straight up pressure washing, ever try that?

Mark

[asknupp]

I used "bar keepers friend" and soot came right of with a lil soft scrubbing.

[regor0]

yep bar keepers friend is awesome. That's I use.

[NTBugtraq]

FWIW, this is my first evaporator and first season using it, but I created a bunch of carbon inside my flue pan last week. The distributor (Atkinsons, in Ontario), and the manufacturer (CDL, from their U.S. support) both said to use Easy Off inside the flue pan. It worked...and a subsequent boil with fresh water and pan acid was said to eliminate any traces of the Easy Off (this was told to me by CDL)...so, using it on the outside must be the right idea. There is cold oven cleaner, and hot oven cleaner...it makes no difference, but whichever you use, I would heat the pan after you've cleaned it just to eliminate any traces of scent. I don't believe there's any way for Easy Off on the bottom outside of the pan to get into the sap/syrup, but you won't be satisfied if you can still smell it...

Cheers,
Russ

[regor0]

I've burnt syrup on the inside of my pan too. Vinegar is my natural "easyoff".

[NTBugtraq]

FWIW, if vinegar works, use it, but you still gotta do a clean after the vinegar too...its certainly cheaper than Easy Off and pan acid...I'm thinking it requires more labour? I used a piece of cedar shingle as my scrubber...worked amazingly.

Cheers,
Russ

[MarkL]

I'm very reluctant to use anything with a chemical odor on the pan, any side of it. I'll try the cedar shingle/vinegar approach and see how it goes.

Mark

[PerryW]

Any tips for getting the sooty buildup off the bottom of your pan? Mine's about .5mm thick and pretty stubborn.

Mark

On the bottom side, I just run a standard flue brush through the underside each flue and don't worry about getting it shiney. This is the 24'th year I have done it this way and I don't notice any difference in GPH.

[chevypower]

Easy off works great for cleaning the bottom of pans!

[SeanD]

Hi Sean,

I've been scrubbing and rinsing and some is coming off, but maybe it is time to hit the thing with chemicals. What about straight up pressure washing, ever try that?

Mark

Sorry if I was unclear. I don't go crazy scrubbing and washing before the EZ Off. I just scrap the top layers of soot off with a putty knife or the flat scraper part of the BBQ grill scraper. I don't use water - just scrape for a few minutes until all the thick loose stuff comes off. Then the baked on bottom layer gets the EZ Off.

Pressure washing will do the trick too. EZ Off has seemed faster for me, but I have a low-budget pressure washer. If you have a powerful one, it will probably be quick work.

Sean

[Sweet Shady Lane]

Easy off is the way to go , just spray it on let it soak for a half hour or so and wash it off, Sometimes you have to spray it again but it all comes off, it works for me, if you use a sos pad or scraper all you are doing is scratching the bottom of the pan and the next time you use it the soot has more to grab a hold of and it's harder to get off

[green4310]

I sprinkle a little RO soap powder on the soot . Wet lightly and the soot will come right off, with very little elbow grease. Use rubber cloves and safety glasses . I do my finisher and syrup pan, makes them look almost new.

[red maples]

hmmm I never thought of RO soap powder I will have to try that. I just use easy off and pressure washer but its hard to get the EO into the flues on my flue pan. I am hoping its alote easier to clean this year since I now have an RO I think I boiled for total of 13-15 hrs instead 120000000 hrs this year :)