Cleaning Pans

[justlookingon]

This is our first year-we have a 2x3 Mason pan. How should we clean it up and what cleaning materials, if any, should we use?

[Haynes Forest Products]

Are you done for the season? if its a quick clean between boils fill with water and a gallon of vinigar and reheat. A rag with vinigar is great to wipe the outside of the evap during boiling keeps things tidy.

If its the end of the season and you want to get the soot and crud off boil and soak the inside spray the outside with EZoff oven cleaner and let sit for 2 hrs and then spray and wash.

[justlookingon]

Thanks for the help. We had gotten out the vinegar, but we've heard so much about different substances flavoring the syrup, we've been apprehensive about using anything except water. We are close to finishing up here I guess and we haven't cleaned the pan out once yet! Looking at cold temps Thursday/Friday so maybe we'll get another run then. THanks again!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Vinegar works good and it is cheap, about $ 3.36 for 2 gallons at Sams Club. Just rinse the pans good, vinegar rinses out easy and shouldn't leave any flavor behind.

[michiganfarmer]

when Im done for the season, I use a stiff scrub brush and clean water. Thats it.

[jtapczynski]

Vinegar works good and it is cheap, about $ 3.36 for 2 gallons at Sams Club. Just rinse the pans good, vinegar rinses out easy and shouldn't leave any flavor behind.

This is my first season with a Leader Half Pint and I have some questions about using Vinegar when cleaning the pan. 1) Do you dilute the vinegar or use it full strength; 2) I've read where some people build a fire in the arch to warm the solution. Is this the recommended procedure?; and finally 3) How long do you let the solution work in the pan before you start scrubbing and rinsing?
I'm sorry for the newbe questions I just don't want to screw up my new rig after the first season by not cleaning my pan correctly.

Thanks

[red maples]

dilute it . you want to fill it high enough to get the niter build up on the sides of the pan. I go in like twice a day and give it a quick scrub and when everything is off the I drain it out and pull the pans off and powerwash inside to get the corners and stuff and clean soot and creosote buildup off the bottom of the pans. with easy off and the flue brush (but I have to get a new one as my son wanted to help and decided to try to clean the side of the arch front when we were shutting down one evening and melted it!!!:rolleyes: )

[Haynes Forest Products]

Full strength is fine it wont hurt the SS remember that its already diluted from the store.

[PerryW]

I buy a quart of the concentrated pan cleaner from my Maple Supplier.; phosphoric acid, I think.

I fill the pans to the brim with water and add 1/2 to the back and half to the front.

Start a slow fire and warm the water up 160-180 and the nitre on the back pan will start peeling off in 20 minutes or so. Scrub drain and rinse using baking soda to neutralize the acid to avoid corrision.

Now you start on the hard part; the front pan. Letting it soak helps, but it's always hard work with a putty knife and lots of scotchbright pads.

[red maples]

I dilute the vinegar because I don't want to have to buy 25 + gallons of it!!!

[jtapczynski]

Thanks for the cleaning tips. It looks like I'll get one last good run this weekend then I'll shutdown and do the cleanup.

[maple sapper]

I bought the liquid pan cleaner from Bascoms and let me tell you. It was no work at all and my pan looked as good as the day I bought it. To think of all the years I spent scrubbin my fingers off and then tried this. I was mad at my wasted time. Small fire to warm it up and it does all the work. Then like mentioned below, baking soda to neutralize. Will never do it differently from here on.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I would rather set fire to my pans then go at them with a putty knife. If your scrapping oily crud off the pans use Easyoff oven cleaner and a $100.00 power washer.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Bring it up to a light boil/simmer for a few minutes and let it set for a few days and even the front pan will clean up much easier.

[Peepers]

are you guys using the scotch brite pads using the stainless steel ones like this: http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/3m-214-Scotch-Brite-Stainless-Steel-Scouring-Pad/147065/Cat/1469?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=googlebase&cvsfa=63&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=313437303635

I found some cheap stainless ones at a dollar store and they work like a charm on burnt on stuff. I have used copper ones too but avoid steel wool because I have heard bad things about normal steel wool leaving bits of steel and causing rust spots on stainless.