Mold/Mildew all over inside of Egg

Keyrock

Opened up my Egg for the first time since Labor Day and was greeted with mold/mildew like I've never seen before. I've had some mold issues in the past but they were minor enough that I just fired up the egg and let it burn off. This is a green colored substance and I'm wondering if it's possibly related to the new cover (also green but not BGE branded) that I got off Amazon a couple of months ago. This seems like too much to simply burn off. Any thoughts on how to safely clean this/avoid getting it in the future? Thanks.

Only had time to do a brief topic search so I apologize if this has been covered before.

MO_Eggin

In my experience, the cover traps moisture, which helps the mold growth.  Just load up some charcoal and burn off the mold - no need for nuclear temps.  

4TheGrillOfIt

It’s the wrath of the BBQ gods.  Labor Day?  

blind99

my small BGE grows mold like a champ, no cover at all.  no idea why.  fields of beautiful yellow and green mold.  spider webs get in there too.  i burn the egg at 350-400 for a few hours, and i wash the grate in soapy water, and get on with the cooking.

empty all of the ash in the bottom of your egg, too - that stuff can hold some moisture.

i figure the molds won't bother me unless i go brushing and scraping them, flinging them into the air, then breathing them in.  if i was really really bothered by it, i guess i'd use warm soapy water to wash it all out, then rinse it all off.  but washing the grate, giving the rest of it a few hundred degrees for a few hours, and cooking has been my MO.

ColtsFan

I'll occasionally get mold. I usually just brush off what I can and let her rip for 20 minutes or so to burn it off

odie91

I leave my bottom vent open when I'm not using the egg.

stlcharcoal

Leave the bottom open and use a smokeware cap......that will help.

Simple solution, BBQ more!!!!!!

thetrim

**** happens.  Cook more

northGAcock

blind99 said:

my small BGE grows mold like a champ, no cover at all.  no idea why.  fields of beautiful yellow and green mold.  spider webs get in there too.  i burn the egg at 350-400 for a few hours, and i wash the grate in soapy water, and get on with the cooking.

empty all of the ash in the bottom of your egg, too - that stuff can hold some moisture.

i figure the molds won't bother me unless i go brushing and scraping them, flinging them into the air, then breathing them in.  if i was really really bothered by it, i guess i'd use warm soapy water to wash it all out, then rinse it all off.  but washing the grate, giving the rest of it a few hundred degrees for a few hours, and cooking has been my MO.

You wash your grate? 

QDude

I had the same cover for 7 years and it never caused a mold problem.  Of course it is really dry here in Colorado.

Mark_B_Good

Mold ain't gonna last in 400F, that's for sure.

Teefus

Cleanse it with fire.

buzd504

northGAcock said:

blind99 said:

my small BGE grows mold like a champ, no cover at all.  no idea why.  fields of beautiful yellow and green mold.  spider webs get in there too.  i burn the egg at 350-400 for a few hours, and i wash the grate in soapy water, and get on with the cooking.

empty all of the ash in the bottom of your egg, too - that stuff can hold some moisture.

i figure the molds won't bother me unless i go brushing and scraping them, flinging them into the air, then breathing them in.  if i was really really bothered by it, i guess i'd use warm soapy water to wash it all out, then rinse it all off.  but washing the grate, giving the rest of it a few hundred degrees for a few hours, and cooking has been my MO.

You wash your grate? 

Crazy talk.

westernbbq

Not using your Big Green Egg since Labor Day is a violation of BGERS 22~3417 Subsection d. Where it specifically states, "No owner of a Big Green Egg shall fail to use its Big Green Egg for its intended use for any consecutive number of days not to exceed twenty-one, unless owner is incapacitated or physically located out of the state in which its Big Green Egg is located in."

stlcharcoal

westernbbq said:

Not using your Big Green Egg since Labor Day is a violation of BGERS 22~3417 Subsection d. Where it specifically states, "No owner of a Big Green Egg shall fail to use its Big Green Egg for its intended use for any consecutive number of days not to exceed twenty-one, unless owner is incapacitated or physically located out of the state in which its Big Green Egg is located in."

...Punishable by forfeiture of said Big Green Egg to next door neighbor.  Violator shall be subjected to cooking on a gas grill and must not come within 200 yards of a BGE for no less that 24 months.

jtcBoynton

The new cover may have contributed to the grow.  It may be holding in more moisture than the old one.  Just burn it off.  

blind99

northGAcock said:

blind99 said:

my small BGE grows mold like a champ, no cover at all.  no idea why.  fields of beautiful yellow and green mold.  spider webs get in there too.  i burn the egg at 350-400 for a few hours, and i wash the grate in soapy water, and get on with the cooking.

empty all of the ash in the bottom of your egg, too - that stuff can hold some moisture.

i figure the molds won't bother me unless i go brushing and scraping them, flinging them into the air, then breathing them in.  if i was really really bothered by it, i guess i'd use warm soapy water to wash it all out, then rinse it all off.  but washing the grate, giving the rest of it a few hundred degrees for a few hours, and cooking has been my MO.

You wash your grate? 

Well, the dog gets picky about licking it clean when it’s covered in mold and you gotta keep her happy. Or at least alive.