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Best way to clean

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tikigriller
tikigriller Posts: 1,389
in EggHead Forum
I have developed a black sticky substance on the lower vent on my newest egg.....it seals the vent shut.  Last night, I heated it up and was able to get it open, but could not come up with a way to clean it, since it is such a small area, and so now, yep, you guessed it, it’s stuck in the open position!

Any helpful ideas on what to use to clean this if it has happened to anyone else would be great!
Just bought an Egg?  Here is what you get to look forward to now:

Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night.  Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs

Livermore, California
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  • Elijah
    Elijah Posts: 686
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    If you use a propane torch I'd hit it with that. If you ruin it you can replace it with a similar sized kamodo Joe vent for rather cheap  
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
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    Looks to me like you have a creosote problem. BUT based on what you said or I didn't understand then I can't understand why!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • tikigriller
    tikigriller Posts: 1,389
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    Wait.....so this is going to keep happening?  Is this a warranty thing??  (It has never happened on my first Egg)
    Just bought an Egg?  Here is what you get to look forward to now:

    Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night.  Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs

    Livermore, California
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  • berndcrisp
    berndcrisp Posts: 1,166
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    Just clean it the best you can and EGG on bro.
    Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs!


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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,337
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    It's not a warranty thing.  As above, clean it off and then keep the area and sliding tracks as clean as you can.  You open the width of the tracks to make the whole open/close process go easier as well.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    edited August 2018
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    Get some simple green or some other non toxic degreaser. Clean it up the best you can. Don't use a torch as it might damage the silicon sealant on the lower vent and just harden up the gunk. 
    But no idea why you are getting such a buildup. I have some on all my Eggs but not to this extreme. 
    Using a lot of smoking wood lately?
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    This is a first for me to see on here. Very interesting. Is the stuff hard when cool?  Or just really thick and gooey? 
    Is there any way some plastic or something fell between the firebox/ ring and is melting into the track? Did you fully empty and clean the egg to try and find the source? Is that stuff building up over time or is it the same amount? 

    Once you can eliminate that there is no additional mystery substance within the egg, the best way is also the most laborious. Take the vent off, and clean it well using whatever is necessary: soap, degreaser, acetone...... whatever removes that stuff, then replace and reseal with a high temp sealant. Wonder what that crap is. 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    if you use heat you will melt the silicone seal that helps it stay air tight between the vent and ceramic.  my stove gets really gunked up from wok cooking, best cleaner ive found is just mineral oil, it softens the gunk up pretty good to help wipe it out.  mines gotten like that but i did mostly chicken thigh cooks continuously on it all summer, its not normal if you change up the cooks
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • slovelad
    slovelad Posts: 1,742
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    Heavy duty oven cleaner 
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,648
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    Looks like your egg needs a drain plug.
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • Jupiter Jim
    Jupiter Jim Posts: 3,351
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    We need to find the source of the Goooooooo eliminate that and all will be good. Have yo been doing a lot of grease producing cooks and just letting the grease drip on the Plate Setter and then down into the base of the egg? If so start using a drip pan of some sort to catch the grease and your problem is solved.

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    Jupiter Jim said:
    We need to find the source of the Goooooooo eliminate that and all will be good. Have yo been doing a lot of grease producing cooks and just letting the grease drip on the Plate Setter and then down into the base of the egg? If so start using a drip pan of some sort to catch the grease and your problem is solved.
    Great insight. If you are struggling now, pull the vent off, clean it and reinstall using high heat silicone sealer. The drop pan is your friend, you can buy cheap bulk aluminum serving trays at RD, that serves the purpose.
    Good luck and keep egging.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,171
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    Try 91% rubbing alcohol.
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  • tikigriller
    tikigriller Posts: 1,389
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    Thanks for all the insight.  I have not cooked anything on this Egg that I have not coooked on my other egg, nor changed my cooking styles in any way, so why this one is creating this issue, is just simply, strange.  The only area the goo is appearing is in the lower vent rail and nowhere else.

    I will try to see what some Simple Green can pull off first, mainly because I am lazy and that is already what I have at home.  Hopefully it will get the job done, and all will be good with the egging world again.

    Actually...come to think of it, I did spray down my Smokeware Cap with oven cleaner and put it in the hot egg to get it cleaned up.......wonder if somehow that caused it?


    Just bought an Egg?  Here is what you get to look forward to now:

    Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night.  Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs

    Livermore, California
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    tikigriller said:

    Actually...come to think of it, I did spray down my Smokeware Cap with oven cleaner and put it in the hot egg to get it cleaned up.......wonder if somehow that caused it?


    Next time you want to clean your Cap...spray it with oven cleaner and wrap it tight in a plastic bag or large ziplock bag over night. It will wipe clean for the most part after one treatment.
    I would never use my Egg as an oven to clean something coated in over cleaner.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • tikigriller
    tikigriller Posts: 1,389
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    Photo Egg said:
    tikigriller said:

    Actually...come to think of it, I did spray down my Smokeware Cap with oven cleaner and put it in the hot egg to get it cleaned up.......wonder if somehow that caused it?


    Next time you want to clean your Cap...spray it with oven cleaner and wrap it tight in a plastic bag or large ziplock bag over night. It will wipe clean for the most part after one treatment.
    I would never use my Egg as an oven to clean something coated in over cleaner.
    Yeah....I did that in the Egg based on someone else’s advice...apparently this was not very good advice to follow if this indeed the cause of my goo
    Just bought an Egg?  Here is what you get to look forward to now:

    Plate Setter, FlameBoss 200, Spider, PSWOO-CI, Additional Rig Shelf for dome cooking, Thermapen, iGrill2, Cast Iron, Blackstone, Cooking Accessories for the Blackstone, Cover for the Egg and the Blackstone, shopping for Rub like a fine wine or IPA, and a new fascination with lump and what brand is the best-all to be debated every Friday Night.  Next desires-Joetisceriie, Adjustable Rig, Grillmates, table and more eggs

    Livermore, California
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

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