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jnoble

How do people clean out their ashes

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I keep an aluminum foil pan under the KK at all times and pull it forward when I clean it out and use a fireplace shovel.( a half steam table pan or a full disposable roasting pan) I also slide it forward when I open the draft door to super charge the heat level, this will catch any embers that may pop out. I removed the screen a while ago.

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I like the Vac idea... but with a COPD problem I am concerned with getting my ash around my head. Any advise on how to keep your head out of your ash is welcome.

Mist the ashes with a spray bottle so they are slightly damp. That way they wont dust around and you can scoop them out easily. Learned that trick after a couple of weeks of not using the grill. The central FL humidity had condensed in there every morning, and the ashes were not wet, just heavy and dense.

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you are correct

Yep, that's exactly step by step what I have to do with the ShopVac, a minor PIA. So, I often just leave the vac out there. Which I hate from a clutter standpoint. Combined with that ugly steel rack with all the exposed grills and roti eqpt. and charcoal chimney and such, I'm really hating the aesthetic of my back porch. Probably I will bite the bullet and get that custom stainless cabinet built to hold the vac and everything else to boot. I want all that stuff concealed.

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The Bag Solution

This is so NOT a "green" solution, but it's super easy and works for us until we can find a better more planet friendly option - I'm not quite ready to start making my own soap.

Just tape the bag in place and brush the ash out the hole from the inside. Be sure to brush the bottom side well so you don't drop all your ash when you remove the lower strip of tape. Then just tie the bag closed and drop it in the trash.

Yes, that is our rib rack doing double duty as a grill grate stand. :lol:

k_wEi.jpg

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Re: How do people clean out their ashes

If you are really into cleaning out the ashes there is a solution. It can be found at wood stove stores. Just ask for a fire proof vacuum which can be used on hot embers. The one I have left over from when I heated with wood pellets is about 10 yrs old and cost about $150.

Good luck

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I've cleaned out the ashes a couple times and it is a messy job. First need to shake the charcoal basket and this gets the dust flying. After waiting for it to settle I spray a few times with a water bottle and then use a brush to brush it all near the door. This also gets the ash flying. Take out the deflector and take off the door and then brush the ashes into the stainless drip pan which I've set on the ground. Again the ashes go flying. If it were windy I couldn't do it this way since the ashes would go flying when they got brushed out the door. I'd consider buying a shop vac but don't want the hassle or another piece of equipment. I wonder if I could fit a Pyrex pie plate or carbon steel skillet at the base to collect the ashes. Then I'd just loft it up and out and dump into a bag. Has anyone done this?

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 I wonder if I could fit a Pyrex pie plate or carbon steel skillet at the base to collect the ashes. Then I'd just loft it up and out and dump into a bag. Has anyone done this?

 

I think the pyrex is not rated high enough temp....

I also wonder about the effects on airflow.

 

I use a disposable plastic cup and scoop them out from the top...simple and pretty quick.

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I use the shopvac with the drywall filter. Its a bag that fits over the intake in the vac canister. I have it ready to go, so when I shake the charcoal basket, the vac gets all of that dust. My particular vac is a 12 gallon, but the drywall filters are made for all sizes. <br />

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Robert

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I use a metal scoop - bought at the feed store. Scoop up the ashes into the lid of the plastic tub that I keep my charcoal in, take them out back into the woods and dump them there. Probably only do that about once a month, even in heavy grilling season. As Dennis says, the KK will hold a lot of ash, and as we all know, the cocochar doesn't create much ash when it burns. Another good reason to check out the Naked Whiz's charcoal database, as he rates charcoals on the amount of ash created so you can look for the ones that don't leave a lot of ash when burned. One of the many reasons that I like Wicked Good Charcoal's Weekend Warrior - low ash production.

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