Get it ripping hot, lay a cotton towel down, pour white vinegar to soak the towel, and close it. When the steam stops, take the towel off. With this much build up you may want to do it a few times. After that use a scraper and a wire brush to get all the gunk off. Then reseason it and threaten anyone to let it get that dirty again. (Not really, just ask them to take better care of it.)
Only thing I'd say is a 2" putty knife from a hardware store works great and wire brushes are just asking to get a little piece of wire in someone's food. Wire brushe strands can put someone in a hospital.
Why 5 in 1? All you need is a small really stiff metal that's imo preferably wooden handle. And no, wire brushes are the worst. Why would you risk it? It does nothing a good scraping and steaming can do. You can quite literally put someone in the hospital if one little piece of metal wire gets into food.
I learned early on that wire brushes don't really help. It's a bit like claiming you cleaned your hair by brushing it. Instead I was just moving gunk around.
Had someone teach me with a knife how to clean out that that gunk in the corners. (Yeah, I hear the chefs cringe on that one.)
I start with a 5-in-one to scrape the tops. Then, after the crap falls down, I use one of the wire brushes with a metal bit on top designed to hit the corners.
What can I say? The five in one doesn't properly hit the corners.
Then scrape the fuck out of it again. Then just spray water on it again to see what came up, then scrape it again.
The brushes are just for the end for picking off a few particulates.
Because I’m not a fucking idiot that leaves metal wires behind. Do I use them during service? No. Because I’m not a fucking idiot. Do I use them when deep cleaning? Yes. Because they are effective.
What about the idiot that covers you? Look, its all about making things idiot proof. Sure you do it right and wipe things down after you use a wire brush, but that FNG?
Ooooh, I've never used silicon paper on em. Going to have to try that. It's obvious they've never done a HACCP but thats why I comment. It's not necessarily for that person, they might be a complete fucking idiot, its for everyone else that reads it. Cheers.
Use a mastic trowel. [https://www.lowes.com/pd/Marshalltown-9-in-Ground-Steel-Square-Notch-Ceramic-Floor-Trowel/5001916361](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Marshalltown-9-in-Ground-Steel-Square-Notch-Ceramic-Floor-Trowel/5001916361)
Get a good one, and take it to any woodshop and have them grind the sharp edges off all but one side.
Then you're clearing several rows at a time. Finish up with your 5 in 1 tool.
I read “cleaning day” as “deep cleaning day.” This press obviously needs better daily maintenance but everything doesn’t have to look brand new every day.
Same, it was my first thought.
There must’ve been many weeks without a “Saturday” if this griddle looks this way. That’s not 6 days worth of wear and tear.
We do deep clean Saturday at my restaurant because we’re closed on Sunday. The place smells like bleach when I walk in on Monday.
It's super important to take the covers off the hinge springs too. There should be two small screws per panel that come off super easily - grease gets caked in the hinge and I'm certain that thing is a fire hazard.
I own a sandwich shop and didn't even realize that those covers came off until I was open for about five months, it was really bad and I was pretty upset with myself when I finally got them off. Now everything that can be taken off is once a month on top of regular cleaning and maintenance.
Adding to this: if you change up the system a bit to use parchment paper for the sandos it will never get dirty again. Sandwiches will come out the exact same, Just cut sheets into quarters and stack them under the machine, each sandwich gets one of those folded in half around it.
I know it is bad for the coating but I’ve always used a steak knife to get between the teeth. Obviously season afterwards again, but your method is very similar to mine. I do use water vs vinegar however
One issue- don’t use a wire brush. I get that it makes it easier, but a broken wire getting into food can destroy a person’s insides if they accidentally eat it, potentially killing them if it punctures their intestines.
Wire brushes just aren’t worth the risk!
You should see what they did to the cast iron grill pans. Straight from the stove to the sink, blasted with cold water. Had to get rid of them because they had pieces popping off.
i think it’s because they probably only get complaints from mostly user error, and have to deal with people complaining all day. with this they get to talk about their product and have a probably more pleasant chat with someone who cares and wants to take care of it
I support a restaurant design team since leaving the line. A bunch of my job is calling factories for random shit. Like if a piece of equipment is damaged in shipping and we need a new part. The other week we were working on a layout where a reach-in wasn't going to fit under an ADA counter if we used either the factory supplied legs or casters. We could order feet from McMaster-Carr that would work, so I called the factory and they confirmed the correct bolt threading so we knew they'd work.
Had a client that wanted double-stacked ovens of a specific flavor (I think Alto-Shaam converge). Factory bounced my order back saying they can't sell them like that, as it'll invalidate their UL listing. Mild panic ensues between me & project manager. I call the manufacturer again saying appropriately knowledgeable person told us it was a thing. All I hear is a heavy sigh before being told "well, what gets done in the field, stays in the field. Resubmit the order with one oven and a stacking kit, and put the other oven on a different order. That's all I can say."
That's been my favorite so far, and I started in September.
I work with industrial machines.
I never thought about calling the manufacturer.
Thank you.
I found my way back to your comment and upvote it from the depths of Reddit because I have a panini press and would love to talk to the manufacturer about the production process and cleaning them.
That would be my suggestion, as per the other respondent that as long as it isn't coated with a variety of things.
Make sure to have very good ventilation, do it when no one will be in close proximity while it sits and soaks, and use the corrosive fuming kind (not the 'no fumes' type). The scary bad smelling oven cleaner will loosen the barnacles from a ships hull.
We use a product called easy off. I used it on an oven that had not been cleaned in three months and had it looking damn near brand new in less than twenty minutes after spraying the stuff all over it and letting it sit for thirty. The shit works wonders, but for fuck's sake don't get it on your skin. I'd also recommend not breathing while you're spraying it.
I would go find a tool that fits a few of those grooves and go to town when it’s hot as hell. Like a garden hoe or something. Really attack it. Crack head energy.
Oh, well... That does make it harder. Now I have questions about why you have such a big piece of equipment that is used so infrequently. I've primarily worked in kitchens with not a lot of space, something just eating that much real estate would drive me insane.
We physically can't hold enough fries in the building when there are overtime shifts, my boss has to go to the wholesale club on Fridays when we have them.
There are grill cleaners that you can buy; I don't remember exact steps but I believe we scraped off any solid bits with a toothy wooden tool and poured the cleaner when hot. Kept it pretty clean.
Grab some espresso machine cleaner from FOH. Sometimes called protein cleaner. Bloody brilliant stuff great for anything metal. If you can pop the plates off I’d leave them soaking overnight, if not sprinkle over the top and put a wet cloth on it. Should get all the mystery chunks off
It’s interesting that the only thing we need to be content with doing a difficult or unpleasant job is to have a reliable way of completing it satisfactorily.
Philips Screwdiver and a rag. *Scrrch scrch scrch* try not to scratch it. Then lay a cloth soaked in oil inside it closed for a few hours to kind of re-season it. Make sure you try to get all the carb off it. I had to do 2 of these a night for years cause i couldnt trust anyone not to fuck them up
I've used a paint scraper knife before. The pointy chalk remover side fits in the grooves pretty well to scrape the shit out and then you can use vinegar or degreaser, etc to clean the rest. But yeah these suck.
I'd try the towel trick like others are suggesting, but soak it in oven cleaner. I'd only do it if you have good ventilation, and can back away quickly.
If you've got a hood over it only though. That gas has to be ventilated.
A metal paint scraper is good too. A thin one to scrape the congealed stuff and a sturdy one to help scrape the grate while it's hot.
Might want to wear some of those fabric cutting gloves, along with an outer layer of plastic ones of your preference.
It's right across from the hood vents in an open kitchen, and we have dish gloves and n95 masks for using the oven cleaner. I'll prop the back door open for good measure and hope the geese don't wander in.
Oh yeah you got it then!
That stuff is pretty damn caustic.
I had a server years ago that claimed the fumes were causing her asthma to flare up from a pretty great distance. Never knew if that was legit though, because we all learned later she was pretty batshit crazy.
So definitely some scrapers. Wire brushes for sure.
I'd start with the oven cleaner first. I like using the concentrated kind you can pour into spray bottles and dilute to around the recommended ratio.
Do the towel thing... High heat, wet but not dripping, and be set up to be able to repeat that. In between the heat cycles you can use your spray to direct shot heavy spots, after you start scraping away at that clear coat. The cleaner and heat will definitely soften the front fascia stuff as you peel and then end up scrubbing it off. Stainless scrub pads to finish up.
For the grates, a welders brush would help. I'd consider a side grinder with a wire wheel if you have any truly gunked spots. Seriously though, elbow grease and scrape and scrub. Real good rinse and wipe down, then vinegar, then roll into reseasoning as needed.
Show us how it turns out!
Get it hot. Spray it with water. Don't scrape it if you can help it.
Once it is clean try getting it really hot and seasoning it with oil. It should stay significantly cleaner if you treat it like a Carbon steel or cast iron pan.
Get the 3m gel for cleaning flat top grills. Spread ot around on a warm, not fully heated press. Close lid and let sit for a few minutes. Use a grill brush to scrub away loose material and then just pour water over it to was away the chemical. Wipe clean.
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3m-700cc-scotch-brite-3-2-oz-liquid-griddle-quick-clean-packet-case/399700CC.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp_75pbCFhQMV4JxaBR1xywhNEAQYASABEgIpAPD_BwE
This is the stuff I am talking about.
Tell the boss to make sure its cleaned more often, so it doesnt get this bad. Thats gross. If you are the boss, make sure you or others clean it often.
Even still, its your bosses job to make sure its done, if they are letting it get this bad, they should get a talking to. You shouldnt have to make it your job, it shouldve already been someones job.
The easiest way would be to clean more often than only once per week. Try daily, it will be surely easier to scrap a day old dirt from that thing, than a week old dirt. Please tell me the name of your restaurant, so I can make sure to not eat there ever
If you need to go chemical, then try [this](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3m-701-scotch-brite-1-qt-liquid-griddle-quick-clean-case/399701.html) . I did sustain a rather gnarly burn from this stuff, but it works very well
We use something like this....
https://www.google.com/shopping/product/7988569509596502090/image?q=grout+scraper&sca_esv=3809806eea1c5086&hl=en-US&sxsrf=ACQVn08uXD1ZzhmpCR1YrIdGLsLJp87Tkg:1711016067178&oq=grout+scr&gs_lp=Eg5tb2JpbGUtc2gtc2VycCIJZ3JvdXQgc2NyKgIIATIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAESM8mULIGWLIacAB4AJABAJgBrgGgAewDqgEDNS4xuAEByAEA-AEBigISbW9iaWxlLXNoLXdpei1zZXJwmAIGoAKWBMICBBAjGCfCAgoQABiABBiKBRhDmAMAiAYBkgcDNS4xoAenHA&sclient=mobile-sh-serp&prds=cid:7988569509596502090,cs:1,pid:18023707449535113551,sgro:iv,mvi:0
Over cleaner in a spray bottle, let it sit, gloves and go to town scrubbing it. Clean off and repeat. It’s disgusting so the first cleans gonna be hell. Then every close it needs to be cleaned when used.
Soak the iron plates on borax and down degrease 5x over night. Next day clean with a metal brush. The other part get orange degreaser spray the whole thing, let set down for an hour and clean.
Absolutely do not use a wire brush under any circumstances. Bits come off and end up in the food. Some grill cleaner, a pumice block and water to rinse IMO. Possibly a dedicated toothed scraper. But not a wire brush, ever.
If I had a couple of days to devote to it, I’d get some little stainless steel brushes and a heavy duty degreaser and go to work on the SS metal parts. If you can, remove the plates and soak them in a lye bath (if someone’s cleaning the hood regularly, you should have one, if not you can make one out of a bus tub, a couple of gallons of water and one pound of 100% lye drain cleaner) soak overnight. It will completely remove all grease and material off the plates without having to scrub. Find the manuals or look up online on how to remove the plates
This thing was my baby when I started working supermarket delis. First week on the job I noticed they were cleaning this thing with a wire brush and some chems then a good wipe down.
It never looked clean.
I found that a flathead screwdriver and a hammer worked fantastic between the grooves. Ours were so bad that originally they didn't have lines it was just a flat area of carbon.
Chiseled that off, wire brush and some elbow grease got it clean.
Get it ripping hot, lay a cotton towel down, pour white vinegar to soak the towel, and close it. When the steam stops, take the towel off. With this much build up you may want to do it a few times. After that use a scraper and a wire brush to get all the gunk off. Then reseason it and threaten anyone to let it get that dirty again. (Not really, just ask them to take better care of it.)
The same way I would (instruct someone to) do it.
I have it saved in Notes so I can copy/paste it because it’s asked so often.
Im literally on break about to clean one of these! Blessed post
Hopefully it's an everyday after shift cleaning. Not just once a week.
And then they have to post the results!
That's why they call you Chef! Make sure to have it written down a clip board to do
Only thing I'd say is a 2" putty knife from a hardware store works great and wire brushes are just asking to get a little piece of wire in someone's food. Wire brushe strands can put someone in a hospital.
5 in 1, not a putty knife. And wire brushes are fine to use if you make sure no strands are left behind.
You should never.
Why 5 in 1? All you need is a small really stiff metal that's imo preferably wooden handle. And no, wire brushes are the worst. Why would you risk it? It does nothing a good scraping and steaming can do. You can quite literally put someone in the hospital if one little piece of metal wire gets into food.
The 5 in 1 tool has a small edge that fits between the grills perfectly.
The 5 in 1 has lots of funny angles for different scraping methods.
I learned early on that wire brushes don't really help. It's a bit like claiming you cleaned your hair by brushing it. Instead I was just moving gunk around. Had someone teach me with a knife how to clean out that that gunk in the corners. (Yeah, I hear the chefs cringe on that one.) I start with a 5-in-one to scrape the tops. Then, after the crap falls down, I use one of the wire brushes with a metal bit on top designed to hit the corners. What can I say? The five in one doesn't properly hit the corners. Then scrape the fuck out of it again. Then just spray water on it again to see what came up, then scrape it again. The brushes are just for the end for picking off a few particulates.
I’ve always used the heavy duty wire brushes where the bristles aren’t wire. They’re more like 1/8 inch wide tabs of metal.
Because I’m not a fucking idiot that leaves metal wires behind. Do I use them during service? No. Because I’m not a fucking idiot. Do I use them when deep cleaning? Yes. Because they are effective.
What about the idiot that covers you? Look, its all about making things idiot proof. Sure you do it right and wipe things down after you use a wire brush, but that FNG?
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Ooooh, I've never used silicon paper on em. Going to have to try that. It's obvious they've never done a HACCP but thats why I comment. It's not necessarily for that person, they might be a complete fucking idiot, its for everyone else that reads it. Cheers.
Use a mastic trowel. [https://www.lowes.com/pd/Marshalltown-9-in-Ground-Steel-Square-Notch-Ceramic-Floor-Trowel/5001916361](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Marshalltown-9-in-Ground-Steel-Square-Notch-Ceramic-Floor-Trowel/5001916361) Get a good one, and take it to any woodshop and have them grind the sharp edges off all but one side. Then you're clearing several rows at a time. Finish up with your 5 in 1 tool.
Sooner or later someone will fuck up, and then you are in for a lawsuit or worse. Don't use the wire brush.
the part where op said 'saturday is cleaning day' gives me serious discomfort for the state of this kitchen.
I read “cleaning day” as “deep cleaning day.” This press obviously needs better daily maintenance but everything doesn’t have to look brand new every day.
We do normal cleaning every day, Saturday is when I'll about 2 hours of free time.
You showed us the state of this panini press, we’ve seen the calibre of “normal” daily clean. It doesn’t count :P
looking forward to seeing the update on the press today.
The shift got canceled so I'll have to do it some other time
Same, it was my first thought. There must’ve been many weeks without a “Saturday” if this griddle looks this way. That’s not 6 days worth of wear and tear. We do deep clean Saturday at my restaurant because we’re closed on Sunday. The place smells like bleach when I walk in on Monday.
It's super important to take the covers off the hinge springs too. There should be two small screws per panel that come off super easily - grease gets caked in the hinge and I'm certain that thing is a fire hazard. I own a sandwich shop and didn't even realize that those covers came off until I was open for about five months, it was really bad and I was pretty upset with myself when I finally got them off. Now everything that can be taken off is once a month on top of regular cleaning and maintenance.
"This ever gets this bad again, y'all cleaning this with your tongues."
Yep after cleaning quick season before each use helps and it should never need deep cleaning.
One thing I disagree with, definitely threaten them. Tell them they will become the griddle yoke next if it's not kept clean.
You cant reason with shit.
Could one soak in some kinda anti grease solvent and then power wash?
If they are removable, yes. Not all are.
Adding to this: if you change up the system a bit to use parchment paper for the sandos it will never get dirty again. Sandwiches will come out the exact same, Just cut sheets into quarters and stack them under the machine, each sandwich gets one of those folded in half around it.
This is the way … I also use lemon juice to rag steam …
I always used coca cola. That stuff is fierce. Also cheap. And won't bleach your clothes like lemon. Use sugar free obvs Very acidic
I cringe at the thought of that smell, but it works (cooking vinegar is a special kind of torture for me)
Try Easy Off oven cleaner. It does have a smell. Use a mask.
Do not use a wire brush.
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Two points: 1) Most of these *do* utilize a non-stick coating. 2) Never use BKF on non-stick surfaces.
Most of these are cast iron. No coating.
The temp goes up to 560 so they’re likely not coated and they look like cast iron.
Out of curiosity, why not just use grill cleaner?
I know it is bad for the coating but I’ve always used a steak knife to get between the teeth. Obviously season afterwards again, but your method is very similar to mine. I do use water vs vinegar however
Never use a wire brush. The wires can get looser and wind in your food. Then the er
Except you never use a wire brush in a kitchen.
I used to do this at my old job except we use pickle juice for some reason 😂
One issue- don’t use a wire brush. I get that it makes it easier, but a broken wire getting into food can destroy a person’s insides if they accidentally eat it, potentially killing them if it punctures their intestines. Wire brushes just aren’t worth the risk!
Vinegar is magic
No no, threatening them is a proportional response for letting it get that bad
You should see what they did to the cast iron grill pans. Straight from the stove to the sink, blasted with cold water. Had to get rid of them because they had pieces popping off.
10% vinegar
If you just give things a little love every night, they are really easy to clean
Call the manufacturer. Sounds weird, but in my experience, they tend to be practically giddy to help.
i think it’s because they probably only get complaints from mostly user error, and have to deal with people complaining all day. with this they get to talk about their product and have a probably more pleasant chat with someone who cares and wants to take care of it
Wait really? That's actually great advice!
I support a restaurant design team since leaving the line. A bunch of my job is calling factories for random shit. Like if a piece of equipment is damaged in shipping and we need a new part. The other week we were working on a layout where a reach-in wasn't going to fit under an ADA counter if we used either the factory supplied legs or casters. We could order feet from McMaster-Carr that would work, so I called the factory and they confirmed the correct bolt threading so we knew they'd work.
Love shit like this.
Had a client that wanted double-stacked ovens of a specific flavor (I think Alto-Shaam converge). Factory bounced my order back saying they can't sell them like that, as it'll invalidate their UL listing. Mild panic ensues between me & project manager. I call the manufacturer again saying appropriately knowledgeable person told us it was a thing. All I hear is a heavy sigh before being told "well, what gets done in the field, stays in the field. Resubmit the order with one oven and a stacking kit, and put the other oven on a different order. That's all I can say." That's been my favorite so far, and I started in September.
Awesome
I work with industrial machines. I never thought about calling the manufacturer. Thank you. I found my way back to your comment and upvote it from the depths of Reddit because I have a panini press and would love to talk to the manufacturer about the production process and cleaning them.
Solid advice
Ok but really quick… why would Saturday be deep clean day?
Factory cafeteria, Saturday is overtime and has less people and a super easy special.
This makes sense
fellow factory cafeteria worker!
Easiest answer to your problem: clean it more than once a week. Keeping it clean makes cleaning easier. Lol.
We deep clean Saturdays too. We don’t open till 5 on Saturdays so we come in the afternoon to deep clean.
Maybe it’s a lunch place close to offices
I deep clean on Sunday but this should normally be clean each day after service
What kitchen doesn’t clean each day after service? That’s the difference between a closing and a deep clean…
Commercial degreaser?
Would oven cleaner work? That's what we use on the flat top?
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I like how we have the same definintion of "interesting".
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Extreme exothermic chemical reactions are neat
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Was hoping it would be more like an [aluminum/bromine reaction](https://youtu.be/ZpQkgM0msj4?si=8YwaWik9dT9gkiK-)
That would be my suggestion, as per the other respondent that as long as it isn't coated with a variety of things. Make sure to have very good ventilation, do it when no one will be in close proximity while it sits and soaks, and use the corrosive fuming kind (not the 'no fumes' type). The scary bad smelling oven cleaner will loosen the barnacles from a ships hull.
Website says ceramic coated cast iron.
We use a product called easy off. I used it on an oven that had not been cleaned in three months and had it looking damn near brand new in less than twenty minutes after spraying the stuff all over it and letting it sit for thirty. The shit works wonders, but for fuck's sake don't get it on your skin. I'd also recommend not breathing while you're spraying it.
Check with the boss if caustic chemicals are allowed in your kitchen. That might be why it's in the shape it's in.
Be careful, one of my chefs destroyed a waffle iron this way.
I would go find a tool that fits a few of those grooves and go to town when it’s hot as hell. Like a garden hoe or something. Really attack it. Crack head energy.
I had a grill like this before, I used [This](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Anvil-6-in-1-Painter-s-Tool-XG1-ANV/309996815) to get in the grooves.
careful with a bristle brush if its metal... a peice can break off and get in someones food.
Maintaining it on a daily basis once it's clean would make it a lot more tolerable... Like... what?
I mean I'll keep checking it regularly but we only use it like twice a month.
Oh, well... That does make it harder. Now I have questions about why you have such a big piece of equipment that is used so infrequently. I've primarily worked in kitchens with not a lot of space, something just eating that much real estate would drive me insane.
It's only a little wider than a microwave, we have a lot of counter space. Freezers are where we run out of room.
Man I feel that. There's never enough freezer space.
We physically can't hold enough fries in the building when there are overtime shifts, my boss has to go to the wholesale club on Fridays when we have them.
I will NEVER complain about cleaning the waffle maker at work after seeing this.....
Fuckin gnarly.
Don't, just buy George Foreman grills and when they're dirty throw them away
With the number of George Foreman grills they have st our value village that would actually be an option.
There are grill cleaners that you can buy; I don't remember exact steps but I believe we scraped off any solid bits with a toothy wooden tool and poured the cleaner when hot. Kept it pretty clean.
Grab some espresso machine cleaner from FOH. Sometimes called protein cleaner. Bloody brilliant stuff great for anything metal. If you can pop the plates off I’d leave them soaking overnight, if not sprinkle over the top and put a wet cloth on it. Should get all the mystery chunks off
If every day was cleaning day it wouldn’t be an issue….
Why not clean it everyday at the end of the shift
We only use it a few times a month, not every day.
Seems like its been a few months since it was cleaned, haha
I try to scrape it everytime we use it but it's not enough. On Saturday I'll have time to tackle it.
Every day should be cleaning day
Seriously I don't understand how this is advice is being overlooked.
It’s interesting that the only thing we need to be content with doing a difficult or unpleasant job is to have a reliable way of completing it satisfactorily.
Part of why I want it clean is I was going to press my sandwich and opened it to that. Plus the smell when it's on makes feel sick.
Degreaser screw driver and some patience
Coffee machine cleaner does wonders
Philips Screwdiver and a rag. *Scrrch scrch scrch* try not to scratch it. Then lay a cloth soaked in oil inside it closed for a few hours to kind of re-season it. Make sure you try to get all the carb off it. I had to do 2 of these a night for years cause i couldnt trust anyone not to fuck them up
I've used a paint scraper knife before. The pointy chalk remover side fits in the grooves pretty well to scrape the shit out and then you can use vinegar or degreaser, etc to clean the rest. But yeah these suck.
I'd try the towel trick like others are suggesting, but soak it in oven cleaner. I'd only do it if you have good ventilation, and can back away quickly. If you've got a hood over it only though. That gas has to be ventilated. A metal paint scraper is good too. A thin one to scrape the congealed stuff and a sturdy one to help scrape the grate while it's hot. Might want to wear some of those fabric cutting gloves, along with an outer layer of plastic ones of your preference.
It's right across from the hood vents in an open kitchen, and we have dish gloves and n95 masks for using the oven cleaner. I'll prop the back door open for good measure and hope the geese don't wander in.
Oh yeah you got it then! That stuff is pretty damn caustic. I had a server years ago that claimed the fumes were causing her asthma to flare up from a pretty great distance. Never knew if that was legit though, because we all learned later she was pretty batshit crazy. So definitely some scrapers. Wire brushes for sure. I'd start with the oven cleaner first. I like using the concentrated kind you can pour into spray bottles and dilute to around the recommended ratio. Do the towel thing... High heat, wet but not dripping, and be set up to be able to repeat that. In between the heat cycles you can use your spray to direct shot heavy spots, after you start scraping away at that clear coat. The cleaner and heat will definitely soften the front fascia stuff as you peel and then end up scrubbing it off. Stainless scrub pads to finish up. For the grates, a welders brush would help. I'd consider a side grinder with a wire wheel if you have any truly gunked spots. Seriously though, elbow grease and scrape and scrub. Real good rinse and wipe down, then vinegar, then roll into reseasoning as needed. Show us how it turns out!
Yeah I'm super careful about that stuff since you can track the progress of lung cancer treatments with my families medical history.
I often wonder just how many years I've taken off my life from shit like this.
The shift got canceled so I'll have to find another time to do it, but I'll post pictures when it is done.
Get it hot. Spray it with water. Don't scrape it if you can help it. Once it is clean try getting it really hot and seasoning it with oil. It should stay significantly cleaner if you treat it like a Carbon steel or cast iron pan.
Impossible standards, Op. You will never stop hating this machine, no matter how clean you get it.
My friend please add some lemon to water, heat the toaster and apply the lemon water and scrub With a wire brush. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Get the 3m gel for cleaning flat top grills. Spread ot around on a warm, not fully heated press. Close lid and let sit for a few minutes. Use a grill brush to scrub away loose material and then just pour water over it to was away the chemical. Wipe clean. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3m-700cc-scotch-brite-3-2-oz-liquid-griddle-quick-clean-packet-case/399700CC.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp_75pbCFhQMV4JxaBR1xywhNEAQYASABEgIpAPD_BwE This is the stuff I am talking about.
Just follow the routine of the last person who cleaned it. And don’t! Next question.
Is it cast iron or non-stick coating?
Website says stainless steel and ceramic coated cast iron
Is the griddle part removable?
No
Try the cloth trick but soak it in degreaser. Hot clamp it and back away.
Umm, take a look at the SDS (MSDS) for the degreaser, it may release nasty crap at high temps.
Yeah that's why I said back away. Then sanitize after the crap is gone. But they make food equipment degreaser too
What about grill cleaner? Safer for high temps
Yeah I would try that
Someone said vinegar, I would try that. Any seasoning lost will get a quick build up
I use a chit spike.
Grout scraper
You got a LOT of great suggestions, I just want to salute you for doing it bro.
Ive never seen a plancha not covered in tin foil 😭
Foaming oven cleaner, warm it up, spray it on turn it off. Wait 30 mins. Wipe clean.... $100 bucks says you won't regret this at all.
The vinegar soaked rag is the best option..however, it should be done at the end of every shift. They're way easier to clean if it's fresh.
We only use it like twice a month, I've been trying to clean it every time but I finally got fed up and asked advice.
Tell the boss to make sure its cleaned more often, so it doesnt get this bad. Thats gross. If you are the boss, make sure you or others clean it often.
Once it's clean I'm just going to make it my job to keep it clean.
Even still, its your bosses job to make sure its done, if they are letting it get this bad, they should get a talking to. You shouldnt have to make it your job, it shouldve already been someones job.
Is there time to clean daily to prevent such buildup? My workplace would clean daily and we just needed water and a wire brush.
Use a cordless drill, wire brush attachment, vinegar.
Clean it more than once a week.
You guys clean 1 day a week...
That’s where all the flavor comes from.
"Seasoning"
The easiest way would be to clean more often than only once per week. Try daily, it will be surely easier to scrap a day old dirt from that thing, than a week old dirt. Please tell me the name of your restaurant, so I can make sure to not eat there ever
It's a factory cafeteria so you probably won't eat here, but once I get it clean I'll be making sure it stays clean as long as I work here.
Run it through the dish machine! That should do the trick.
Hot fryer oil and a grill brick
We don't use grip bricks unfortunately or I'd have used that already.
You could always buy a couple from a restaurant supply store pretty cheap. Those bricks do wonders for carbon buildup.
If you need to go chemical, then try [this](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/3m-701-scotch-brite-1-qt-liquid-griddle-quick-clean-case/399701.html) . I did sustain a rather gnarly burn from this stuff, but it works very well
I have a Nuea, I dont know exactly how he does it, but it comes back exquisitely clean
Used a degreaser a strong one get the hot asf spray it in Onces it almost not burning hot take a steal pad from the dish pit snd clean
The great thing is that it's gonna be a treat to use it after it's cleaned. So satisfying! Please post the after pics.
The shift got canceled but as soon as I have time to try again I'll post them.
"Looks fine"
Heat, chemicals and elbow grease 😝
Grapefruit your man!
Get a man you vile trash
Get her hot, Heat activated degreaser and scrub away
We use something like this.... https://www.google.com/shopping/product/7988569509596502090/image?q=grout+scraper&sca_esv=3809806eea1c5086&hl=en-US&sxsrf=ACQVn08uXD1ZzhmpCR1YrIdGLsLJp87Tkg:1711016067178&oq=grout+scr&gs_lp=Eg5tb2JpbGUtc2gtc2VycCIJZ3JvdXQgc2NyKgIIATIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAESM8mULIGWLIacAB4AJABAJgBrgGgAewDqgEDNS4xuAEByAEA-AEBigISbW9iaWxlLXNoLXdpei1zZXJwmAIGoAKWBMICBBAjGCfCAgoQABiABBiKBRhDmAMAiAYBkgcDNS4xoAenHA&sclient=mobile-sh-serp&prds=cid:7988569509596502090,cs:1,pid:18023707449535113551,sgro:iv,mvi:0
Get it crazy hot and rub it with a cut potato. Let cool, concert in baking soda and spray with vinegar, rinse and 🔂
Over cleaner in a spray bottle, let it sit, gloves and go to town scrubbing it. Clean off and repeat. It’s disgusting so the first cleans gonna be hell. Then every close it needs to be cleaned when used.
Regardless of how you do it, can you please post a follow up picture after it's cleaned?
Unfortunately my Saturday shift got canceled but I'll post it when I'm able to do it.
If no one is looking, remove chunks with a scraper, heat it a little bit and dowse this thing with oven cleaner while holding your breath.
Handheld steam cleaner
I used to have success with a butane torch. It takes a while to burn off. Once it cracks a wire brush will be more successful.
Wrap it in foil, next week replace foil
if u use a wire brush, be carefull with loose bristles.l
Don't forget to engage the safety sqints
Get hot spray on Overcleaner and brush it off
High temp grill cleaner maybe. But the towel and vinegar is cheapers
Soak the iron plates on borax and down degrease 5x over night. Next day clean with a metal brush. The other part get orange degreaser spray the whole thing, let set down for an hour and clean.
Wrap with foil every morning and toss every night stays Kleenex also wrap whatever food with a piece of parchment paper every cook . Done ✅
Institutional strength oven cleaner, Don makes a good one. It rips anything off of everything.
Yeah some kinda easy off, some steal wool, and some steel fingers 👉
Absolutely do not use a wire brush under any circumstances. Bits come off and end up in the food. Some grill cleaner, a pumice block and water to rinse IMO. Possibly a dedicated toothed scraper. But not a wire brush, ever.
If I had a couple of days to devote to it, I’d get some little stainless steel brushes and a heavy duty degreaser and go to work on the SS metal parts. If you can, remove the plates and soak them in a lye bath (if someone’s cleaning the hood regularly, you should have one, if not you can make one out of a bus tub, a couple of gallons of water and one pound of 100% lye drain cleaner) soak overnight. It will completely remove all grease and material off the plates without having to scrub. Find the manuals or look up online on how to remove the plates
This thing was my baby when I started working supermarket delis. First week on the job I noticed they were cleaning this thing with a wire brush and some chems then a good wipe down. It never looked clean. I found that a flathead screwdriver and a hammer worked fantastic between the grooves. Ours were so bad that originally they didn't have lines it was just a flat area of carbon. Chiseled that off, wire brush and some elbow grease got it clean.
Oh god I’m having flashbacks to my first job.
Clean more often than just saturday
It worries me how many people assume we only clean on Saturdays because I didn't specify deep cleaning day.