Do a quick clean after every cook and a deeper clean as needed.

Quick clean:

• Remove ashes
• Scrape the grates

Yes. As often as possible.
Ash holds moisture and can rust your firebox fast. It also chokes airflow and makes fires harder to manage.

Remove it once the smoker cools down.

Rust prevention is simple:

• Keep it covered if possible
• Store it out of the rain
• Empty ash after every cook (Moisture + ash = rust. Avoid that combo.)
• Reapply a thin coat of oil inside as needed

Only re-season when:

• You did a deep clean
• You washed or scrubbed the inside
• You see bare metal spots
• It’s common to re-season the outside of your smoker once or twice a year

To re-season: apply a thin coat of oil, then run a hot fire for an hour.

No. Avoid dish soap or harsh cleaners inside the cook chamber.
Instead, use:

• Warm water
• A mild degreaser if absolutely needed
• A scraper or brush

Then apply a thin coat of oil and run a short fire afterward.

Some smoke leakage is normal and does not affect the cook.

Your smoker end-of-day routine is simple:

1. Let the fire burn out naturally
2. Scrape the grates
3. Reapply a thin coat of oil on the inside
4. Remove ash once cooled
5. Close vents to keep moisture out

A 5-minute routine saves hours of future work.