Wipe the soot (or creosote) from the thermostat probe with a damp towel.But hey, if you’ve always wanted a shop vac, it’s a great excuse to buy one, amirite? It worked fine, though I wouldn’t recommend people use such a thing for regular ash removal. We didn’t have a shop vac and used a household handheld vac.

You can also vacuum out the ash, but again, do so only when the grill is 100% cold and there’s no possible chance of lingering embers.Traeger suggests using “a small metal fireplace shovel or other similar tool” (something like this shovel should work just fine) and disposing of ashes in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. You should clean out the ash only when the grill is completely cool. Too much ash collected in the firebox can keep pellets from igniting and, in some cases, redirect the smoke backward and up through the pellet hopper. Clean out the ash that accumulates in the fire pot and the bottom of the firebox.But you don’t need to stress about a clogged grease chute if you keep your drip pan clean in the first place. Make sure the chute is unobstructed so grease can flow from the pan to the bucket-if the chute gets clogged, you run the risk of a grease fire. Inspect the grease chute between the grease-collection pan and the bucket that hangs off the side of the grill.It’s easiest to clean the grease pan while the grill is still warm (not hot), so protect your hands with gloves or towels. Then scrub it with hot soapy water and a scour sponge before rinsing and drying. But if you forget to do that part-like I did-you can remove the drip pan and scrape off most of the fat and gunk with a putty knife. The simplest solution: Line your drip pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil so you can easily discard the greasy mess after you cook. Fat accumulation can lead to grease fires, and those aren’t fun. Clean the drip pan under the cooking grates, especially after cooking fatty meats.Scrape the cooking grates with a grill brush.

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