Deep Fryer Question

[Blackberry]

We've got a deep fryer and when we moved a year ago we dumped out the oil but did not clean it or the basket. It's been sitting idle for this past year and now we want to use it. We've used all sorts of products on it with little success. We tried dish washing liquid, that Dawn spray-on stuff....tons of elbow grease.

Any suggestions? Dh wants me to go to an auto parts store tomorrow and pick up some de-greaser and a bucket to soak the deep fryer basket in. What do you think? Also, maybe some oven cleaner? I don't know.

Suggestions would be appriciated.

[Tippytail]

Can you maybe boil it in a bigger pot? My stove used to have a bad grease build-up around the burners and I got it all off by pouring boiling ater on it and using a rough scrubby.

The oven cleaner mught be a good idea, I used it on some cookie sheets that hubby used for fajita meat on the grill. He had used cooking spray, of all things, and the spray basically turned into this stuff that could be scraped off with a knife but that's it. I sprayed them with oven cleaner and though they weren't good as new, they sure were alot better.

Auto de-greaser would scare me. One, because of the chemical factor and two, because it might ruin any non stick coating on the basket that it might have.

[justme23]

I agree... don't use any automotive cleaners... you might try just using a baking soda paste and let that sit on it for a while.. but unless you payed a fortune for it, I'd just trash it and get a new one... hubby bought me one not too long ago for 14.99 at wal-mart... it's just one of the smaller ones that sits on my kitchen counter... if it came right down to it, buy a stainless steel pan and use it on your stove... you can get really nice stainless steel or hard anondized(sp) at Linens 'N Things or at Bed Bath and Beyond... both those places also sell the silicone utencils that can w/stand up to 600 degrees in heat... I don't know about anyone else, but I melted every plasted (nylon) utensil I ever owned... LNT was a God Send for us, I have finally stopped ruining my kitchen ware... but that's not what you asked... sorry!

[newgranny]

carburator cleaner works great. I use it on the gas grill every yr and comes out looking like new everytime. Spray on leave aboyt 10 min and hose off

[Technologist]

This is a wasteful way to clean it but....

Fill it with oil, turn it on high and let it "cook" off the old oil...

**Carefully** scrape the sides and bottom while the oils is hot...

When you are done, throw out the oil you used to clean it and start again...

OR, buy a new one... I WOULD NOT use automotive / household degreaser... if it doesn't get everything off, whatever remains will be coated with the toxic components from the degreaser... which will release into the food when you use it.

[Army-Mom]

I would put water in it and put basket in it and plug it in and maybe the hot water would help..just a thought..

[freeby4me]

I know that oil thats sat for that long is really hard to get clean. I dont suggest any kind of automotive cleaner, I mean you'll be eating food that comes out of that! Water with oil causes splattering so the only thing that I can really think of is doing as Tech suggests or just tossing it and buying a new one. (The flash fryers are excellent and much better for you than like a fry-daddy) :) Good luck!