how to clean a popcorn machine

My answers here should be examined. The outside of the machine could be degreased with Easy Off oven cleaner -out in the yard- wearing gloves and spraying down wind, then washing it off with the hose. The inside could be cleaned with a recipe of vinegar, lemon, baking soda. I'd like to direct your attention to Pinterest and type inh ow to clean the popcorn maker. There are hundreds of tips, mostly using nontoxic, environmentally friendly recipes.

Just a note, you can use the EZOff inside the popper pot , just clean very well once you are done degreasing. I have done it many times.

Juju on Aug 11, 2016

You've gotten your money's worth. Throw it out and buy a new one. :-)

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It still works well, besides throwing it out is not green. I'll probably use it 'til I'm dead. I know, I'm a terrible spendthrift. Thanks.
Buy new. Not for me. If it is still work it will get cleaned.

My ex husband was a mechanic. What I did try once to save a favorite pot was a can of engine degreaser. I bought it from the Auto Zone and believe it or not, it worked pretty well. Naturally you'll have to clean it outside in an open space.

Is the material Stainless Steel or Cast Aluminum, and do you care about the appearance once it's clean? Easy-Off is a mediocre product for something as serious as what the picture is displaying... you need a professional grill and fry cleaner product to do the job and it will take several applications to get it off using steel wool without the soap. I've stopped buying Easy-Off and cheap products as they are a waste of time and money. Try this product by Pro-Force or another restaurant grade cleaner they use for professional grills and deep fryers. Note it will break your skin down quick so be sure to wear long sleeves and gloves. I would also recommend that you wipe it off instead of introducing water to the pot until you've got it decreased and it's ready to wash. I started doing it this way and I was able to get better results then when I would rinse it down to try again. I use the Pro-Force on just about everything when it comes to breaking down grease. Once cleaned do yourself a favor and don't wait so long to treat the unit again. Forgot to mention that I purchase the product at Sam's Club... not sure if Costco or BJ's carry it, but it can be ordered from a professional company on line as well.

I do not know how to degrease a popcorn maker but I know how to degrease pans, stove and oven. It's very easy, only requires patience. The miracle is vinegar, sodium bicarbonate and lemon. See on link: http://earth911.com/living-well-being/health/.... Regards from Brazil !!

Carburator cleaner will take it right off. Do it outside though.

Well Debbie Buss... I went and purchased a can of Carburator cleaner to try on my fry pot which really wasn't in too bad a shape as I try to stay on top of it before it becomes to carmelized and I sad to say it didn't do a thing for it. So the condition of her Popcorn maker is far worse then the bottom of my little pot and it did nothing. How about being more specific about the use of the cleaner so the money spent wont be in vain... Thank You Very Much...

C on Aug 11, 2016

oven cleaner? Bar Keepers Friends (powder) and create a paste, let sit for about 5 minutes at a time and scrub off with a brush or steel wool.

Joan on Aug 11, 2016

I used this method on caked on grills. You need a sunny day, a black plastic garbage bag big enough to hold the item, vinegar. put the item in the bag in the sun. add vinegar, about 2 cups, seal bag. Wait... about 4 hours. Take the item out of the bag, the grease should come off fairly easily with a green scrub sponge. Easy, cheap and worth a try!

Here are some various ideas to clean without hurting the finish. I know from experience that WD-40 is excellent at dissolving tar products, but it has a very offensive smell and would be hard to remove from the crevices. Dip-It Carburetor Cleaner is very effective at removing Varnish from engine parts and would work, but it's harsh on the skin and leaves a terrible smell that is hard to get rid of. Caustic Oven Cleaner like E-Z-Off is not skin friendly and the chance of getting it on your arms, in your eyes or clothes, even with gloves and glasses is above Zero. It should NEVER be used on Aluminum. You need a "skin friendly" solvent because you WILL be using your hands to scrub and wipe. So, my suggestion is to use a lighter grade oil like Mineral Oil or Baby Oil to soak and dissolve the baked on grease. Try a bit on a paper towel and see if can easily cut through the baked on stuff. If it works like I think it will, (it's very good at cleaning the steamed on grease around range hoods and cabinets) I suggest you wrap some paper towels around the cooker and soak the paper towels in the oil and let it sit for a few hours. As the solvent softens the grease, it should become much easier to wipe off. It's a light oil, so any film can be easily cleaned with a mild detergent soap. Good Luck. Let us know what you do and how it works out. Phil

Chris on Aug 11, 2016

I would take it outside, soak rags in ammonia, wrap the greasy parts and put it in a heavy plastic trash bag overnight. Let me know how it works. This technique works really well with oven racks and stove burners.

baking soda and peroxide mix

Carol on Aug 11, 2016

I always use washing powder to get cooked grease off as it does contain caustic and detergents . But you have to soak it for at least 24 hours , if that's electric powered you can still do it if the cord is removable, or you would have to work a way around that. then repeat a few times until clean using a scourer to assist .

I'd try a paste of baking soda and coconut oil. It works on a lot of things, like label adhesives also. Glop it on, rub it in and let it sit overnight or longer then try scrubbing. Good luck.

WD40 is also great for removing adhesives and gum from hair...

Karen on Aug 11, 2016

Mix any kind of cooking oil and baking soda to make a paste. Slather it on and leave overnite or even a few days if you like. The oil will soften the grease and the baking soda will act as a scrubber when wiped off.

Holly on Aug 12, 2016

Oven cleaner, the kind you don't need heat with.

My best advice is to let it go; time for a new one. If that isn't an option, I've used "scrubbing bubbles" with great success on this type of greasy residue.

Thank You, Clancey Tarbox. I did investigate corn poppers and cannot find this beloved version of my Mom's. I will try scrubbing bubbles. I use them a lot. Never thought of using this on the pot!

Castrol Super Clean at WalMart in automotive dept. It works really well on baked on grease. .

I haven't finished it yet, and I'll post a picture when I do. I'm really making progress! Thank you all.

So Kathy... what method did you decide to go with... do share that info to as I'm always looking for new methods to keep the carbon build up on my fry pans etc. I went to the store to pick up some carberator cleaner someone suggeted, and walked right out the store without it... Darn!!! Can't wait to know what you went with and how it came out.

Went with two methods. Baby oil to soften carbon, then paste with baking soda, vinegar & lemon juice, and back to baby oil and scrape chunks off with a sharp knife. With all of the chemical processing, the heavy chunks just pop off. Picture coming soon.