Cleaning dry-fired heating element

[kgranger]

Any tips for cleaning heating elements after dry-firing? Looking very flaky, not sure if it's rust or pieces of the metal coming off. It is still working fine, I'd just rather have it looking as clean as possible.

 

[duncan.brown]

Hot, strong PBW will get the crud off stainless-steel elements.

 

[Bobby_M]

Spray with oven cleaner and put it in a big Ziploc bag for an hour. Rinse it and go after it with a 3m green scrub pad. If its still tarnished, soak it in hot water and citric acid for about an hour. 5% citric by weight so if 2 gallons (about 20lbs) requires 1 lb citric acid powder.