Reading the recent Teflon and PBW thread got me thinking. I am meticulous about cleaning my kettle, immersion chiller, pump and lines, and fermenter. But, when it comes to my cooler style mash tun, I just rinse it out, dry it and store it. I guess I feel that everything that comes out of it gets boiled anyway so I’m not that meticulous about cleaning the cooler or soaking it with cleanser. Am I making a big mistake here that I’m not thinking about?
Everything hot side gets pbw. If any mineral deposits remain, starsan takes care of it. Everything cold side get pbw and starsan. Every time.
My mash tun cooler gets rinsed with water, sides wiped down with Starsan to remove any debris from the mash (I used Starsan since I always have some Starsan mixed up while brewing, probably just plain water would be fine.) then wiped dry, stored with the lid off until completely dry.
I just rinse my mash tuns and make sure I rinse the ball valves fairly well. The coolers are fairly dirty at this point.
My normal routine has always just been to rinse, and once every several weeks to give a soak in hot oxi clean for my mash tun (using converted keg or cooler). I don’t think there’s anything real need to soak in cleaner every time if you don’t want to. But if you want to, there’s obviously nothing wrong with that either.
Mine gets the hose and maybe a wipe down to get any bits off. I store it on its side with the lid off until I know it is bone dry. I always leave the valve open, same with my normal coolers
+1
- 1 on drying and leaving lid off/open - especially on coolers. Other wise you get “that smell”… :o
+2
I take apart my mash tun after each use. This way i can make sure i thoroughly clean the bulkhead, ball valve, etc. It also makes sure everything dries completely.
I hose mine off inside and store upside down with the lid off. I disassemble it periodically to clean everything thoroughly.
That is intense
I dump the spent grains out for the chickens to eat then I rinse with hose and wipe off any debris. My false bottom comes off easy so I can wipe out any stuck grains. I let it dry before covering and storing. I usually spend literally less than a minute.
Mash, dump spent grains, rinse, repeat. I never use soap or chemicals, ever.
If I clean it then how am I supposed to infuse the smell of must into my beer?
Once he cleaned his MT his beer just wasn’t ever the same… 
This is how I treat my smoker. Only thing I clean is the water pan. The grates get a quick brushing when hot.
Normally, I just give it a couple of hot water rinses after the mash and call it a day. Once it starts getting grody-looking I’ll throw in half a lid of PBW into the hot water and soak my BIAB bag inside as well. That happens every few months or so.
Same here.