Owning a wood burning stove can add so much to a home.
There’s nothing better than watching the flames dance as you relax into the evening ahead with family, friends or alone. But, it’s essential for both aesthetics and safety that you keep it clean.
We’ve broken down the key elements of wood burning stove cleaning and maintenance.
Table of Contents
Tips for Cleaning your Wood Burning Stove
1. Clean the ash (but not all of it…)
When you burn wood, that wood will always turn into ash. Too much ash can prevent a fire from getting as hot as it should do. And it can also create a lot of smoke. It’s essential to remove the ash from the burner before significant build-up.
However, ash is not without its purpose. Make sure you always leave about half an inch of ash at the bottom of your burner. This will provide better insulation for your next fire.
When you’ve collected enough ash to justify a cleanup, the first thing you need to do is wait for it to cool down. This can take several hours, as ash can stay hot for a long time after the fire has died down.
Should you clear the ash when it’s still hot, that can cause you to burn yourself or even damage things around the wood burner.
Make sure to dump the ash into a metallic trash can. Be careful. Even now, the ash could still be hot. It can melt right through if you put it in a plastic can. And be sure the container you use has a tight-fitting lid as this stops oxygen from getting in and a fire restarting.
2. Clean the glass
One of the main reasons people still have wood burners in 2022 is that they’re pleasant to look at. Obviously they emit a powerful heat but gone are the days when they were a necessity, or the only option for heating your home. But that classic glow of the fire is something we all seem to love.
Unfortunately, your fire won’t be too nice to look at if you only ever see it through grubby, dirty glass.
Before we start talking about cleaning the glass, let’s get the vital safety information out the way:
- Wait until the glass is cool. (If you touch the hot glass, you can end up burning yourself.)
- Never ever put cold liquid onto hot glass. When hot glass is suddenly made cold, it can shatter.
- Do not use sharp objects to clean your wood burner glass. (Not only will it scratch the glass, but it also increases the chance of it breaking.)
Now you know how to be careful, here is how to clean your wood burning stove glass:
- Dampen a piece of newspaper or paper towel.
- Dip the damp cloth/paper into fine wood ash.
- Rub the stove glass until it’s clean.
- Use a clean and dry towel to buff off the residue.
You can also get a wood stove glass cleaner if you do not have fine wood ash at hand.
3. Clean the outside
Obviously the inside of the stove, and the stove door represent the most important sections of the stove from both a safety and performance perspective, but don’t forget the outside of your burner either.
Make sure the stove is completely cool before you start cleaning the outside. The outside of a wood burner can also become very hot, so it’s worth leaving the stove unused for at least 12+ hours before you consider touching it.
How you clean it is up to you. The body of a stove is generally cast iron and extremely robust, but some of the most common methods including the use of soft brushes, damp clothes, or even a vacuum cleaner.
Ensure that any dirt, soot, or dust has been completely cleaned away before you finish up.
4. Use the right kind of Wood
Not all woods burn the same.
Using the wrong kind of wood can create more smoke than it should, result in terrible smells, burn badly, and become a pain to clean.
When searching for the correct wood, make sure it meets the following criteria:
- Dead – If it’s still green or has leaves growing on it, it’s not ready to burn. The high water levels in living wood make them inefficient and unclean to burn.
- Clean – Any wood that’s covered in dirt or mould should not be burnt. Dirty wood does not burn as smoothly as clean and the ash will be more challenging to clean up.
- Dry – Wet wood is terrible for burning. Only dry wood can give you a smooth burn that leaves nothing but easy-to-clean ash behind.
As a general rule of thumb, some woods that burn well include Oak, Ash, and Maple. These are odorless, hard to get dirty, and easy to dry.
Other common woods such as Pine, Cedar, and Eucalyptus are not generally suitable for burning and are best avoided.
5. Don’t forget the rest…
It’s common to get the really dirty stuff done, and then forget about the rest of the stove. If you can, try to tackle every bit of the stove to ensure the general upkeep of your stove, and a better burn overall.
First, there is the rope seal on the stove door. If this is not clean, it can stop the door from closing correctly, resulting in the fire and/or smoke go outside the burner- not what we want.
Secondly, wherever the smoke goes out, make sure it’s clean and functional. This will usually be a chimney or flute. If you need to, get a professional chimney sweep to clean it.
And finally, any vents that allow air to come out should be kept clean and unblocked.
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Cleaning your wood burner does not need to be complicated. Just a few minutes a day or a couple of times per week, during heavy winter use, can make all the difference.
For everything else home heating, stick with CosyWarmer.com!