How to Clean a Woodburner

woodburner needs cleaning With the summer in full swing, you won’t have much use for your woodburner again until winter rolls around once more. But that doesn’t mean it should be neglected; now is the perfect time to show your woodburner some love by making sure it’s fully cleaned and maintained before you need it again.

In this article, we’ll take you through the cleaning routine for your woodburner so you’re as prepared as can be for the backend of the year.

Empty out the ash

This is something you should be familiar with if you use your woodburner a lot. When the ash piles up, it’s essential to empty it before it becomes a problem – too much ash and your fire won’t burn as effectively, and it will be harder to start the fire in the first place.

If you haven’t got an ash pan, grab a metal scoop or spade and remove most of the ash from inside your stove. Leave behind about a one inch layer of ash to help make building and maintaining future fires easier. Deposit the ash in a metal bucket and dispose of it outside.

Clean the glass

After heavy, regular use, the glass frontage of your stove will probably look a bit bleak. If you can’t see the glow of the flames inside, then you’re missing out on half the fun of owning a wood burning stove! Some modern appliances come fitted with an internal ventilation system which uses air from outside the stove to ‘wash’ the glass clean. However, if this doesn’t apply to you, you’ll have to clean your glass manually – not as grim a task as it might seem.

To clean off the blackened deposits on the glass, you have a surprising number of options. Let’s take a two of the best – and easiest:

Commercial cleaning products – Most obviously, you can use stove glass cleaning products to tackle even the thickest of stains. Just pick a cleaner that’s right for you, and make sure to follow safety instructions at all times. Apply the cleaner, wait for a few minutes, then wipe it off with a damp cloth.
Ash, water and newspaper – Save some of that excess ash for some creative cleaning. You’ll have to put in a bit more elbow grease to get the best results, but by dipping newspaper in water, then into your ash, you have the perfect home-cleaning solution for your dirty stove window. No newspaper? Use a damp cloth instead!

Clean the exterior

For your stove to look its best, check over the exterior bodywork and see if there are any stains or signs of rust. Use a stiff bristled brush to scrub away thick stains or rust patches, and if you feel like giving it a full makeover, you can apply some heat resistant stove paint to freshen up the exterior. Make sure you pick a paint product that is made for fireplaces, and follow the safety instructions that come with it.

Flue pipe cleaning

The summer is the perfect time to clean out the flue. Hiring a professional is always advised, but you can do this yourself if you set aside the time and are equipped with the right tools. Lay out sheets on the floor so falling soot doesn’t ruin your living room, and ensure that you wear safety goggles, gloves and a dust mask to protect yourself at all times.

Use a flue wire brush and rod to sweep out the soot deposits. Be patient, this is a lengthy job but doing it thoroughly will mean maximum performance for your woodburner.

Hearth and the surrounding area

Once all the bigger jobs are done, you can turn your attention to the hearth area and the walls surrounding your woodburner. Wipe up any debris left on your hearth, then scrub it clean with warm, soapy water to restore that lost sheen.

Clean up the recess too – sweep up debris and scrub any exposed brickwork if there are unsightly patches of soot on show.

Now that your woodburner is clean and raring to go for the winter, make sure you’re topped up on fuel by getting in touch with the team at Coal Merchants UK. We have a range of quality firewood for sale, along with smokeless, eco-friendly wood briquettes ready for next day delivery across the UK. To arrange delivery of your chosen fuel, simply call us up today.