Who doesn’t love the quiet crackle of flames dancing behind glass, casting a golden glow through a cozy cabin? It’s our favorite antidote to hectic city life. But that magic fades fast when soot clouds the view. That’s why knowing how to clean wood burning stove is essential. We clean ours weekly in winter, and I’ve gathered all the tips and tricks to keep yours burning bright right here.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need to Clean Your Stove
There are a few essentials you’ll want to have on hand when learning how to clean wood burning stove. Thankfully, the tools and materials you’ll need for this job are pretty easy to find around your home, and fairly cheap even if you happen to be missing a few.
The Essentials:
- Ash shovel – For removing most loose wood ashes and other small debris
- Ash vacuum cleaner – For completely removing loose ash
- Wire brush – For scrubbing creosote buildup away
- Old newspapers – We’ll use these in place of rags
- Spray bottle – For holding our glass cleaning mixture
- Soft cloth – For cleaning surfaces
- A small bucket – For holding water
- A metal bucket – For holding ashes
- A sponge – For cleaning the outside of your stove
- Water and vinegar – For your homemade cleaning solution
How to Clean Wood Burning Stove Step by Step
Once you have all the tools and materials gathered, we can work our way through the step-by-step cleaning process. I like to keep my wood stove looking immaculate, so we’ll go over both interior and exterior cleaning methods in this short guide. Function is important, but aesthetics are a close second!
1. Start with the Inside
Ash and soot will definitely end up spilling out if you’re cleaning your entire stove, so I always recommend cleaning the inside of the stove first. You’ll want to wait a bit, though. Hot glass can lead to burns and hot coals can be hidden hazards, so just let the stove down in the first place before opening the stove door.
While you’re waiting, it may be worth putting something down on the floor to catch any ashes that might spill while you’re cleaning. Once you’re ready, open the stove.
Cleaning the Fire Box and Flue Pipe
Use your wire brush to scrub away soot and creosote from the fire box and the flue pipe. Cleaning the flue pipe properly is especially important if your stove is used regularly, as creosote residue from smoke and wood ashes can cause a chimney fire if not removed. Take your time with this, ensuring that you don’t damage the lining.
Tip
If you can reach it, stuck-on creosote can usually be removed from modern stoves with a clean cloth dipped in warm water.
Removing the Ashes
Some stoves have an ash pan you can remove, which makes it really easy to remove the debris all at once. If not, you’ll have to do it by hand using your stove shovel.
For end-of-season cleaning, you can use our shop vac to remove all of the ashes from your stove. Remember, ashes can stay warm for a long time, so wait at least 24 hours from your last burn before doing this. Completely empty the ash pan and wipe it down with a clean cloth before placing it back in the stove for next season.
Tip
For routine cleaning, leave about half an inch of ash in the ash pan. The leftover ashes can help improve airflow, insulate coals, and protect your fire box.
2. Cleaning the Stove Door
Like before, you’ll want to make sure the stove is cooled down before attempting to clean wood stove glass. Once it is, you’ll first want to grab and bunch up some old newspaper. Dip the newspaper in water, then dip the damp newspaper into some old ashes. Use this to wipe off the glass.
The ash method helps brush away any residue on the dirty glass without running the risk of scratching the glass. You might need to use a little elbow grease for really dirty glass, but I still think this is the best thing to try first.
Some people have also had good luck just using vinegar and newspaper (without the ash), but I’ve found that the ash and water method works best in most cases. Either way, brush your newspaper in a circular motion around the glass until it’s clean.
Once the surface is clean, you can shine the glass using a vinegar and water mixture. I recommend mixing 1 part vinegar with two parts water, but you can adjust this ratio as needed. Spray the mixture on the door, then wipe it off with a clean towel.
Check out my post here for another DIY soap scum cleaning solution that works wonders.
3. Cleaning the Outside
Mastering the last part of learning how to clean wood burning stove is easy since everything you’ll need to clean is within sight and within reach. You can use the same glass cleaning process for the exterior glass.
To clean the stove itself, I usually remove any accessory items and dust the stove first. From there, I mix soap and warm water, then wipe my stove down with a sponge dipped in this mixture. Dry and buff the surface with a different, dry cloth for a professional-looking finish!
Why Cleaning Your Wood Burning Stove Matters
Now that you know how to clean wood burning stove, let’s quickly cover “why” this is important information to know. Simply put, forgetting or not bothering to clean your trusty log burner can quickly turn into a safety concern. As your stove gets used, the fire box, ash pan, and flue pipe will quickly fill with wood ashes and creosote. If left uncleaned, this is definitely a fire hazard, particularly when it comes to your chimney.
Aside from the potential dangers, dirty, uncleaned stoves just aren’t as efficient as providing effective heating. To top things off, sooty glass can be pretty unsightly, so it’s a good idea to make routine cleanings part of your schedule. Trust me, guys, it’s the best way to approach stove ownership! Check out more of my house cleaning tips and hacks here!
My Recommended Long-Term Maintenance Tips
Pin this article
Pin It NowCleaning your wood-burning stove isn’t something you can just do once. It’s something you’ll have to keep doing on a regular basis. Generally, I suggest cleaning the ash pan after every few uses, the firebox every month, and giving the stove a deep cleaning at least once per season.
Here are a few of my favorite tips to help you keep your stove at peak performance.
1. Stick to Dry Wood
The moisture content in your wood can significantly impact your stove’s performance. Use a moisture meter to achieve the perfect log, which helps make cleanup less of a hassle. Specifically, how much buildup you’re left with and how much smoke there is. Wet wood generates more smoke, which produces more smoke, leads to sooty glass, and causes your stove to get dirty faster. As such, use dry wood with a low moisture content for thed minimal best results an cleaning.
3. Routinely Inspect Your Stove for Damage
Aside from routine cleanings, it’s also important to check your stove door, fire box, and flue pipe on a regular basis. These areas are prone to wear, and even small cracks can quickly lead to a big problem down the road. Double-check everything during your monthly firebox cleanings.
4. Check in With a Professional from Time to Time
Doing something over and over tends to get easier over time. That said, falling into a routine can make it easier to miss things, so it’s a good idea to get a professional analysis from time to time. Try to have a professional inspect your stove and chimney every year so you can be sure that nothing has been missed.
Commonly Asked Questions
Remove the ashes after every few uses, clean the firebox monthly, and give it a deep cleaning at least once per season.
Generally, the exterior approach on how to clean wood burning stove is fairly basic. Dust first, use a damp sponge and some soap second, then dry and shine if desired.
Yes! Leaving about half an inch of ashes can help improve airflow, insulates the coals, and help protect your stove from the heat.
Cabin Content
A Conclusion for How to Clean Wood Burning Stove
Share this article
Share It NowI love having a wood burning stove, but part of owning one is learning how to clean wood burning stove the right way. Like you guys saw, though, the process is quite straightforward and simple. Literally, anyone can do it!
Hopefully, y’all found my top tips helpful. Check out one of my other posts on the best wood burning stove options, if you’re still on the fence about getting one, or leave me a comment below if you want to know something specific. Until next time, thanks for reading!
Be sure to use a moisture meter for your logs when burning all year long. If you get the moisture just right it will prevent excess build up on your glass and make clean up much easier over time!