As beautiful and romantic as a fireplace is, cleaning it can be quite annoying. The glass quickly turns black and the beautiful fire can hardly be seen anymore. But cleaning is not just important for aesthetic reasons. In order for it to function well, you must regularly clean the inside of the stove. What needs to be taken into account and how exactly do you proceed?
It's a pretty dirty job, but with the right tools and techniques it can be done quickly and easily.
How to effectively clean the inside of the fireplace
Glass pane, interior walls, ash pan – all of these elements of the oven quickly become dirty and must be kept clean. Of course, it is particularly important for cleaning that the stove is completely cooled down at this point.
1. Empty the ash pan
The ash from the box does not necessarily have to be emptied after every use, but it should not be too full either. The grate should always be able to be sufficiently cooled, but this is rather difficult with a heavy pile of ash. In an emergency, this can lead to deformation of the metal and impair its function.
The following applies:The more often you empty the container, the better, but at the latest when it is full so that it does not overflow or rise into the firebox.
- First sweep the interior to remove any remaining ash into the box.
- Discard the ashes.
- You can then wipe the container dry. Do not use water or cleaning agents, otherwise rust film may form.
Whether and for what you can use the ashes in the household,find out here.
2. Clean the inside of the fireplace: the firebox
You have already removed the remaining ash in the step above. However, if you do the more thorough cleaning, you can make sure to also sweep the side walls.
- Remove additional parts such as filters or flaps and clean them as well. Here too,without water. Use brushes and/or special vacuum cleaners to remove loose ash.
- Then go through the interior again with the vacuum cleaner. Don’t forget the corners and edges and also the top.
- In this step you can also vacuum the loose ash along the glass pane.
3. Clean the viewing window of the stove
Ideally, you should clean the stove window after each use of the fireplace. This is not always possible, but it is desirable. The longer you put it off, the more stubborn the soot layer becomes and the more difficult it is to clean the glass. There are special cleaning products, but if you really clean the window regularly,Home remedies are usually sufficient.
- Use suitable, non-aggressive cleaning agents.
- Do not use abrasive agents or materials that would scratch the glass.
- You can know exactly how to clean and remove soot from the fireplace glassread here.
Also interesting:Uses for Wood Ash in the Home: There are many amazing uses for your home!
4. Remove soot from the pipes and clean them
It is rarer for you to have to clean the inside of the chimney pipes. Once a year, namely when the heating season is over, is sufficient. How do you do it right?
- The tube is usually provided with a lid. You have to remove this first.
- Now use a special brush to loosen the soot that has accumulated in the pipe. To do this, simply move it back and forth a few times. If you don't have a brush like this at hand, a simple hand brush should suffice.
- You can now vacuum the soot that has been loosened in this way again with the vacuum cleaner.
Also read:Fireplace without a chimney: Create a cozy and warm home for the cold days in winter!