Cleaning a Wood Stove

Wood stoves are a common sight in older United States homes – but they’re also becoming more popular in newer homes, with more homeowners choosing to have an old-fashioned wood stove installed. If you have a wood stove, the fact that you have to clean it properly is a given, but most owners have questions first.

Here’s what you should know about cleaning a wood stove.

Wood Stove Cleaning: How Often?

Believe it or not, there’s an official fire safety recommendation for how often a wood-burning stove should be inspected and properly cleaned. Official fire safety resources say this should happen at least once a year. This is to ensure that your chimney or stove doesn’t turn into an accidental fire hazard.  

The Right Chemicals

Use the right soot-destroying chemicals when cleaning your stove. The best mixture is vinegar and water for the wiping down, and a mixture of baking soda and water to get rid of hard-to-clean or sticky soot.

Call a Professional

Call a professional, like A Step in Time Maryland, at least once a year to inspect and thoroughly clean your chimney and wood stove. Do not climb onto your roof and try to clean the wood stove’s exhaust pipe or chimney yourself, since it can be quite dangerous.