Spring cleaning for your wood-burning stove

Spring is the ideal season for maintaining a wood-burning stove. There are several things you can do to keep your stove in good condition. This season is also well suited for repairs, so that the stove and flue system are ready for use as soon as they are needed again.

A very important part of maintenance is checking and replacing internal wear parts, for example the baffle plate and side bricks. We offer these parts for the Hobbit Stove and the Little Range Cookstove. You can find the full product list in our section for spare parts and maintenance.

Before you can check the condition of your small wood-burning stove or cookstove more closely, the appliance must be thoroughly cleaned.

This section serves as a quick guide to cleaning your wood-burning stove. Full details and warnings can be found in the operating manual, which should be supplied with every appliance.

Please note: Clean your stove only when it has completely cooled down. Make sure that the fire has been fully extinguished for a long time.

Cleaning the outside of your wood-burning stove

Start by wiping down the main body of the stove as well as the upper and lower door with a clean, dry cloth or a feather duster. Use only a soft cloth that does not cause any abrasive marks on the appliance. It is also sensible to use a machine-washable cloth, as the stove can discolor the cloth, especially if it is painted.

If there are more permanent marks on the appliance that you would like to remove, it may be necessary to repaint the stove with heat-resistant Calfire stove paint.

Cleaning the glass of your wood-burning stove

Now it is time for the glass. There are various types of stove glass cleaners on the market. After many attempts, however, a natural method has proven to be the best cleaning technique for us. All you need is newspaper or paper towels, for example Blue Roll, a bowl of water and ash.

Dab the chosen material in clean water so that it becomes slightly damp. Then lightly dip the newspaper or paper towel into the cold ash from your fire and gently rub it over the glass. Make sure not to scratch it. If necessary, you can remove streaks with a damp cloth and then dry the glass with a soft, clean cloth.

If particularly stubborn deposits on the glass need to be removed, turn the clips at the corners of the window to take the glass out of the door. If the clips are stuck due to soot deposits, you can apply a small amount of Caramba and tap them lightly so that they can move again. After that, you can place the glass on a flat surface, clean it thoroughly and also use glass cleaner if it is heavily soiled.

Cleaning the interior of your wood-burning stove

Start by shaking the stove grate, so that small residues from the firebox fall through the grate into the ash pan. Then remove the ash pan. You can then empty the contents into the waste bin or into the garden. Ash is good for the soil.

Then vacuum the interior of the stove and the area behind the doors so that your small wood-burning stove looks clean. It is sensible to remove all the ash before the stove remains out of use over the summer, as ash can have a corrosive effect over time.

The most important step in maintaining a wood-burning stove is to ensure that the appliance has been carefully checked and that all repairs have been carried out before you put the stove back into operation after the summer.

Once the stove is clean, possible problems can be identified quickly and easily. By checking your small wood-burning stove, you ensure that the appliance is ready for use as soon as the evenings become shorter and the days cooler.

1. First, check the glass pane of your stove carefully. The glass can become damaged over time if the stove has been fired too strongly or if fuel has come into contact with the glass. If there are cracks or scratches, it is sensible to order a replacement pane so that the stove can be operated safely.
   
2. Check the stove seals of the upper and lower door. There are three seals that need to be checked: one around the edge of the upper door, one around the glass, and one around the lower door. The stove seal should sit firmly and lie flush against the cast iron. Maintaining this area prevents smoke or soot from escaping from the appliance. The seals also act as cushioning, as they prevent the upper and lower door from rubbing against the main body of the stove.
   
3. Open the upper and lower door and check the interior of your small wood-burning stove carefully. Apart from the main body of the stove, the internal components are wearing parts and are subject to wear over time.
   
4. If the stove has been fired too strongly or high-temperature fuels such as anthracite have been used, the centre grate or the firebricks at the back and sides of the stove may be worn. If vermiculite firebricks are used, they wear out more quickly than our cast-iron bricks. Alternatively, the baffle plate may have warped over time. The side bricks must be removed before the baffle plate can be taken out. The baffle plate can be removed from the stove by lifting it, moving it towards you, and then tilting it downwards. The baffle plate can then be turned and removed through the upper door of the stove. If the baffle plate is stuck, it may be necessary to loosen it slightly with a rubber mallet.
   
5. After all important functional parts of the stove have been checked, it is sensible to take a step back and look at the overall impression. If the stove needs a new coat of paint, care should be taken after painting to ensure that the paint is correctly cured. This can be done through a series of small fires. Each fire should gradually become larger. Let the fire go out completely before the next one is lit. During curing, the paint may give off a strong smell. Ensure good ventilation of the room. The smell disappears after the first firings.
   
6. Finally, the flue system and the chimney itself must be checked and cleaned.
   

1. Is your stove making unusual noises? If you hear unusual noises coming from your small wood-burning stove, there is a possibility that there are visitors on the roof. Seagulls often nest on chimneys in summer when the stove is not being used. This can cause various debris to fall into the chimney and block its use. You can light the stove occasionally to discourage birds from settling on the roof. There are also various spikes and bird protection devices that can be installed on the roof to prevent birds from nesting. If you are happy for birds to nest there, you do not need to do anything. The nest can be safely removed once it is no longer in use, and debris can be cleared away.
   
2. Even in the middle of summer, particularly stormy weather can occur. If you see that parts of the flue system are loose or damaged, we offer a large selection of additional flue parts.

After the stove has been cleaned, it must be taken out of operation in a specific way. Good airflow through the appliance should be ensured, as this prevents condensation from forming, which can lead to rust. In addition, all ash residues in the stove should be removed, as they can have a corrosive effect over time.

To do this, keep the upper and lower door closed, but leave a small gap behind the air control. It is also sensible to leave the secondary and tertiary air controls in the open position.