Removing Soot From Wood Stoves

Prepare yourself for the messy task at hand. Wearing goggles, a mask and heavy work gloves will help protect you from the dust that will result from scrubbing soot free from the stove. Wear an old, long-sleeved shirt and tuck it into the gloves to keep your skin clean and protect it from irritation.

Put a drop cloth down in front of the stove to protect the carpet or fireplace from dropped soot, which can easily stain. Place several layers of newspapers on top of the drop cloth. Place the bucket nearby, within reach but not close enough that it will be tipped over. Make sure the fireplace has completely cooled; unlike removing ashes, soot removal requires reaching into the wood-burning stove itself.

Use the wire brush to thoroughly scrape the sides of the stove. This will loosen any soot that has become caked on during the combustion process; this soot will crumble away in a thick dust. A paint scraper can be used to get into the corners where the wire brush may not reach.

Scrape the loosened soot onto the newspapers in front of the stove. As you work, use the newspapers to transfer the soot into the bucket.

Shovel the rest of the loosened soot into the bucket.

Repeat the process as necessary. Scrape the soot from the sides of the stove and empty it out with the shovel. Scrape the bottom of the stove in the same way to finish removing the soot. It may also be necessary to remove leftover ashes as well, and these can be disposed of along with the soot.