How to Restore Iron & Wood Soapstone Stoves

Soapstone in a non-porous stone was used to make stove and sinks up until the middle of the 19th century. However, many antique soapstone stoves remain serviceable today. The best thing about soapstone is how well it radiates heat. Soapstone wood stoves heat up slowly and radiate the heat around your home for hours before you have to reload them. Some soapstone stoves have cast iron in the inside and soapstone on the outside. If you have an iron and soapstone wood-burning stove, you can restore it to its former glory.

Things You'll Need

• 50-grit sandpaper
• Cloth
• Bleach cleaning powder
• Mineral oil

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Sand down any scratches in the soapstone with the sandpaper. Don’t over-sand the soapstone stove; sand it just enough to remove surface scratches.

   • 2

     Sprinkle the bleach cleaning powder onto the cloth, and wet the cloth with warm water. Wipe down the soapstone to remove any stubborn stains from stove. Rinse the stove off with a wet cloth to remove the bleach.

   • 3

     Pour 2 to 3 tbsp. of mineral oil onto a cloth, and wipe it over the soapstone stove. The soapstone will turn from gray to black with the application of the oil and return to its former luster.