These tips will help you clean your chimney

What could be better than warming up with a fireplace, fireplace or Swedish stove on cold evenings and spending warm hours in front of the fire? However, after the flames are extinguished, ash and soot form as a result of the burning of wood, which contaminates the floors, smoke outlets and windows of the ignition system.

A clean fireplace not only looks better and emits more heat, it’s also safer. That’s why regular cleaning is important and it’s easy to do with the right technique and proper tools.

1. preparation

You can start cleaning only after the chimney and its contents have completely cooled down. Soot leaves dark spots and should not enter the room during cleaning, otherwise you’ll have double the job. It is best to lay the newspaper on the floor around the fireplace first.

2. Clean the dirt from the chimney

The coarsest dirt can be removed from the combustion chamber with a broom and a shovel and temporarily placed in a heatproof container outside the apartment. After about two days, you can dispose of the waste. This should be done after each use of the fireplace.

Depending on the model, it is also recommended to clean the ash box or ash drawer at least once a week. For finer residues, you can use an ash vacuum, which is particularly effective. For safety reasons, it’s important to wait until the remaining wood has had enough time to cool completely.

3. Cleaning products for chimneys

Of course there are special cleaners for cleaning chimneys, with which you can gently clean the inside of the ignition system and the sight glass. Under no circumstances should an overly aggressive scrubbing agent be used for this. Hard sponges or hard brushes should also be avoided in the glass pane, as they may cause scratches: soft sponges or cloths are more suitable.

A practical and inexpensive tip: Simply wipe the sooty glass with damp newspaper soaked in white ash. The ash provides just enough friction to loosen the dirt but good enough not to scratch anything. Then wipe with a clean kitchen towel until everything is dry. The glass should be cleaned again at the latest when the soot again blocks the view of the flames.

4. Clean the outside

Depending on the design, some modern fireplaces consist primarily of viewing panels or are almost completely recessed into the walls, while models made of metal, stone, or tile are more in-room. Externally visible areas should also be dusted as necessary or cleaned with a dry or damp cloth or sponge, depending on the material. So that the fireplace shines in its most beautiful glory.

5. Regular maintenance is mandatory

Combustion can leave residues in chimneys that can impair chimney use in the long run and in the worst case lead to soot fires. Therefore, professional care is imperative.

Chimney sweeps not only clean the combustion system deeply, but also check for any malfunctions. Many cantons have chimney sweeps in charge of the respective districts. The landlord is legally obliged to have the entire fireplace checked by a specialist at least every five years. However, the control should be done more frequently depending on the heating system, fuel and frequency of use.