How to properly put out a log burner
There are few things as warm, cosy and inviting as a crackling fire. But it’s important to know how to put out your fire once you’ve finished with it. Today, we’ll show you just how it’s done – so you can be confident your log burner will be ready for the next time you use it.
Step 1: Close the door and vents
It might sound obvious, but your fire feeds off oxygen. Shutting your log burner is the first step in cutting off that oxygen, especially if you’re the type who likes to crack the door open to make the room extra cosy. You’ll need to close your air vents, too. That way, you won’t be introducing any ‘new’ oxygen to the fire.
Step 2: Watch and wait
Your fire will slowly die down without a source of oxygen. You’ll need to wait a few minutes for this to happen. For some people, this is their favourite part of enjoying a log burner – seeing the last flickers and glowing embers dim away. You’ll still get some warmth from the fire when it’s at this stage.
Step 3: Poke around
Spread out any last bits of coal, firewood or fuel to stop the fire taking hold again. We’d recommend wearing a protective glove to do this, and using a poker. This can help prevent any burns from sudden sparks.
Parts of your log burner will get extremely hot when it’s in use, too – so this stops you catching yourself on parts of the inside. During this step, be sure to open your chimney damper. This stops smoke from coming out of the fireplace and into your home.
Step 4: Douse the embers
You might still see some glowing bits of ember here and there, but as you’ve no doubt seen with fires, they can spark up again. To be completely safe, you can use water or baking soda to completely put out your fire and ensure it’s safe to leave.
Step 5: Sweep up
Cleaning your fireplace properly is important. Little scraps of fuel, soot and ash can build up over time and could be a fire hazard. You might also see staining start to develop in areas around the fire, since ash and dust can spread around when it’s not properly cleaned up.
If you’re doing a deep clean, you’ll want to shovel out this debris before cleaning with a brush or hoover attachment, followed by some watered-down bleach or washing-up liquid. Usually, a brush is your best bet for this stage. If you’re doing an in-between clean, sweeping out the bulk of the ashes will be enough.
The best products for cleaning
Let’s now look at a few products and tools that come in handy for cleaning your log burner – whether it’s a dust-down at the end of a snuggly night or a more thorough clean.
- Dust mask, goggles and rubber gloves
- Old bed sheet and a few cloths
- Shovel and bin
- Bucket of bleach or washing-up liquid solution
- Dustpan and brush
- Hoover
- Fireplace glass cleaner
We’d always recommend wearing protective gear when cleaning out your log burner. Clearing out all the ash and dust can make allergies worse and means you’re potentially breathing in some nasty chemicals, so a mask comes in handy. Goggles can also prevent bits from getting in your eyes and irritating them. And as for gloves, you’ll get quite messy!
You can put down an old sheet around your log burner to capture any traveling dust and ash and keep carpets and floors from becoming dirty. Then, just follow the steps we’ve outlined above – and finish with a fireplace glass cleaner if you like. You can also use the same bleach or washing-up liquid solution on glass, too.
The best fuel for your log burner
Did you know that different types of fuel burn – and break down – differently? This can also affect the amount of cleaning up you have to do afterwards. We recommend eco-friendly kiln dried logs. These are locally grown and dried on-site for a lower carbon footprint.
And they’re also our longest-lasting, hottest-burning logs. We’ve also got hardwood and softwood logs to choose from, also grown locally. And if you need advice on what’s best for your log burner – just ask, and the Logwise team will be happy to help.
