How to clean a fire pit?

How to clean a fire pit?

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How to clean a fire pit?

Although a fire pit is fairly simple to clean use our handy guide to discover how to clean a fire pit right first time every time.

A fire pit is easy to clean as all you need to do is empty out any ash and remaining logs and then clean the inside. The only differences will be based upon the type, style and material that your fire pit is made from.

To maintain and extend the life of your fire pit you should ideally clean it after every use. Read our handy guide to find out how to clean a fire pit properly.

What do I need to clean my fire pit?

There is very little you will need to clean your fire pit, but we’d suggest having the following to make things a lot easier.

  • A brush
  • Dustpan or fireplace shovel
  • Ash bucket or container
  • Gloves
  • Sponge
  • Bucket of soapy water
  • Cloth

Cleaning a fire pit

The first thing you need to do before cleaning your fire pit is to ensure that both the pit and it’s contents are completely cold. Embers and ash can, believe it or not, remain hot for some time and unless you have a non-flammable ash bucket we’d always recommend leaving it until they are completely cold.

When it’s cold you can start to clean it out and there are two parts to cleaning your fire pit. Firstly cleaning out the debris and ash and secondly, which is only normally after you’ve been cooking, washing your fire pit.

Cleaning out the Debris

The first thing you need to do before cleaning your fire pit is to ensure that fire pit and it’s contents are completely cold. Embers and ash can remain hot for some time and unless you have a non-flammable ash bucket we’d always recommend leaving it until they are completely cold which can take a day.

If there are any large lumps of wood left in your fire pit that have not been completely burnt then you should pick them out and place them into a pile to reuse later on.

Once this has been complete you can continue to remove any ash and other debris left. Many modern fire pits have an ash pan or draw in the bottom of the pit. If yours has one of these then it will make your job a lot easier. Simply brush the inside to get all of the ash and debris into the ash pan, then remove it and dispose of the insides.

If you don’t have an ash pan on your fire pit then we suggest you use the brush to sweep all of the remains into the centre of the pit and then use a dustpan or fireplace shovel to scrape up the remains and dispose of them into your ash bucket or container.

Finally, make you’re that if you have any drainage or ventilation holes you inspect them to ensure that they are not clogged. If they are, then ensure you clean them out properly so that your fire pit runs efficiently.

What can I do with the ash?

Ash from wood fires is extremely good for your garden and can easily be added to a compost heap. It must however only be wood ash as other types of ash can be harmful. You must also ensure the ash is completely cold. Wood ash is good for a compost heap as the remains can contain a valuable source of elements and minerals such as lime and potassium.

Cleaning your fire pit with liquid

Cleaning your fire pit with liquid will only really need to be done if you have been cooking on it and as a result, there are grease or fat marks. How you clean your fire pit in these circumstances will depend on the type of material yours is constructed from.

Cleaning a steel fire pit

Steel is a great material for fire pits and is extremely hard-wearing. If you have a steel fire pit then you can use hot soapy water and a sponge or cloth to clean the inside but do not use a scourer as this can cause damage to it. Once you have cleaned the inside sufficiently use a cloth to dry it.

Cleaning a copper fire pit

A copper fire pit is cleaned in the same way as a steel fire pit. Again just use hot soapy water and a sponge to clean the inside and dry it off once you have finished.

Clean a cast iron fire pit

Cast iron fire pits are harder wearing than steel and copper pits. They also take much more effort to clean. The best way to wash them down is by using hot soapy water, a sponge and a scourer of some description to get into the lumps and bumps. Once you’ve finished again dry off as soon as possible.

How do I clean a gas fire pit?

Gas fire pits as you’d expect, are much easier to clean than wood-fuelled fire pits. There is very little that you need other than a damp cloth or sponge and a separate cloth for drying. When cleaning a gas fire pit, you still need to ensure that it is completely cold. This is to ensure no damage is done to the unit whilst cleaning. Once cold simply wipe the whole of the fire pit with a damp cloth or sponge and then dry off.

Protect your fire pit

One of the most important things to remember is that if you take care of your fire pit, it will last much longer. Although they are made of durable materials, they will still degrade over time. We’d therefore always recommend you keep them somewhere away from the elements or get a protective cover for them.