Best way to clean out the ashes without making a mess

[chipster314]

Bought a galvanized bucket for putting the ashes into , but I am sure there has to be a better way. Ashes go everywhere and I must vacumm all arounbd after cleaning out the ashes. I did it when there was still some heat and probalby some small coals still, but it was getting to deep and well I wanted to get it fired up again after not having heat for a few hours.

 

[karl]

Let the ashes slide off of the shovel instead turning the shovel over and dumping the ashes in the bucke. That helps alot.

 

[jadm]

I used to use a shovel and empty into small garbage can but read in a thread here about using a smaller pan with a lid that can fit right into the firebox.

I bought an inexpensive small roasting pan and it fits perfectly inside. All ashes stay in the insert now. Any ash that rises simply goes up the flue. All ashes are then dumped outside into the small can until they are cold and then they are scattered around my garden.

 

[Country Lady]

Please be careful when vacuuming up ashes. I've heard of fires that would break out much later from the vacuum cleaner when a live one was vacuumed into the cleaner. I don't usually vacuum right away just to be safe.

 

[vwboomer]

I just hold the bucket up to the door so the draft pulls up the ash dust as I scoop it in. Works fine.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I tilt the bucket to the side around 30 degrees, the put the shovel all the way in till it touches the bottom. Then tilt the shovel up a little and slide the shovel out from under the ashes. No dust if I'm slow and careful.

-Adrian

Now here is the correct way to empty ashes. There is no need to put a pan inside the firebox or any other exotic thing. Just learn that you do not handle an ash shovel like you would a dirt shovel. That is, you never dump ashes; you simply slide the shovel out from under the ashes. No dust this way.

 

[stejus]

Someone mentioned putting a damp towel over the can. I tried this and it works well. Just have the damp towel over the bucket and lift the towel with one and and put the shovel into the can with the other. Lower the towel to cover as much the can as you can. Slowly pull shovel out of can. Most of the ash that rises sticks to the damp towel. I tried this with a dry towel and while it did not burn, it did turn a white towel sort of brownish.

 

[Todd]

I concur with the damp towel method. It's a little tricky by yourself, so I have the wife hold the towel over the bucket for me. No ash escapes at all.

 

[edthedawg]

Just a word of caution for those trying new things:

Be careful reaching in w/ pans, lids, shovels, towels, etc. even on a cold stove - ash left on the skin can be strongly acidic/caustic and can cause burns. Wear gloves, wash hands and arms, and keep it out of your eyes, too.

 

[Alpine]

I use the roasting pan in the stove method and it is fast and clean. I can clean my stove in 2 minutes without making any mess. I'm not too picky about throwing good hot coals away so it might take a little more time if you try to save the BTU's of the red guys. To each their own, but this method is slick and it only costs 11 bucks to give it a try.