Keeping the out side of the stove clean

[Karin61]

Hi
I live on a dirt road and in the summer with the windows open my house gets pretty dusty. Is it difficult to keep the matte black clean. I looking to buy the Jotul Castine or Oslo, I know they can come in enamel but I'm afraid it may chip and someone said something about water spilling on it will cause some kind of problem (?), also the cost is a concern. Thanks for your help

 

[firefighterjake]

I'll say this . . . I love my Oslo . . . my only regret is that I didn't wait and pony up the extra money for a blue black enamel . . . these look wicked sharp, folks who have them say they're easy to keep clean (vs. the matte black which tends to attract the dust and the dark black fades a bit) and this particular "enamel" is pretty tough stuff.

Don't get me wrong . . . I still love my stove . . . my only bit of regret is not getting the enamel . . . which I opted to not get at the time since woodstoves were in short supply, the matte black was in stock, the price was right and my wife was also a bit concerned about the chipping enamel.

 

[begreen]

Having owned the blue-black Castine and F3CB, I can say that this is a tough and easy care finish. All it takes is a quick wipe with a slightly damp rag to keep it looking like new. Any porcelain glazed surface is going to be vulnerable to some degree of abuse. But I would not call the finish fragile. FWIW, if you take a hammer to an unfinished stove you can ding or scratch it as well. And if you badly overfire a plain or enameled stove you will be doing some damage.

 

[fossil]

Both my stoves are flat black steel. Yeah, they get dusty. I don't try to rub or wipe them with anything. A soft-bristled dusting brush works like a champ. In the workshop, I sometimes give the stove a blast of compressed air. I don't find it to be a big deal. Rick

 

[cmonSTART]

I usually use a vacuum with the brush thingy attachment or a soft paintbrush to clean our stove.

 

[stejus]

Vac with brush. When stove is warm, use a damp, and i mean damp, lint free cloth. The moisture evaporates quickly. The white lint free cloth becomes dirty. Works like a charm. I have a flat black cast iron door and surround.