The Cabin

Heat & fire · Anytime

Cleaning Out the Lodge Fireplace

After a few days of fires, ash builds up in the Lodge fireplace. Too much ash cuts the airflow, so fires burn poorly and the room can get smoky.

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You'll need

  • The copper cauldron (ash pail)
  • Fireplace shovel and broom

Step by step

4 steps

  1. Get the copper cauldron

    Set the copper cauldron beside the fireplace. Check that nothing is hot to the touch and move the tools out of the way.

  2. Shovel out the bulk of the ash

    Scoop the ash into the cauldron. Look closely: there can still be live embers in there, even after the fire has been out for days.

  3. Dump the ashes in the lake, never the woods

    Walk the cauldron out to the dock and dump it in the lake. That's the family practice, because ash can hold embers for days and the woods can catch.

  4. Sweep the leftover ash back in

    Use the broom to sweep the stray ash back into the fireplace. A thin layer is fine for the next fire.

Be careful

  • Ashes can stay hot for days. Only dump them in the lake.

Tips

  • Gil's tip: don't hang the broom on the hook closest to the fire. Use one of the farther hooks so it can't catch.