Soot Removal From Logs and FireShapes

Question: How do I remove soot from my vented gas logs?

Answer: A vented, Flaming Ember or Custom pan-type burner system has the advantage of providing a very realistic replication of a wood-like flame without the need to cut, stack or carry wood, worry about sparks or chimney fires, or clean up ashes. The trade-offs for the yellow flame are the production of soot and the corresponding requirement that the damper be open and the chimney be venting properly in order to allow the soot and products of combustion to be vented out of the firebox. In the instruction manual, under “Customer Responsibility”, we state “Your gas log is designed to burn with a natural smoky yellow flame that produces soot.” Under “Maintenance”, we mention that you should periodically use a brush to clean the logs.

A simple, effective and low cost method of removing soot from a gas log set is to first heat up the logs for a few minutes, then spray the sooty portion of the logs with water from a spray bottle. With the logs hot, the water spray turns to steam, loosens the soot from the logs and sends the soot up the chimney with the natural draft. Special soot cleaners sold by fireplace shops do the same thing, but at a cost to you.

The logs can also be cleaned by brushing the soot off, or by removing the logs from the fireplace and hosing them with water.