To clean the flues, commence at
the top. Open the dampers and the
little doors or slides at the entrance
to the flue or flues. Pass the flue
brush up as far as it will go, then
to the sides and then downwards,
working it well against the sides of
the flue. The loose soot will all fall
downwards to the back of the stove
and must be removed later on. In
a large stove there may be two or
even three flues, and each one must
Sweep’s Brush be done in the same way. Brush
the top of the dampers and brush
the flue doors or slides and put them back in place.
Now remove all rings and tops from the top of
the stove and brush all the soot off the top of the
oven with the sweep’s brush, letting it fall either
down the side of the oven or into the fireplace — ■
the former is the simpler. Also pass the flue brush
down the sides and back of the oven if there is
an opening. Brush the under-side of all the top
pieces and put them back in place. If there is a
boiler or second oven at the other side of the range,
the top and sides of this must be cleaned in the
same way. Every part must be freed from soot,
and always work from the top downwards.
When the top part is finished, remove the little
door or slide which will be found underneath the
oven, put a good-sized shovel below it, pass the
flue rake in at the hole and draw out all the soot.
Repeat the same at the other side if necessary.
The soot must be taken outside at once, and if there
is a garden it should be kept for manuring purposes.
Next dust the stove all over, putting back the
loose pieces, and if the top is greasy wash it with
hot water and soda. Thoroughly dust or brush
out the oven. If the shelves are greasy, wash them
over with hot water and soda, then whiten them
with a paste of whitening and water, which will
give them a nice clean appearance.
To Black-lead the Stove. — Use either black-lead
moistened with a little water or turpentine; the
latter is better, as it dries more quickly and helps to
give a gloss; or, instead of black-lead, use a specially
prepared stove polish, which is simpler and cleaner,
as there is no danger of its being splashed over
any surrounding tiles. Apply the black-lead very
lightly with the black-lead brush, commencing with
the highest part of the stove and doing only a
small piece at a time. Brush off with a hard brush
and polish with the polisher.
The Tiles. — If there are tiles at the back of the
stove these must be washed with a soft cloth, soap
and water ; then rinsed and finished ofE with a dry
cloth. If the tiles are stained, a little sapolio or
Brooke’s soap rubbed onthe cloth and applied rather
dry -will generally remove the marks ; then rinse
off and dry as before. Do not use too much water,
as it will be liable to sink into the cement and
ultimately loosen the tiles.
Page 26
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
To clean the flues, commence at the top. Open the dampers and the little doors or slides at the entrance to the flue or flues. Pass the flue brush up as far as it will go, then to the sides and then downwards, working it well against the sides of the flue. The loose soot will all fall downwards to the back of the stove and must be removed later on. In a large stove there may be two or even three flues, and each one must Sweep’s Brush be done in the same way. Brush the top of the dampers and brush the flue doors or slides and put them back in place.
Now remove all rings and tops from the top of the stove and brush all the soot off the top of the oven with the sweep’s brush, letting it fall either down the side of the oven or into the fireplace — ■ the former is the simpler. Also pass the flue brush down the sides and back of the oven if there is an opening. Brush the under-side of all the top pieces and put them back in place. If there is a
boiler or second oven at the other side of the range, the top and sides of this must be cleaned in the same way. Every part must be freed from soot, and always work from the top downwards.
When the top part is finished, remove the little door or slide which will be found underneath the oven, put a good-sized shovel below it, pass the flue rake in at the hole and draw out all the soot. Repeat the same at the other side if necessary. The soot must be taken outside at once, and if there is a garden it should be kept for manuring purposes.
Next dust the stove all over, putting back the loose pieces, and if the top is greasy wash it with hot water and soda. Thoroughly dust or brush out the oven. If the shelves are greasy, wash them over with hot water and soda, then whiten them with a paste of whitening and water, which will give them a nice clean appearance.
To Black-lead the Stove. — Use either black-lead moistened with a little water or turpentine; the latter is better, as it dries more quickly and helps to give a gloss; or, instead of black-lead, use a specially prepared stove polish, which is simpler and cleaner, as there is no danger of its being splashed over any surrounding tiles. Apply the black-lead very lightly with the black-lead brush, commencing with the highest part of the stove and doing only a small piece at a time. Brush off with a hard brush and polish with the polisher.
The Tiles. — If there are tiles at the back of the stove these must be washed with a soft cloth, soap and water ; then rinsed and finished ofE with a dry cloth. If the tiles are stained, a little sapolio or Brooke’s soap rubbed onthe cloth and applied rather dry -will generally remove the marks ; then rinse off and dry as before. Do not use too much water, as it will be liable to sink into the cement and ultimately loosen the tiles.