# stainless steel chimney,  how to remove creosote on the outside?



## steelman (Dec 21, 2013)

just paid a fortune on 20ft of 6 inch double wall SS.  ($980)  saved a couple bucks and bought 3 sections on ebay,  creosote  on the out side of the chimney pipe.  any product worth buying to dissolve, remove the stain?  
  looking back i should have bought all new.  only saved $75 dollars and the old chimney looks like chit.

  hoping someone says"  oh ya go out and spray bla bla bla on the chimney and it just runs off, looks brand new..........
  well is there an easy way to remove the stain?

thank you.
jim


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## CenterTree (Dec 21, 2013)

I am wondering just HOW creosote got on the *outside*??


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## wolfonahill (Dec 21, 2013)

Maybe Rutlands cleaner will work...


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## Batman (Dec 21, 2013)

You might try an ammonia-water solution and a rag.  I have had good results with it. The smell is rather strong, so try not to get a snoot full of it. Are these chimney sections installed? If so be careful about staining the roof, siding et cetera as the solution in the rag/bucket will become dark brown as it solves the creosote.  Follow up with a dry rag and Bob's your uncle.


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## Batman (Dec 21, 2013)

I should add that while I don't always use ammonia, when I do I use "janitorial strength" ammonia. It can be found at Ace. It'll let you know where the cuts are on your hands, so gloves are prudent.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 22, 2013)

Get hold of a chimney sweep. Most of them have things to remove it.


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## xman23 (Dec 22, 2013)

For years I have used a spray, "Fire View"


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## Highbeam (Dec 22, 2013)

What are we talking about here? Smoke scum or actual black gooey creosote from a terrible operator. My chimneys get swept every year but I also take windex up on the roof and wash the pipe of that greyish haze near the cap. Looks sharp after that.


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## steelman (Dec 23, 2013)

Batman said:


> I should add that while I don't always use ammonia, when I do I use "janitorial strength" ammonia. It can be found at Ace. It'll let you know where the cuts are on your hands, so gloves are prudent.



  well i tried the ammonia 50/50 with water and it did nothing.  tried it full strength.  again, nothing.  read the directions on the bottle and it mentions to leave a bowl of it sit overnight and it will soften the burnt food on the inside of your oven.  so i soaked about 8 rags in full strength and draped them over the chimney pipe and then wrapped everything in some plastic, let it sit overnight and BINGO!  i just went out and it wipes off.  may take a little scrubbing or maybe a more aggressive rag, the kind the wife uses to get the stubborn dried food particles off the dishes.
    anyway thanks for the help.  i doubt it will be as chrome as the new stuff but much better than having a black and chrome chimney i would of had.
  again.  thank you.

jim


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## Batman (Dec 23, 2013)

That's great! Glad it worked for you. I use ammonia occasionally on paint jobs, but to bring it full circle, I learned of it's creosote dissolving properties here on the Hearth. Someone posted that they put a bowl of ammonia inside their stove (after the burning  season) and left it for a while. The poster said that the fumes loosened up the creosote and made sweeping more effective.  In time, it came to my pea brain that ammonia would work to clean the goo from the outside of my brick chimney. That was the year I learned that seasoned wood from the firewood dealer isn't. Good times.


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