Wood Fired Oven Cleaning

Journeyman

Was wondering if any of the commercial wood fired oven bakers out there have any experience of cleaning out an oven with a vacuum cleaner as opposed to a brush.

I have worked since 2007 with an Alan Scott 5x7 oven and up to now have always cleaned out with scrapper/brush and mop. 

I have just been told by doctor I may have Chronis Bronchitis and need to find less 'dusty' ways of working , hence am looking around at options that might help my daily routine.

I am also looking into dust extractors if anyone has any experience with them they could share that would also be very helpful.

Guess my concern with the vacuum method of cleaning oven is to do with possible dislodging of  bricks on hearth. All the bricks are laid 'dry' so am concerned about vacuum 'suck' if that makes sense.

 

Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts I'd appreciate hearing them. I intend to bake on for some years yet, am 62 now so still young !

 

Thanks for your help

 

Rick @mairsbakehouse.co.uk

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Hugo's picture
Hugo 2013 April 15

Make sure your vacuum has an HEPA filter because soot particles can be VERY fine and your vacuum cleaner could end up throwing them in the air. This could make the matter worse for your lungs. Whenever you need to clean up a very dusty surface or area, you could use "wet" cleaning, which is a very efficient way of fixing and removing fine particles without throwing them in the air. You can also wear an HEPA particle mask while cleaning up. People who work in grain silos and sooty industrial environments wear them to protect their lungs.

jeremy6 2013 September 16

Hi.

 

I've got an electric deck oven and I'm looking around for a vacuum. Did you end up finding anything that worked for your oven.

I once hooked up a domestic vacuum so the soot traveled through a bucket of water before getting to the vacuum. I tried this on my small clay woodfired oven, and I had problems. Any coals in the oven started glowing hot with the air movement from the vacuum. much to hot for any domestic vacuum to take.

I've worked in a bakery that used a vacuum for their deck oven, but they don't have to deal with hot coals.

 

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