A properly cleaned stove works well and provides efficient service as it is fuel efficient and offers better control of flame intensity. Also if you take care of your stove, then you can keep it free from oxidation and rust.
When we talk of camping stoves, the efficiency of your stove is a more important issue as the fuel you carry on your trip is limited and you would expect your stove to provide proper service. Find below a few tips to help you clean and maintain your camping stove.
- Keep the stove clean – this is the first rule. You have to be very particular about cleaning the stove after every use, particularly if there has been any spill over of food. For regular cleaning just wipe the stove surface with liquid dishwashing soap and warm water. Make sure you dry the stove completely before storing. This is necessary to ensure there is no build up on the stove burners.
- If there has been spill over of food then unscrew all the burner parts and clean with liquid soap and warm water. Scrape off any food residue from the burners and the parts inside and wipe dry. Ensure that the stove is completely dry before storing.
- If you see that a large amount of dirt and grease has built up on the burners then it would be better to take it to a car wash to give a pressurized washing. Turn the stove upside down to drain off any water that could cause the stove to rust.
- While storing your camp stove, see that the stove is stored properly inside a plastic cover and sealed. This is necessary as many times the crawling insects may get into the fuel pipes and clog the fuel flow. The plastic bag also ensures that the stove is dry so as to avoid rusting.
- If the stove you are using is a liquid fuel stove, then see to it that the fuel is fully drained out from the fuel tank into the can. This is necessary to avoid fuel build up in the fuel tank and hamper efficiency of the stove.
- Make sure that you oil the pump cup that is situated on the tank’s pump plunger. Use machine oil for this and repeat this process at least twice a year. This will make the cup seal at the inside of the pump barrel and help the pump to work properly and smoothly.
Photo Credit By: campingcookers.org.uk
