How To Clean Your LavaBox Portable Campfire

“Do I have to clean my LavaBox after using it?” This is a question we always get. 

The answer is: “No, not really. But you sure can.” 

Inevitably that leads to the follow-up question of, “How?”

Great question! Look no further. This is your handy step-by-step guide to cleaning any LavaBox model from a Naked to a Krakatoa Firebreather. Not only will we cover cleaning your portable camp fire pit itself, but we’ll run the gamut with tips on cleaning up accessories like Hades Stones and Over/Under Grill Thingys. 

You don’t have to clean your LavaBox. You certainly don’t have to clean it after every use. It will keep on spewing forth a massive smooth-flowin’ propane-fueled campfire flame either way. Regardless, we understand the desire to keep that new car smell around as long as possible. 

A good rinse and proper basic maintenance keep your portable campfire looking as good as new and — as it matures — aging like a fine wine. Read on to find out how.

The Ridiculously Easy to Maintain Portable Camp Fire Pit

Don’t stress. There isn’t much to worry about when it comes to cleaning your LavaBox portable Campfire — and that’s by design. 

Each of our portable camp fire pit models and accessories is built on the principles of reductive design. In short, this means we’ve distilled each product to its most integral parts for optimal ease of use and simplicity. Plus, fewer moving parts means less room for error and fewer bits and pieces that can get screwed up.

Conveniently, that also means less nooks and crannies that you have to clean. 

How to Clean Any LavaBox Portable Campfire Model

You can minimize how often your portable camp fire pit needs to be cleaned by packing a rag in your Bugout Bag or whatever else you use to tote your LavaBox around. 

Routine maintenance for your LavaBox Portable Campfire and accessories

• Wait for your LavaBox to cool off completely and wipe it down with a dry rag after every use.
• You can use the same dry rag to wipe down accessories like Hades Stones and the Over/Under Grill.

While this isn’t a substitute for a proper bath, it helps to keep soot from building up on the components, so you won’t feel the need to give your portable campfire a full cleaning quite as often. 

After a handful of uses, your LavaBox will be ready for a rinse. Fortunately, this is a breeze and can be done at the same place every savvy camper heads post-adventure — the car wash.

Cleaning your LavaBox is just as simple as washing off your rig and spraying down the rest of your camping gear. Follow these steps to detail your portable campfire at the car wash, the way the LavaBox pros do, and keep each component in tip-top shape for years to come. 

Cleaning your portable camp fire pit at the car wash

1. Remove your LavaBox from the Bugout Bag (or other place of storage) and remove the lid to clean separately. 
2. Use your Fireproof Gloves to remove the Hades Stones while keeping any soot off your hands. Set your Hades Stones aside. Cleaning them with the LavaBox itself can damage the rocks.
3. Pour the grate out of the ammo can. 
4. Here’s the ridiculously easy part. With the lid, grate, and rocks set aside, wash your LavaBox by hosing it down with the sprayer at the carwash until it’s sparkly clean. 
5. Spray out the jet holes and all the fittings so you don’t end up with soot or gunk buildup over time. Open the gas fitting and squirt water onto the hole where the propane connects.

*Pro Tip from LavaBox CEO, Josh: Don’t spray through the gas fitting or you’ll take a jet of sooty water to the face. You live and you learn…*

1. Wash the lid by spraying it off separately. 
2. Once your LavaBox and lid are thoroughly cleaned, dry them as well as possible with a clean rag. 

1. Let your LavaBox sit out overnight to finish drying thoroughly. 

Pro Tips: Maintaining your LavaBox Portable Campfire 

• For Naked Tabletop Vol-CAN-nos: Like a trusty cast-iron skillet, you can “season” your Naked Tabletop with olive oil. Wait until your Naked Tabletop Vol-CAN-no has begun to dry out, then you can wipe it down with olive oil. Follow that up with a good burn for ~20 minutes to seal in that sexy patina.
• Lid Gaskets: Even when you follow the instructions and remove the lid on your LavaBox with each use, the gasket that seals it may dry out over time. No problem! Check your lid gasket with each wash. If it’s drying out or beginning to crack you can pick up a 50cal M2A1 Replacement Gasket. 

How to Clean Your Portable Camp Fire Pit Accessories

Cleaning your portable campfire Accessories is just as simple as cleaning the LavaBox itself.

You can clean your Over/Under Grill Thingy or Over/Under/Extra/Large Grill and Stand (OUXL) by spraying it off with the hose at a carwash until it’s visibly clean. Wipe them down with a dry rag and then set them out overnight along with your LavaBox to dry thoroughly. 

Hades Stones will accumulate soot over time. We recommend wiping them off with a dry rag when they’re cool to the touch after each use to mitigate the buildup. 

Hades Stones are delicate and porous. They take a while to fully dry and can be damaged with heavy water pressure. We don’t recommend washing the Hades Stones with water, but if you choose to, rinse them with hose water on a gentle setting. High-pressure water will dig holes in the stones. After washing, leave Hades Stones in the sun to dry out completely. 

Get More Pro Tips on How To Make the Most of Your LavaBox Portable Campfire

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