Preparing Ovens for the Baking Process
This applies to furnace ovens only, because the fire enters the baking chamber. The flames as they circulate around the oven carry with them more or less ashes, and scatter them over the hearth. This necessitates cleaning the oven before it can be used, especially when baking bread on the hearth. A mop or “swab” is used for this purpose. This mop or “swab” consists of a long pole, on the end of which a cloth or gunny sack is fastened. An old peel handle may be used for this purpose or you can purchase a swab pole from any supply house. Proceed to swab the oven as follows: Dip the cloth into a vessel of clean water and get it thoroughly wet, then put it into the oven and push it back as far as possible and let the pole rest on the hearth, then take hold of the pole with both hands and bear down on it so as to raise the cloth slightly to allow it to whirl around freely, then draw it out about 1½ feet with a rotary motion; then push it back again; do this quickly. By pushing the pole forward and drawing it back with the rotary motion, you cause the cloth to whirl around and throw the ashes or dust forward towards the oven door. Continue this process, beginning at the back of the oven and working forward to the oven door, then take out the swab and put it on the rack; then take a broom and sweep out the dust or ashes.
While swabbing the oven you raise considerable dust, therefore it is necessary that the damper should be open to allow the dust to pass into the flue. Usually while swabbing the oven the atmosphere in the oven is thick with dust and if the damper were closed this dust would settle on the hearth; but by keeping the damper open during this period most of the dust is drawn into the flue. When the atmosphere in the oven is clear (free from dust), close the damper and the oven door. Your oven is now ready for the baking process, but I would advise you not to bake in the oven immediately after it has been heated, unless it is absolutely necessary, because the first heat in an oven is usually intense.