Censers are unique among church appointments and goods in that they are harder to clean than candlesticks or sacred vessels. The smoke from the censer can coat the censer itself as well as the chains, which can be tough to clean.

How to Clean Your Censer & Boat

Most censers have a special, removeable brazier that holds the charcoal inside the unit. Remove this brazier and soak it in soapy water while completeing the rest of these steps.

Using needlenose plyers, gently remove the chain(s). Be careful not to scratch off gold plating if present. You will want to wrap masking tape over the ends of the plyers to help protect the finish.

After you have the chains off and the top is seperated from the unit, rinse the top and gently use a soapy cloth to get as much loose debris off as possible.

Blot dry the top, and then take a clean rag and use turpentine to wipe the carbon soot away.

You can soak the chain in turpentine for a few minutes and gently use a toothbrush to help loosen the soot. Rinse the chain in clean running water or give it a clean water bath and then dry it by first shaking the excess water, then placing it in a soft, absorbent towel.

USE CAUTION WHEN WORKING WITH TURPENTINE. The fumes are flammable and can cause breathing problems and skin irritation in some people. Make sure you have plenty of fresh air, wear rubber gloves and keep away from sparks or flame.