My father always used to pull apart old zinc-carbon batteries, and put the zinc and carbon on the coal fire. He did it to avoid having to sweep the chimney. I can’t see how such a tiny amount of material could clean a whole chimney, and he was a scientist, so I doubt if it convinced him either. We usually burned phurnacite which was not supposed to give as much soot anyhow. I cannot remember our chimney ever being swept.
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