It's easy to assess how moist a piece of firewood is. To ensure that your stove will work perfectly you must use firewood with a moisture level below 18%. With this soap test, you can check if your wood is dry and ready to be used in your wood burning stove:

• Apply a few drops of dishwasher liquid on one end of the log 
• Smear the dishwasher liquid on the wood with your fingertip
• Put your mouth near the other end and blow through the log

Your firewood is ready to use if a lot of foam appears on the side with the soap (Moisture level: < 18%).

Your firewood is moist if very little foam appears on the side with the soap (Moisture level: +/- 18%). The firewood can be used after short drying time.

Your firewood is wet if no foam appears on the side with the soap (Moisture level: > 18%). The firewood can be used after long drying time.
 

You can also use a wood moisture meter for measuring the moisture content of your firewood. With a wood moisture meter, you will get the most precise information on the moisture content in your firewood.

You can also read more about easy ways to determine the moisture content of your firewood in this article.