Like I said, been doing it for years and it really helps. You do need a good fire and red hot coals. Lay the can right on top of the coals and you can watch the can just melt away. My wife rinses the pop cans out but they will give off a little puff of gas when they first start to get hot. Beer cans I don't know but one just mite want to rinse them out also due to what was in them. This last part is just for a very few of you. Make sure the cans empty first.

Been using one of those segmented nylon rods that attach to a hand drill...Has a whirly-gig type head with multiple weed eater type strands protruding from it.

Whips the stove pipe clean, and works for me since the only creosote we have is the fluffy/powder type.

Scrape the interior of the stove at the end of the season as well.