A wood-burning stove can bring a nice ambiance to any room, especially during cold winter nights or rainy days! There aren’t many things better than reading a good book while curled up in front of the fire. A wood stove can even be used to set a romantic mood for you and your significant other.
However, when the wood stove glass becomes dirty and discolored, it may become an eyesore. Though it is always best to clean wood stove glass after each usage to keep the filth at bay, this might not be a realistic expectation. Life interferes, and it’s not always possible to set aside the time to clean your wood stove glass.
However, all is not lost. The glass can be resurrected with a few cleaning hacks. We’ve compiled a list of some helpful cleaning tips and techniques that you can use to get your stove glass to sparkle again in no time!
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What Causes Your Wood Burner Glass to Blacken?
Let’s start off by taking a look at why your wood burner glass blackens in the first place. There are a few reasons why this could happen. Essentially, blackened wood stove glass is caused by too much smoke. This means that something is causing the smoke, and the first step to success is determining the source of all the smoke.
There are two main culprits behind excessive smoke in your wood stove: using the incorrect fuel and burning your fire ineffectively. Both of these things have the potential to produce an excessive amount of smoke, which will dirty your stove’s glass more quickly than if you were using the right fuel at the right temperature.
Burning only dry, seasoned wood or low-sulfur smokeless coal is the best way to keep the glass on your stove clean. The amount of smoke produced by wet wood is substantially larger than that of dry wood, which means that more dirt will adhere to the stove’s glass. Wet wood and processed wood are also major offenders.
We advise using a stove thermometer to make sure you are burning at the most effective temperature if you want to make sure your fire is burning as cleanly as possible. Smoldering fires happen when your fire isn’t burning hot enough. This results in a lot of smoke, which will cause your stove glass to blacken more quickly.
How to Clean Your Wood Burner Glass
Now that we know the source of the problem, let’s take a look at what we can do to clean wood stove glass so that it can shine once again!
Preparation
Before you start cleaning your wood stove glass, there are a few things that you should do. The most important thing to do is to allow your stove glass to cool down completely before you attempt to clean it.
Though it might be a popular belief that moderately hot glass is easier to clean, you could still burn yourself or compromise the integrity of your wood-burning stove glass in doing so. Cleaning cold glass is the safest option, and it should work just as well.
Next, remove the wood ashes from the stove’s bottom with a brush and place them aside for later use and remove any loose debris from the glass door and vicinity with a soft brush.
How to Clean Wood Stove Glass With Newspaper and Wood Ash
This is a very popular wood stove glass cleaner. And the best news is that it’s not only effective, but it also makes use of supplies that you already have in the house. This approach only requires a few sheets of old newspaper, the stored residual wood ashes, a cloth, and a bowl of warm, soapy water to clean your stove glass.
TIP: Please don’t use coal ash as a wood stove glass cleaner. Coal ash coal has some large, hard particles mixed with the ash that could scrape or damage the fireplace glass.
What to do:
Before you deep clean your wood stove glass, first, use a soap and water mixture and a soft cloth to wipe the glass clean. If you put some effort into it, you might be able to remove some of the soot build-ups.
Next, roll the newspaper into balls—this will be the tool you use to scrub the glass. Now, grab a ball of newspaper, dip it in the water, and then place it in the old wood ashes. Use the crumpled newspaper that has been dipped in wood ash to gently polish the stove’s glass using a circular motion. Repeat as necessary until all the soot residue has been removed.
When you’re done, just wipe away the leftover residue with a fresh cloth, and your wood burner glass should look a lot clearer!
How to Clean Wood Stove Glass With Vinegar
First, prepare your wood stove by removing all the ash and loose debris, as mentioned in the preparation step. Also, ensure that the stove glass is completely cooled down before your attempt to clean it.
What to do:
In a spray bottle, combine one part vinegar with three parts water. Spray the solution on the glass, then use a clean kitchen towel to wipe it gently. Continue until all of the soot has been removed.
For the last wipe down of the inside and outside of the glass, use a fresh paper towel and glass cleaner.
Other Ways to Clean Your Stove Glass
Besides using ash and newspaper or vinegar to clean your wood stove glass, you can also try using one of the following products:
Oven Cleaner
If you don’t mind using chemicals, you might try cleaning your wood burner’s glass using oven cleaner, degreaser, or another type of household cleaning spray. Just make sure to read the label to make sure it is safe to use on glass. Also, take care not to get any chemicals or water on any cast iron components or the door seal. These components might damage when exposed to water.
Bicarbonate of Soda
If you don’t like working with harsh chemicals, bicarbonate of soda, or baking soda, it can be a good option to clean your wood burner’s glass. Create a paste by combining bicarbonate of soda and water, and then apply the paste to your stove glass. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes before wiping off the residue.
Stove Glass Cleaning Spray
If you want to use a cleaning product that is sure to get the job done, you can opt for a special wood stove glass cleaner. These products are effective and convenient to use, and they should be available at your local hardware store.
Be Careful When Cleaning Wood Stove Glass
Here are a few tips on things to avoid when you are cleaning your wood stove glass:
Don’t Scrape Wood Stove Glass
To remove the soot from the glass, avoid using abrasive cleaners or cleaning tools like steel wool or razor blades. While these tools make cleaning the fireplace of soot and grime simple, they can also leave scratches on the glass.
Don’t Clean When Hot
Avoid cleaning the glass while it is still hot. You should wait until the glass is cool enough to touch before starting to clean it. You run the danger of cutting yourself on shattered glass or scorching yourself if you don’t wait until the glass has cooled down.
Don’t Spray Water on Hot Glass
When you clean the dirty glass of your wood burner, this is probably one of the most important things to remember. Don’t spray hot glass with water! It may result in the glass breaking or cracking.
Other tips
- Don’t wait too long before you clean wood stove glass. The more soot that accumulates over time, the more difficult it is to get rid of.
- Check the manufacturer’s directions for your wood burner before removing the stove door if you really want to put some elbow grease into cleaning the stove glass.
- Keep in mind that if the glass door of your wood stove is really dirty, your flue probably is too. To prevent chimney fires, make sure to have it swept frequently.
How to Keep Wood Stove Glass Clean
The best way to keep your wood burner clean is to ensure you are burning your stove correctly. By doing this, you can make sure that your fire is burning efficiently and, even though the glass will still get dirty over time from the smoke, it’ll take much longer than it would if you used the wrong fuel or burned it incorrectly.
Today, the majority of modern log burners have an ‘air-wash system’ included, which provides an additional barrier against grimy, blackened wood burner glass. In order to keep smoke and fuel away from the inner window, these stoves use air vents surrounding the stove glass to draw in a flow of air.
If your wood burner glass is still becoming discolored despite having an airwash stove, it’s possible that the vents aren’t being used effectively. It should remain slightly open even when your fire is going.
The Bottom Line
Wood-burning stoves are an amazing focal point in almost any room in the house. It’s great for creating a cozy vibe and relaxing atmosphere. Unfortunately, these amazing features can become an unsightly eyesore if they are not cleaned on a regular basis, with ash and soot build-up.
However, there’s no need to put up with dirty wood stoves. It’s easy to clean wood stove glass and takes just a few minutes out of your day. You can have your burner glass looking sparkling clean and restore it to its former glory with our easy-to-apply cleaning methods. So what are you waiting for?
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