How To Clean Wood Stove Glass – Cleaning & Replacement

Cleaning wood stove glass: Anyone with good taste knows that wood stoves are crown jewels in the world of heating appliances. They come elegantly designed and have an atmosphere of class with them anywhere they are placed. 

As beautiful as they are, all their elegance is stripped away when the stove glass becomes clouded by soot. This makes the stove look old and unrefined. 

It, therefore, goes without saying that adequate maintenance and correct use of the wood-burning stove goes a long way to guaranteeing durability as well as a beautiful decoration piece in your home.

With that said, below is a list of ways to clean and ensure that your stove maintains its stylish look while you get maximum warmth from it during winter.

So, how to clean wood stove glass? With a few tips, you can get your wood stove back to looking brand new.

• Damp Cloth / Rag : To clean the wood stove glass, soak a cloth in warm water without any detergent. Finally, wipe the glass with your cloth in circular motions and Ensure that the cloth is frequently rinsed to get rid of the soot.

• Wood stove glass cleaner : The best way to get rid of soot on your stove glass is to use wood stove glass cleaner. You can buy it directly from the Amazon website.

• Newspaper and ash : Dip a newspaper in cool ash and apply the ash-laden newspaper in circular motions to the glass like a damp cloth. With a Newspaper Dipped in Ashes, you should be able to wipe away any remaining residue and remove the stubborn soot.

• Vinegar : Take a cloth or piece of newspaper, soak it in the vinegar, then gently rub it with your hands until the dirt is removed. You do not have to worry about leaving a residue when you scrub with vinegar. Wipe away any excess with a clean cloth. This will leave your wood stove glass sparkling. 

• Baking Soda or Bicarbonate of Soda : Make a paste using bicarbonate of soda or baking soda and water. You can then apply the paste to the glass. This paste might need a bit longer to work on tough stains, so proceed with caution. Then you can use a damp cloth or newspaper to remove the soot. If the worst has been removed, clear the glass with a soft cloth to sparkle again.

Highlighted Features

• Removes Baked-on Creosote, Smoke, Soot, and Dirt For Corn, Wood, Pellet, Coal Stoves, and Fireplace Inserts
• The trigger sprayer is easy to use.
• The bottle and sprayer are both of industrial strength.
• NOT recommended for use on gas stove glass.
• Made in the United States.

How to keep wood stove glass clean?

Generally, maintaining a clean wood stove glass will include cleaning products to clean off the soot. The most economical approach is warm water, the ash residual after the fire, and paper towels to wipe the soot from the glass.

Sometimes, the deposits on the glass may be difficult to get rid of and may require the help of specific cleaning agents that have been purposely designed to deal with such situations. 

Even so, I find it more useful to prevent the buildup beforehand instead of dealing with it after the fire. Understanding the combustion triangle and any other factors that could result in soot production aids in countering soot production. 

Several reasons can cause a stained stove glass. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the cause before we fix parts of the stove that have nothing to do with the problem at hand.

A good ventilation system means there is an excellent circulation of air in the stove. It could mean the difference between a smoke-filled fire resulting in soot production and a clean-burning fire.

The wood fuel used should be of good quality. I.e., well-seasoned wood and using hardwood as opposed to softwood and burning of seasoned wood results in smokeless and soot-less flames.

Maintaining hotter fires in the stove helps create enough flames and heat to burn off soot particles. Alternatively, keep the fire towards the back end of the furnace. It helps in ensuring that the fuel used does not touch the glass hence maintaining its neatness. 

How do you remove creosote from glass? / How to clean creosote from glass?

Occasionally when using your wood stove, you will realize that a certain amount of creosote accumulation is inevitable. It does not mean the appliance is faulty.

An economical and probably the most effective cleaning formula is the use of ash from the stove itself. All you need for this is a bowl of warm water and several newspaper sheets. Wet a newspaper piece using the water and then deep it into the cooled ash in the stove. Use that paper to scrub off the stain on the glass. Do that repetitively to remove all colors, and then use a clean piece to wipe the glass clear. 

Another approach is the use of high-temperature fires. It works best where the stove comes built-in with an air wash system of its own. The high-temperature fire causes the air wash to operate at a maximum level.

Several cleaning products exist in the market, which can be used to clean the wood stove glass. Such products come purposely designed to clean the stove and its glass and be more effective when dealing with stubborn stains. Other simple ways of cleaning your stove include using a wet towel to wipe off the deposited soot. 

How NOT to clean wood stove glass.

Like with any other appliances with value to their users, the wood stove comes with its own “do’s and don’ts”. It helps to ensure the proper functionality of the wood stove and preserve the appliance's appearance. The cleaning process has to be performed to ensure the device is not compromised in either the functionality aspect or damage the glass.

• While it is hot : It stands to reason that the stove should NEVER be cleaned while it is hot. It should be left to cool down to a point where it is possible to touch the glass. It means that your safety should be your number one priority. A simple slip of the hand on a hot stove could result in a severe burn injury.

• While it is Running : It is wise also not to clean the appliance when it is running. This is because, in a case where cleaning products are used, and it just so happens that even a single component in the product is flammable, the result could be catastrophic.

• DO NOT use steel wool or razor blades : To avoid situations where the glass ends up with deep scratches, it is advised to never use any objects to scratch off tough stains on the glass. Instead, use ash or cleaning products with the ability to get rid of the paint.

• DO NOT spray hot glass with water : Avoid spraying the glass with water before it cools down. This is to avoid the dire effects of thermal shock, which could result in fracturing of the glass.

How to clean wood stove glass when hot?

During winter, your heating system could be forced to run the whole day, leaving little to no time to let the glass cool down to allow for cleaning. In such situations, you may be tempted to clean the wood stove glass while still hot. By every count, this is a hazardous move and one that I would highly recommend against it.

A hot glass means a hot door and if the whole system is hot, burn injuries are likely to occur, which could result in visits to the ER. Also, there is the effect of thermal shock, which could render your glass fractured. 

The prudent decision would be to wait until it is safe to touch the glass, then use a piece of cloth or sheet of newspaper that is wet by water or vinegar or simply ash to clean the glass.

Woodstove glass cleaner

Anyone with a half-decent data plan knows the internet will provide you an endless list of stove cleaning products and techniques. Some of these cleaners cost a fortune, while others promise the impossible and fail when put to the test.

Finding a particular cleaning ingredient that works well for you can be a hurdle. The situation worsens when the glass satins prove to be stubborn, and all cheap avenues fail to get rid of them.

A cleaning product engineered to work on tough stains could be a very much needed tool. Products such as Rutland’s Conditioning Glass Cleaner come in handy in such situations. The product cleans and coats the glass with an invisible layer of silicone that protects the glass ensures the next cleaning process is made more comfortable for you.

Here is one the best wood burner glass cleaner -

Woodstove glass cleaner homemade.

The good thing about homemade cleaning products is that they will more often cost you nothing and are environmentally friendly. Simple items we have readily available in our kitchens could help create the ultimate cleaning products. Vinegar, for instance, can be used as a cleaning agent on our wood burner stoves. All that is required is pure white vinegar, a spray can, and a towel or paper towel.

The technique is quite simple, as well. Spray the vinegar on the already cooled glass and use the towel to wipe the deposit off. The advantage of using vinegar in contrast to ash is that there is no white residue left on the glass when vinegar is used.

Another homemade wood stove cleaner is the ash from wood fuel. It is essential to know that only wood fuel should be used and never coal fuel.

Best way to clean wood stove glass door.

To get your wood burning stove looking all shiny and new, you will need the perfect cleaning agent. Usually, this would be mistaken to mean the most expensive product in the market. 

A combination of cleaning products and techniques could be more successful as opposed to using only one method. It is wise to acknowledge that the stove has different parts made of other materials. Cleaning products with the capacity to protect each separate part of the furnace can go a long way towards restoring the parts.

The ash from burnt wood performs magic in the elimination of creosote on the wood stove glass. It is the most effective and yet the only cleaning agent that counts no cost.

Final Verdict

As someone who is first drawn to physical out-look before I can even consider an item's functionality or design, I am more often than not fixated on an item's appearance. It means that my wood burning stove has to be in good shape if not for the functionality, then for appearance purposes. The glass window has to be crystal clear for me to get lost in flames dancing when it’s in operation.

By valuing the needs of your stove's functionality, features, and appearance, we have several different cleaning products that have been deliberately designed to provide maximum efficiency and effectiveness in cleaning your wood-burning stove.