Making Wood Stove Glass Cleaner

cjparker

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The only thing that ever worked for us is straight amonia. PU. But it does a great job, especially if you do the straight razor pre-clean.
 

debbie.h

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We just use a damp paper towel and dab it in some of the ash, then rub the glass. Take a clean damp towel and wipe the muck off and you have a clean glass. If your glass is needing cleaning everyday then you have an air leak and that's what' causing your glass to get smutted up.
 

Organics North

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We have a Hearthstone Mansfield. We burn pretty much 24x7 from early October until some time in May. (Been doing that for close to a decade.)
I rarely clean the glass. I good fire keeps it clean enough for us. However IF we are having company I may clean it. I spay with something like windex. Ammonia, or Vinegar and water. Scrap with a razor blade then spray again and wipe with a rag.
ON
 

Mackay

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I think we figured out the problem. My husband was insisting on dampering down the stove too much. It was not buring hot enough and causing a lot of creosote to coat the window into a really hard glaze. Now we only damper down halfway and the glass is stilll pretty clear in the morning can cleans easily.

I'm still wanting to learn how to make your own glass cleaner though.
 

jendh

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Mackay said:
I'm still wanting to learn how to make your own glass cleaner though.
I know this is an older thread, but I just came across this forum today. I had the same problem this winter and i just made a paste of baking soda and water, rubbed it on the glass and let it sit for a few minutes. Then I scrubbed it off with diluted vinegar (4:1) and an old toothbrush. It shone like new! Hope works for you as well as it did for me!
 

DrakeMaiden

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I usually use just vinegar, but if it is bad, I also use moist baking soda.
 

Mackay

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jendh said:
Mackay said:
I'm still wanting to learn how to make your own glass cleaner though.
I know this is an older thread, but I just came across this forum today. I had the same problem this winter and i just made a paste of baking soda and water, rubbed it on the glass and let it sit for a few minutes. Then I scrubbed it off with diluted vinegar (4:1) and an old toothbrush. It shone like new! Hope works for you as well as it did for me!
Well, we continue to have better luck if we don't damper down so tight at night. and at times we use the razor, which works much better if you put the straight edge in a razor holder.

Vinegar only seems to work if the problem is mild.

Think I will try the baking soda and ammonia next.

One bottle of professional stove glass cleaner I have says its made of sodium hydroxide, which is LYE! It can't be terribley strong cause I never use gloves, so I ordered some this week and I'm going to try to make my own. We like our window sparkley!
 

Marianne

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I can't believe that no one posted this already - I just use the cold ash from the wood burner to clean the glass.
I wad up some newspaper, dampen it with water, dip in the ash, and rub away. More often than not I have to do it more than once, but it's pretty easy, and the worst crud comes off without too much effort.
 
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