glass vs razor blade?

Can you? yes.....should you? probably not.

trying burning a couple more hot fires and then try the ash and wet newspaper trick again.

I would not use any abbrasive or sharp materials to clean the glass. If you really had to use the razor blade make sure the window is wett with some sort of cleaner, this will help slide the razor blade instead of goughing/scratching it ( like shaving ).

Rutland makes a glass cleaner I have had success with,,,give it a try....only use on a cold stove.

+1 on the Rutland. Use on a cold stove with a wet paper towel. Dry towel to get any residue off.
I had a lot of buildup during my first year burning, and tried a razor for a second. Probably wouldn't hurt the glass, but with my luck...
Same with ashes and newspaper. My luck there would be 1 grain of sand in the ash, and I'd scratch my glass up.

The Rutland stuff is nice, and will last 2 seasons. I have some other ceramic cooktop cleaner now, and its not nearly as good.

Gabe

The glass isn't really glass. It is a ceramic. Using a razor blade increases your chances of putting a small pit or scratch in the ceramic, which can cause it to crack. Also, don't use windex or anything like that as it contains amonia. If you have to use anything, either use the Rutland cleaner or a non-scratch pad with wet ashes. My stove will get a film on the "glass" too when burning at low temps. I can get a hot fire going and it clears up in a matter of minutes without any effort.

I agree to try a few more hot fires. It should really burn that stuff off.

I would stay away from the Windex. I've read here numerous times that anything with ammonia in it is bad for the ceramic .

I use a razor all the time, must have been thousands of times over the past 9 yrs. No problems. I use it when the the glass is hot or cold.
Any buildup comes right off if it's hot. The razor will dull quickly maybe that's why I get away with it.

Or, Maybe my glass is not as delicate.

I've used a razor blade several times and Windex.

This year though I have stopped worrying about the glass. I don't really care if I can see the flames 100% or not, just as long as the stove is heating the house it's fine by me.

i use the rutland....and other made for cleaning sooty windows. if i tried the razor blade, it would probaly slip and I'd get a nasty gash.....always my luck.

cass

Joey said:

Rutland makes a glass cleaner I have had success with,,,give it a try....only use on a cold stove.

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Yes it will clean it back like new, don't tell anyone around here that it works 10 times better than the ash trick.

Another Rutland cleaner fan here. I just found it at HD for half the price of the stove store.

I pamper my window because I enjoy the view of the fire. When I've gotten buildup that I couldn't get off with the Rutland, I took the door off the hinges, laid it dirty-side-up, and cleaned it. This is what worked for me: sprinkle on dry baking soda, layer paper towels on top of that, and pour on white vinegar to saturate the paper towels, and let it soak. May have to refresh the vinegar, but it pretty much works its way off. I can accelerate the process with a little judicious scrubbing, using the above ingredients and a little Rutlands.

I don't try to burn off a deposit if it's truly gummy and stuck on, as it takes more effort to get that off.

I saw someone post a picture here of a window that was very dulled, asking what could have caused it. I tried the ash trick shortly after seeing that, and heard a little scritch-scritch sound, and decided I would go ahead and spring for the price of the Rutlands. Many people report good luck with the ash trick, and I believe it works fine for them. I don't want to be the unfortunate exception.

Try a Mr. Clean Majic Eraser.....get it wet, wring it out, make sure the glass is not hot.....that's all I use on my glass and it has never let me down....yet....

I have a bottle of the Rutland that I got at Wallyworld at least 2 years ago, and the bottle is close to half full. The price sticker says $3.92.
Soft damp cloth or paper towel and you're gooder to go. I haven't tried a razor blade.

cptoneleg said:

Joey said:

Rutland makes a glass cleaner I have had success with,,,give it a try....only use on a cold stove.

Click to expand...

Yes it will clean it back like new, don't tell anyone around here that it works 10 times better than the ash trick.

Click to expand...

+1 on that!

My old 70's Nashua accumulates creosote on the window like nobody's business. If the stove hasn't been that hot, it's really tough. If the stove gets up to temperature, then it's much easier to get off. I tried the Rutland and it worked, but was not as aggressive as I might like. And I'd have to do it every other day if I needed "clean".

I finally started using one of those heavy duty painter-tool-scrapers, and after a hot fire, I can get 65% of the window visible in two minutes. Once or twice a year I clean it with the Rutland, and I can't find any scratches. Maybe I don't know what I'm looking for, but I can't see the harm after 4-5 years of scraping it. A buddy of mine speculated that the glass is harder than the scraper.

Honestly, I can see every swirl mark when I wax my car or polish a guitar, but I can't detect making the window any worse than it was when I got it. Plus side is no fumes... ;-)

Been using a razor blade in one of those cheap holders for years..no probs.
Go one way they say and dip in water a few times.

I use this, spray it on and wait a few minute and wipe it off. I have used a razor in the past, but I was very careful not to scratch the glass.

http://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Stove_and_Chimney_Maintenance___Fireview_Glass_Cleaner___15825

Better yet do nothing, run the stove real hot for a few hours and my glass is clean

Got a buddy that insists on burning wet/unseasoned wood and he uses really fine steel wool. Been using it for uears with no ill effect. I use the Rutland cleaner on the pellet stove and once on the woodstove so far (wanted to burn a couple fresh cut Oak splits. To see what burning wet wood was like. Never again) Hot fires keep it clean.

mitchinpa said:

is it ok to use a new razor blade to scrap the stuff away?

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While I do not recommend the razor, a good technique is helpful. Use a new one, with water spray and "bias" the blade edge. Bias is a type of stropping and is quick and easy. Just pull the edge against some fabric, I kneel and use the tight cloth of my jeans, stroking from my knee up. Make sure the last few strokes are on the same edge and only run this edge on the glass. Microscopically you have cleaned the business side of the blade and have even, very slightly, bent it so it does not dig into the glass and cause a scratch.

I find the liquid spray very useful for cleaning,

Bill.

My own belief . . . you could go with the razor or Rutland spray . . . but the first option requires time and energy, the second option requires spending money.

Since I'm basically cheap and lazy I would go with Option 3 which was already mentioned . . . burn a few hot fires in it and the black will burn off . . .

Before firing up last night I decided to clean my glass. A real PITA being it's a side loader. Usually just clean what I can reach easily and call it good. This practice has led to some nasty build-up around the edges and at the far end. Anyway, I grab a rag and start rooting around for some non-ammonia cleaning stuff and notice a bottle of hydrogen peroxide sitting on the table. What the heck, I'll give it a whirl. OMG, I've never seen anything work like this. Took off even the old really black stuff with barely any elbow grease. Don't know if this is bad for the ceramic or not, just thought I'd share my discovery.