A Method for Cleaning and Polishing Wood Stove Glass

[USMC80]

I love the rutlands glass cleaner! I use the cream, and it works great. I do it once a week when we shovel out the ashes.

same here. seems every time you use it the glass gets easier to clean as well

 

[giotundo]

I smell a troll.

Somehow I took a wrong turn and wound up in the nice section of the internet where all the "responsible burners" are. I'm talking to "my people" - who burn damp wood and stray pets. OK, I'm just kidding about the pets - but the wood I burn is not always great - sometimes a bit rotten - but I get some heat out of it and it helps me keep the yard clean. And I helped a neighbor get rid of a tree of some sort that, when you cut it, it smelled like dog poo... some kind of eucalyptus something or another. I'm guessing you probably burn oak - I've heard of that wood, sounds nice.

smell a troll

 

[ArsenalDon]

And for those tougher cleans.....instead of a wet paper towel try a slightly wetted newspaper and dip that in ash, follow that up with dry newspaper, just a bit more abrasive than a paper towel....once a day takes less than 60 seconds and you will forever have clean glass.

 

[MaheshR]

You know you're getting ready to be slammed when someone starts by saying "with all due respect".

I came looking for help with cleaning my stove. Who responds to video by not watching? Oh well. I found video interesting and helpful. Maybe too time consuming for me though.

I have similar problem on stove in cabin I recently bought. When we bought in fall, we cleaned up cabin and threw stuff into stove. Are stoves only for wood? Was wondering if plastic ok? Some people here talk about dry wood. Is wet plastic milk jog ok? Or cause this cloudy glass?

Thank you for your video. Also, can red powder to use for cleaning glass top electric stove?

 

[fraxinus]

As far as I know, the coating on the inside of the ceramic "glass" used in woodstoves reflects heat back into the firebox. It's an essential part of a stove's efficiency based on high internal temperatures. I would be really cautious about using an acid or any other caustic substance on the inner surface. You might wind up with cleaner glass which no longer functions a intended.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

I came looking for help with cleaning my stove. Who responds to video by not watching? Oh well. I found video interesting and helpful. Maybe too time consuming for me though.

I have similar problem on stove in cabin I recently bought. When we bought in fall, we cleaned up cabin and threw stuff into stove. Are stoves only for wood? Was wondering if plastic ok? Some people here talk about dry wood. Is wet plastic milk jog ok? Or cause this cloudy glass?

Thank you for your video. Also, can red powder to use for cleaning glass top electric stove?

Good First Post.
No chance at all this is a troll account.

 

[Rachit]

There is no such coating. Even if there were, it would be gone from the surface roughing. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) does not react with the glass. Hydrofluoric (with an "F") does etch glass, which would be bad. Concentrated HCl can be stored in glass. The acid step is important because it gets rid of all the organic and alkali compounds, leaving a clean glass surface that is easier to polish (with CeO2 in this case). As mentioned numerous time in the thread - this is to polish an etched glass surface flat again. If your glass is etched, none of the often mentioned tricks (wet newspaper, glass cleaner, etc.) will work.

 

[tcassavaugh]

You know you're getting ready to be slammed when someone starts by saying "with all due respect".

not really sir, lots of folks have just developed their own methods. I guess if you have the time, its great. I just have a rutland spray that works well for me when the glass gets dirty but most of the time a hot dry fire will take care of most of it for me.
thanks for taking the time to make and post the video. I find some of the great lengths that folks go to to share info enjoyable.
welcome to the forum.....don't let anyone run you off....its a great place to spend some of your time but be warned.....you'll find yourself spending way too much time in this forum......but hey, it keeps you off the streets.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

There is no such coating. Even if there were, it would be gone from the surface roughing. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) does not react with the glass. Hydrofluoric (with an "F") does etch glass, which would be bad. Concentrated HCl can be stored in glass. The acid step is important because it gets rid of all the organic and alkali compounds, leaving a clean glass surface that is easier to polish (with CeO2 in this case). As mentioned numerous time in the thread - this is to polish an etched glass surface flat again. If your glass is etched, none of the often mentioned tricks (wet newspaper, glass cleaner, etc.) will work.

Actually, the "glass" in your stove is not actually glass.. so saying what it will, or won't do, based on glass is incorrect. The "glass" in the stove is in fact coated, and that is the reason there is an "inside" and "outside" to the glass. If you ever have to order a new piece, you will find it most definitely comes marked as such.

http://www.fireglass.com/glass/neoceram/#Coatings

 

[doubledip]

I have found that a mixture of vinegar and water on a warm glass lifts the soot off with ease.

 

[mikey]

My Jotul f100 nordics glass stays fairly clean with hot fires, but over time needs cleaning. I use a bio safe product and a damp cloth or paper towel on the cool glass with great results.

 

[Rachit]

Actually, the "glass" in your stove is not actually glass.. so saying what it will, or won't do, based on glass is incorrect. The "glass" in the stove is in fact coated, and that is the reason there is an "inside" and "outside" to the glass. If you ever have to order a new piece, you will find it most definitely comes marked as such.

http://www.fireglass.com/glass/neoceram/#Coatings

Ahh, you found the exception... This refers to half-mirrored specialty glass. So if you polished the mirrored side, you would remove that coating. The stock neoceram does not have a coating. My Lopi shipped with standard (non-coated) glass. I cracked my glass once and the standard replacement neoceram did not come with any markings since it's the same through and through.

You are also correct that neoceram (and other ceramic glasses) are not "regular" glass. Even regular glass has different formulations, so in that since there is not a "regular" glass. Nevertheless, having worked HCl on neoceram a few times now, I can tell you it does not hurt the glass.

If you have mirrored glass - I don't have any experience with that. From the diagram, however, it looks like the coating is on the room side and the surface roughness would be on the fire side. Still... could be tricky and the acid could easily work it's way around to the mirror - where I am not sure what would happen.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

Ahh, you found the exception... This refers to half-mirrored specialty glass. So if you polished the mirrored side, you would remove that coating. The stock neoceram does not have a coating. My Lopi shipped with standard (non-coated) glass. I cracked my glass once and the standard replacement neoceram did not come with any markings since it's the same through and through.

You are also correct that neoceram (and other ceramic glasses) are not "regular" glass. Even regular glass has different formulations, so in that since there is not a "regular" glass. Nevertheless, having worked HCl on neoceram a few times now, I can tell you it does not hurt the glass.

If you have mirrored glass - I don't have any experience with that. From the diagram, however, it looks like the coating is on the room side and the surface roughness would be on the fire side. Still... could be tricky and the acid could easily work it's way around to the mirror - where I am not sure what would happen.

Read down a little farther on that page I linked.. there is an inner and outer coating.. and they don't make some special stove glass, they make the standard.

But.. and don't take this wrong.. do as you like.

If you want to turn your lawn mower upside down with a special lift/rig to change the oil.. fine, it will work.. but don't get your panties in a wad when the rest of the wotld points out there is a better, easier way.

 

[Rachit]

If you have one of these mirrored glasses, that would explain why you were upset at my use of the chisel.

The "panties in a wad" comment is unnecessary and derogatory to everyone. No need to get defensive.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I could not help but notice the burn tubes in this guys stove were sagging like a old horses back. Iv never seen burn tubes with that much sag. Looks like an inch down in the center. What would cause this except an over fire condition of some sort. ID be replacing those tubes.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

If you have one of these mirrored glasses, that would explain why you were upset at my use of the chisel.

The "panties in a wad" comment is unnecessary and derogatory to everyone. No need to get defensive.

LOL.. ok sure.

I am not upset, nor defensive about anything you do with YOUR stove. I do take a bit of exception when someone comes on the forum and argues about doing something unnecessary if they are using the appliance properly to begin with.

On this forum, we go out of our way to try to HELP people to use/run/enjoy their stoves the proper, correct and most importantly, safe way. And I will say it again, I bet YOUR owners manual says NOT to scrape the glass. And the reason they don't want you to do that is BECAUSE it's not "glass" and it can be gouged/damaged with a sharp object, which can then cause stress or worse, (actually much worse) a failure of the glass, maybe while the stove is lit..

But again, as I said, do as you wish with your stove, but don't be upset/defensive/mad/etc/etc when others think it would be better if you just did/used it right to begin with.

It's one of those things.. you know? We have Hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of years of real world experience on here, and not a person, not one I am aware of, has needed to resort to any such method to clean their glass if they are burning correctly, which is of course the stated purpose of this forum.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

No way would i use a wood chisel on the door Glass (ceramic) But thats just me. I take advice from those giving it, with a grain of salt much of it depending on my opinion of their expertise or lack of same. That said the video does show how to restore a severely etched door glass(ceramic) minus the chisel scraping. Once the glass gets that bad ,its probably the only way short of replacing it.

 

[BurnIt13]

Am I the only one who just uses Windex? I guess maybe I should go out and buy some fancy stove glass polish or something?

 

[Trktrd]

BTW.. if you have your glass out for any reason, to keep track of inside/outside, just put a piece of masking tape on the outside...

There's an in and an out for stove glass??? Uh-Oh

 

[dave_376]

ball up some news paper
get it damp
dip it into some ash and scrub the glass
rise and repeat until clean

 

[mstoelton]

Gee, I thought the "panties in a wad" comment was kinda funny it didn't offend me at all!

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Gee, I thought the "panties in a wad" comment was kinda funny it didn't offend me at all!

Most of us old timers here just dont take ourselves that seriously anymore. Its too tiring getin worked up over nothin.

 

[MaheshR]

Good First Post.
No chance at all this is a troll account.

I look troll up. I don't understand. This my first post because just find on this place from google.

https://www.google.com/search?q=etched+wood+stove+glass

 

[MaheshR]

Am I the only one who just uses Windex? I guess maybe I should go out and buy some fancy stove glass polish or something?

Does Windex clean etched glass?

 

[MaheshR]

ball up some news paper
get it damp
dip it into some ash and scrub the glass
rise and repeat until clean

I tried. Does not work for etched glass. How does this help people? Many talk about ash and wet paper here. It does not work.