Gas Stove Glass Cleaner: Ok to Use on Wood Stove? Same Stuff?

[Nigel459]

Specifically, is there any difference in "Imperial Gas Fireplace Glass Cleaner" and any "wood stove" glass cleaner?

http://www.imperialgroup.ca/fireplace_maintenanceproducts.cfm?c=361

This is what I have on hand and with the mild weather thought I'd try it out and clean up the corners.

Well it worked well. Seemed to leave a smooth coating behind, maybe silicone? Like a waxy film after buffing but can't be wax. Can't find the answer to what the makeup is exactly online or even here so thought I'd see if anyone knows if this stuff is ok to use... maybe just the exact same product as their "wood stove" version? Hope so

Cheers

 

[Nigel459]

Ok I noticed the MSDS sheet is on the link above, here's what is in it:

Petroleum Distillate 10 - 30%
Morpholine 1-5%
Mono Isopropyl Amine
Isopropyl Alcohol 1-5%
*Silica Amorphous (diatomaceous earth)

Sounds kinda flammable! haha

 

[Mark N MO]

Cut and paste from the manual:

"After using any cleaner, thoroughly rinse the glass with water to remove any deposits left by the cleaner. Failure to remove all traces of glass cleaner will result in the glass cleaner residue baking on. This residue may be very difficult to remove."

Full disclosure, I don't have a BK, just a lowly Buck 91. HTH Mark

 

[Nigel459]

Cut and paste from the manual:

"After using any cleaner, thoroughly rinse the glass with water to remove any deposits left by the cleaner. Failure to remove all traces of glass cleaner will result in the glass cleaner residue baking on. This residue may be very difficult to remove."

Full disclosure, I don't have a BK, just a lowly Buck 91. HTH Mark

Thanks Mark,

Funny thing is I did have some distilled water on hand since I was trying a few glass cleaning methods (even though i wasn’t thinking of that paragraph from the manual—thanks!). The cleaner really cut through the buildup so that’s what I tried this time. Did use a razor blade for the worst crusties right in the corner. I went ahead and used the water to wipe the glass after buffing out the cleaner. The water beaded right up and off, which makes sense given the makeup of the cleaner. I’ve been burning since yesterday and no sign of any baked-on residue or other ill effect.

In fact, the glass is staying much cleaner I’d have to say so far, so maybe a protective coating did stay on after buffing.

Happy fire-viewing all. Cheers

 

[Dmitry]

2 years ago I ran out of Rutland special paste for glass cleaning and used glass surface cook stove product. Still using it with no problem. My wife always has it, so, one less worry for me.

 

[venator260]

The installer that put in my FP25 recommended glass cooktop cleaner. He also advised against using any window cleaner with ammonia. Said it would leave a haze. I have used Windex several times on the glass on my 30NC. There's a haze on the glass that i can't get off.

So far, on my FP25, I've just needed a wet wash cloth and the glass wipes clean.

 

[joneo]

Hi been researching glass cleaners and found this old thread. We have some ammonia free glass cleaner spray, not specifically for wood stoves though. Do you think this is ok to use?
https://www.target.com/p/sprayway-glass-cleaner-ammonia-free-aerosol-19-oz/-/A-13933228

 

[Dmitry]

You don’t want to risk it . The only substitute I’d use to clean is glass cook stove paste. Wood stove glass cleaner has to have abrasive properties yet be gentle enough not to leave scratches . You don’t know what kind of chemical would react with your glass and possibly leave haze forever. IMHO.

 

[webby3650]

The installer that put in my FP25 recommended glass cooktop cleaner. He also advised against using any window cleaner with ammonia. Said it would leave a haze. I have used Windex several times on the glass on my 30NC. There's a haze on the glass that i can't get off.

So far, on my FP25, I've just needed a wet wash cloth and the glass wipes clean.

The haze is not from the cleaner. It happens when the glass is left continually dirty. Eventually the ash will etch into the glass leaving it cloudy.
There are many woodstove glass cleaners out there that work well and are much easier to use than the paste. Windex typically works well enough for most modern stoves. Heck, just a damp paper towel does trick most of the time.

 

[Dima1973]

I just use damp paper towel dipped in ash.

 

[wooduser]

Gas stove combustion gasses can etch the glass, usually after years of use.

Polishing compounds can be used to repair that, with a lot of work.

What may be easier is to find a GOOD glass shop to make those repairs for you, or to replace the glass.,


I've never had problems with glass etching on my wood stove, even after decades of use. I did break the glass once, and my go to glass shop replaced the glass for me for a modest cost.

 

[joneo]

You don’t want to risk it . The only substitute I’d use to clean is glass cook stove paste. Wood stove glass cleaner has to have abrasive properties yet be gentle enough not to leave scratches . You don’t know what kind of chemical would react with your glass and possibly leave haze forever. IMHO.

Thanks for the tip- I went and bought some wood stove cleaner spray at the hardware store today, for when the stove gets real dirty.

However, doing a search for "Sprayway" on this site turned up a few posts of people who have been using it without issue, or so it seems. So it looks like, from what I'm reading here, that it may be ok to use for mild cleaning. It's a new stove and isn't very dirty yet. Still doing the break in fires.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/glass-cleaner.76305/#post-966564

 

[wooduser]

<<The haze is not from the cleaner. It happens when the glass is left continually dirty. Eventually the ash will etch into the glass leaving it cloudy.


Two decades of sooty wood stove glass produced zero etching etching for me.

However, my experience as a gas appliance repairman gave me ample experience in observing the etching gas fireplace glass gets with frequent exposure to the combustion products of gas, which include small amounts of sulphuric acid. That produces a whitish clouding on the glass, which can be cleaned off for a period of years, but which can eventually etch the glass too deeply to be cleaned off easily.

At that point, glass can use progressively finer polishing compounds to polish out the pitting of the glass, which takes time and skill. Or you can find a good glass shop to do that for you, or to replace the glass, often for a reasonable fee in my experience.

 

[wooduser]

Specifically, is there any difference in "Imperial Gas Fireplace Glass Cleaner" and any "wood stove" glass cleaner?

In my experience, wood stoves get dirty from black soot, while gas fireplace glass get clouded with a whitish powder caused by the etching of the glass by the gas combustion products. Two quite different processes.


So what are you trying to clean off your wood stove glass?

 

[webby3650]

In my experience, wood stoves get dirty from black soot, while gas fireplace glass get clouded with a whitish powder caused by the etching of the glass by the gas combustion products. Two quite different processes.


So what are you trying to clean off your wood stove glass?

Well, most modern stoves that are properly operated get only grey fly ash build up on the glass, not black soot. As a service person of all hearth products, I see many more wood stoves with etched glass than gas fireplaces.

 

[wooduser]

, I see many more wood stoves with etched glass than gas fireplaces.

I bow to your greater experience with wood stoves. Just haven't had the problem with mine, which is a pre EPA stove.

 

[venator260]

The haze is not from the cleaner. It happens when the glass is left continually dirty. Eventually the ash will etch into the glass leaving it cloudy.
There are many woodstove glass cleaners out there that work well and are much easier to use than the paste. Windex typically works well enough for most modern stoves. Heck, just a damp paper towel does trick most of the time.

Interesting. My 30NC is not that old; it was used continually for a year and very intermittently for another two. I was and am not very particular in keeping the class clean. My fireplace upstairs has seen heavier use at this point being my main heat source for almost 2 seasons now. The glass is in great shape, but i wipe it more often since it's in my living room. I've only ever used a dish rag with water, mostly because that's all that's been necessary. I believe that it's just fly ash buildup, or soot that burned off if wood gets against the glass.

 

[webby3650]

Interesting. My 30NC is not that old; it was used continually for a year and very intermittently for another two. I was and am not very particular in keeping the class clean. My fireplace upstairs has seen heavier use at this point being my main heat source for almost 2 seasons now. The glass is in great shape, but i wipe it more often since it's in my living room. I've only ever used a dish rag with water, mostly because that's all that's been necessary. I believe that it's just fly ash buildup, or soot that burned off if wood gets against the glass.

Cleaning it occasionally is all that’s necessary. It happens over time, not overnight.