Glass cleaning techniques.

[Robbie]

I just realized I don't see or hear much about this. I did a search on Craigs new search feature and of course it worked perfectly.


I've read about all the topics and solutions using chems and old time methods. But I have not seen any describing what I use, all natural and so simple it's silly.

And the important thing is it works like crazy and does not take but a couple minutes.


I sure wish I could tell someone what my method is.......................it's so simple you could make it in your home and sell it and make millions........and retire and buy an island and..................


Robbie

 

[BrotherBart]

Isn't forgetting your method by the time you get to the end of the post a groan?

I would publish the formula for what I use to clean the stove glass but the people that make Windex would surely sue me for it.

 

[Robbie]

BrotherBart, you are hilarious :lol:


I just needed that said by someone, I just turned 51 in august, could that be it ?


It may take several more jokes on me before I can reveal my method. My wife says I just do stuff like this to get attention..................

Robbie

 

[Todd]

With old stove, Windex always worked for me. I have heard others using ashes and wet newspaper. Never worked for me. Have also used Rutland glass cleaner with good results.

Since I bought my Woodstock I don't have to worry about glass cleaning. Love it!

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

whats the story with ammonia and ceramic glass? they tell you not to use ammonia based products, isnt windex ammonia based? why is it a no no? Me? i use the rutland stuff. Its easy for me to get ;D

 

[Roospike]

With old stove, Windex always worked for me. I have heard others using ashes and wet newspaper. Never worked for me. Have also used Rutland glass cleaner with good results.

Since I bought my Woodstock I don't have to worry about glass cleaning. Love it!

I always use Windex on average use . If the window gets really thick of smoke like in the spring / early fall when not running as hot then i use Rutland glass cleaner but follow with Windex ( i dont like the film of Rutland glass cleaner ) I just never thought of home do it your self mixes and recipes becuse the $$ saving is just not there to be worth it . I use what ........... less than 1/2 a bottle of Windex glass cleaner all year on the stove and the bottle of Rutland glass cleaner is still half full from 3 years use now . How much saving is there that one can possibly save ?

 

[Robbie]

OK, here it is.

Use 10 heaping "table spoons" of your fresh stove wood ash into a plastic bowl of some kind that has a snap on lid.

Then add some type of hand soap, brand does not matter, add and stir with large spoon until it becomes like a paste or similar to tooth paste.

Then get an old tooth brush or some type of "stiff bristle" brush. (the bigger the brush area the quicker it works)


Keep this mixture in a place where you can easily get to it and just simply do this,

Open stove door. %-P

Put a couple paper towels down on floor under door just in case the paste drops off your tooth brush. No big deal if it does since it's just soap and ashes.

Dip brush into paste and then apply to stove glass in tight circular motions (gently press, not much pressure needed), cleaning an inch or two with each dip into paste.

Continue dipping and brushing, using a back and forth motion on top, bottom, and sides of glass. The trick is to let the bristles do the work, using the ash content to break through the hardened film on glass.

When you get it clean, wipe off excess soap and ash with paper towels.

You will be surprised how simple and quick this method is.

Most of the time, if you have hot fires, it will clean 90% off the stain off the glass any way. Usually I just have to clean the edges of my glass. Keep the lid closed on your mix and it will keep good until you run out, you may need to add a couple drops of water and mix it up with brush occasionally just to keep it workable.

This mixture works like magic, once you get the right mixture of soap and ash, it's a breeze. You don't want it too wet or it drips off brush onto floor (paper towels). You don't want it too dry or it just rolls off glass in little balls of ash. You want it to be a paste, and make sure you have plenty of ash, this is what cleans.

I never use water on my glass after I'm done, just wipe glass clean with paper towels.

When you get your ash for your mix, get fine ash and try not to get small chunks of coals.


This mix really does clean well and much faster than any other method I tried.

We are talking brilliant clean glass, with very little effort, I used this method all last winter and it worked great.



Robbie

 

[Roospike]

You can also use tooth paste or soap and baking soda. I think all these recipes came about with older wood stoves that the glass always smokes up and you had a clean glass for about 1 hour . I used to use a razor blade and glass cleaner way back then with the lack of air wash glass stoves , but there again it only stayed clean with 1/2 a load of wood . ( few hours ) How often are you guys ( gals ) cleaning your wood stove glass now ? I might clean mine 1 every two weeks . They just dont get that dirty with the modern stoves .

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

You know me, i never clean it. I just deal with the light ash film all fall and winter. It stays clean enough to see the fire with out worrying about it. Even if i crank it down and it gets gunky, the next time i fire it up hot it just burns off.

 

[BrotherBart]

You know me, i never clean it. I just deal with the light ash film all fall and winter. It stays clean enough to see the fire with out worrying about it. Even if i crank it down and it gets gunky, the next time i fire it up hot it just burns off.

Amen MSG. I replace the gaskets every three years and clean the chimney twice a year but I just cleaned the glass on the ole Sierra the other day for the first time in 12 years. I used to be religious about cleaning it once a week until I figured out that it only got dirty in two spots. The same spots and they got dirty with the first start up fire after cleaning.

The only reason it got a through cleaning this time is after looking at all of the pretty stove pictures posted here I gave it a new paint job, gaskets and a glass cleaning out of jealously of all of the neat looking stoves you guys have.

Now the Jotul F100 is a different story. Firebox is so small the little dude ashes up the glass every day. The sote burns off but the ashes are a pain.

 

[Robbie]

I clean my glass about once a week. I think my main problem last year was wet or damp wood, this year, it should be much better this year since my wood is dryer.

I like to have a super clean glass to see every little detail inside my stove while it's burning. If it gets blacked up over night, then I try to have a good hot fire that day and it usually will clean most of it off.

I tried most all the cleaners mentioned, including news paper and ashes. The soap and ash mixture worked better than any I tried.

Robbie

 

[precaud]

White vinegar has always worked fine for me. It's almost as cheap as ash...

 

[adrpga498]

My succcess stories:

1. No substitute for well seasoned wood, keeps glass clean.
2. "Top down" technique start-ups.
3. Spit on newspaper & dip into ash.
4. whipe glass with paper,spit & ash mix.
5. Get another beer and relax.
Seems I do best at # 5. , must be a birdie hole.

 

[suematteva]

White vinegar has always worked fine for me. It's almost as cheap as ash...

Ditto here on the white vinegar /water mixture...Works better than the Rutland stuff..the Mrs. tried it one day...works slick..

 

[HarryBack]

you have to clean your glass? ;-P

 

[velvetfoot]

I use something called White Off. I seem to get a couple of hard to clean spots with the Quadrafire 2700i.

 

[Rhone]

I purchased the White Off mistakingly once, its main purpose is cleaning appliances that burn gas which can get a white film. I've tried a half dozen things & brands including Windex and the Rutland Glass cleaner, another stuff that supposedly sprays on and disolves creosote, tried using the ash and newspaper technique, vinegar, simple green, grease cleaner, nothing made much of a dent on thick black stuff that caked on. Got a bottle of Rutland Hearth & Grill Glass cleaner which is a polish and designed to clean it, and there's nothing as good. With some elbow grease it was the only stuff that was able to remove the thick black caked on stuff and it leaves a coating behind to make future cleanings easier.

 

[brian_in_idaho]

White vinegar has always worked fine for me. It's almost as cheap as ash...

Ditto here on the white vinegar /water mixture...Works better than the Rutland stuff..the Mrs. tried it one day...works slick..

Here too on the vinegar, with newspaper. If we happen to be out of vinerar, Windex. I haven't had that much of a problem with the glass getting that dirty that vinegar/newspaper wouldn't clean adequately. If I do happen to smoke it up badly, a good hot fire gets 90% of the nastys off.

 

[fbelec]

vinegar and water is the best cleaner for just about anything. no film left. but the only problem i have with it is while i'm using it i get hungry. it smells like a salad.