Quadra Fire Glass cleaning

[Dpregs]

Hey Guys/Gals,

I have searched the forums and web, but have not really found my answer....so here I am to ask

How should I clean the glass on my Quadrafire 4100i? The dealer told me to just use windex, but I have also been told to use the Ceramic glass cleaner that you use on your glass stove top. I have read about using a wet newspaper dabbed into the ashes.

So, which way do I go?

Thanks greatly for any/all help you can give!

 

[Jags]

Newspaper and ash works, as does the rutland glass cleaner found at your local hardware store.

 

[danking49]

All the methods you mentioned have worked for me; although Windex is by far the least effective of the bunch. Rutland also makes a cream stove glass cleaner/conditioner that works just as well as ashes for me; but much less messy.

 

[savageactor7]

LOL that was one of the questions that made me sign up here.

In the morning before reloading we use bottled water and a paper towel. A poster warned that his glass frosted over using hard water...cause of the mineral content I guess. Just make sure you have leather gloves on when doing this. In less than a minute the glass is like IG clean.

With this simple method you can even clean real hot glass too...but it'll take a little longer, don't let the sizzling scare you.

 

[Corey]

You searched on this forum? Here are a few posts for light reading...admittedly, these are only ones with 'clean and glass' in the subject, so there are probably a few more out there


balls for cleaning hot glass!
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/31616/

Again- How to keep your glass on your wood stove clean
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/31227/

How Do You Clean Your Pellet Stove Glass When It’s Hot?
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/29531/

Clean glass with news paper
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/29305/

Idea for cleaning inside of glass
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/25282/

Glass cleaner
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/22806/

glass cleaner
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/16328/

Cleaning glass window on door of woodstove
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/16008/

Any tips on how to keep glass clean?
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/15583/

Breckwell BigE/Cleaning glass
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/10069/

Insert or stove glass cleaner
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/12865/

Stove Glass Cleaner
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/9287/
Cleaning hot door glass
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/6767/

Need Recipe for door glass cleaner
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/6231/

Door Glass Cleaning: Anyone Thought of…
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/3943/

Clean that Glass…
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/3816/

Glass cleaning Techniques
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/2933/

Glass Cleaning Periodicity
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/726/

Cleaning Glass – while it’s hot?
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/509/

Cleaning Hot Glass?
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/154/


Culling through all the posts, you’ll find several recommendations – including, but not limited to: (roughly in order of ‘most mentioned’ to least…[ ] comments are mine)

Moist newspaper dipped in ash [works well except for heavy black deposits]
Windex with newspaper or paper towel [works a little better on heavy black deposits]
White Vinegar/water w/ newspaper or paper towel
Damp paper towel
Damp rag
Rutland Stove Glass Cleaner
Formula 409 [good for heavy black deposits]
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
Burn stove hot – what ever is on glass just comes off [good for heavy black deposits]
Castrol Super Clean [good for heavy black deposits]
Bottled Water w/ paper towel [one of our 'high class' woodburners?]
Fast Orange hand cleaner (without pumice)
Orange citrus cleaner/degreaser
Easy off oven cleaner [haven't tried, but should work VERY well...you can also cut butter with your chainsaw!]
10 tablespoons of ash + liquid hand soap, stir to make paste, scrub on glass with toothbrush
Toothpaste or soap and baking soda
Razor blade [be careful not to scratch ceramic]
Spit on newspaper/towel, dip in ash
Rutland White Off
“any type of alcohol” on a rag [just be sure the stove is out!]
“some sort of stainless steel sponge thing”
“my soggy wet underwear” [no clarification on what they were wet with, but I’d hate to think what you could come up with if you’re looking for a cheap source of ammonia]

 

[mcollect]

I came up with an easy and nonmessy way. I spray a couple of paper towels with either windex or Rutland and place those on the glass, no runns. After a few minutes the towel is black and the glass is clean. Then I use newspaper to make it sparkle. Also a really hot fire is even easier.

 

[ameoba]

I have a 3100i. I usually just use a damp paper towel and it gets just about everything off. I have a couple of small stubborn stains right around the edges of the glass (.5" or so, but not all the way around). I have found that a good hot burn (as stated above) loosens just about everything up and even burns most of it off. Try a hot fire first and a damp rag when the glass cools off a bit.

Good Luck - hope you are enjoying yours as much as we are!

 

[Dpregs]

Thanks for the links Cozy, I guess putting in "quadra fire glass cleaning" was a little too specific for the search engine. BUT, I thank you for taking the time to post all those links!

But the good news is now when you put that in, you get this thread!

 

[savageactor7]

^ If you use a paper towel it'll get black as coal but still get that glass sparkling clean.

 

[73blazer]

I use those magic eraser things. Those work great, one, and very rarely two swipes takes everything right off.

 

[awoodman]

A friend of mine that was in the military said they used newspaper to clean glass , mirror etc. And it works better than $ paper towels.

 

[fullbore]

Wet newspaper and ash always works well for me. It even worked with a fire burning, just wear welding gloves.

 

[firefighterjake]

Short answer to your questions: Yes . . . all of the ideas you listed would work.

As mentioned this topic has been asked and answered many, many times and there are many, many answers ranging from the simple (wet newspaper/rag and ashes) to specific solutions (Rutland cleaners) to household products (Mr. Eraser/Windex) to mechanical means (using a razor to scrape) to the operation (i.e. running the stove hot enough to burn off the black, not putting wood too close to the glass, etc.)

As you have no doubt seen many folks have their sure-fire way to clean the glass . . . just pick whichever works best for you and go with it.

As for me I use my soggy wet underwear to clean the glass . . . well not exactly . . . I mean it's a pair of my boxer shorts, but they're old, full of holes and ripped so after getting it totally wet and thawed out (I keep it on my back porch) I dip it into some of the ashes (if necessary) and clean the glass off (typically once or twice a week . . . unless I have company coming and want to make the stove pretty) . . . I usually follow this with a dry piece of paper towel or newspaper to remove smudges/watermarks . . . and then it's off to the back porch with my wet, soggy underwear where it freezes until I need to use it next time.

 

[Jags]

As for me I use my soggy wet underwear to clean the glass . . .

There are just some things that shouldn't be shared.

 

[rustynut]

hi y'all,
been up and runnin with this 5700 quad for a month now
havnt felt the need to clean the glass
seems like when it gets a bit dirty that hot fire cleans it off
but i'm liking your idea there cozy.............
so many choices
what to do?
guess i'll throw another log in there and enjoy
lol
hoping everyone's nice and warm
rn

 

[FlipThatLog]

I'm using a Rutland Glass/Ceramic cleaner that can be also used on cleantop electric stoves. It works like a charm with a rag. Bought it at Home Depot, although I don't think they stock the product after January. Our local HD put theirs in the discount racks for clearance, so I bought what they had left at 1/2 price to get us through until next season, and then some.

 

[TMonter]

I've used all methods and I've found that the rag dipped in ashes tends to work the best. I think this is because the ash/water mixture is slightly abrasive and can get rid of small pieces of creosote and such that stick to the window along with the chemical lye reaction that takes place. If your stove ceramic window is already pitted from heavy use this method is the way to go, if not than a commercial cleaner may be better.

 

[stoveguy13]

Hey Guys/Gals,

I have searched the forums and web, but have not really found my answer....so here I am to ask

How should I clean the glass on my Quadrafire 4100i? The dealer told me to just use windex, but I have also been told to use the Ceramic glass cleaner that you use on your glass stove top. I have read about using a wet newspaper dabbed into the ashes.

So, which way do I go?

Thanks greatly for any/all help you can give!

no amonia based cleaner it will haze the glass. oven cleaner cceramic glass cleaner works well to.

 

[smokingolf]

Believe it or not I've only cleaned my glass once this season. It was bad and needed cleaning From last year but after a few hot fires it looked pretty good and when I did clean it I only had to use paper towels and water, that got it sparkling clean. So just goes to show you that if you burn good fires the glass is really self cleaning.

Brian

 

[jtp10181]

My fav way to clean the glass is to build a ripping hot fire. That one always impresses the customers

If you cannot clean the glass that way then either your wood sucks or you need to get the firebox hotter.

 

[glassmanjpf]

As simply stated and cost free......

Newspaper + water + ash = clean glass, every time

I've never had a problem