Quick Tip to Clean Wood Stove Glass

Simple Tip to Clean Wood Stove Glass

[@Jemalacane0]

Wood ash does indeed contain a harsh chemical called sodium hydroxide (lye). It's the active ingredient in a good deal of drain cleaners.

[@CTSCAPER]

That makes sense!

[@ryanravencaller]

Lye is used in soap too

[@rbrtprstn]

That so many responders have no clue that wood ash reacts with water to make lye, NaOH, a corrosive, toxic grease and creosote solvent, say Drano, is amazing.

[@peckjor]

I was really impressed with how well this worked! Thanks for the tip.

[@chelseaharrington6380]

Worked great on a wood stove we inherited that hadn't been cleaned in years. Thank you!

[@jamesbrady8484]

I admire your confidence wearing a grey jumper and cleaning a fire. Expert level !

[@briancampbell2334]

never would have guessed this. I'm going to try it. Thanks for the idea!

[@NordicWildSoul]

Thank you! This saves me allot of effort to clean the glass.

[@CTSCAPER]

It's always great when we can use fewer chemicals and get better results.

[@NordicWildSoul]

@@CTSCAPER I used a glass scraper but your method works so much better.

[@matthewcoker1572]

Worked great! Thanks for sharing!

[@ksizz9373]

wow, I just tried this and am really impressed. Its our first time with a woodstove that had a glass front, best part is it costs nothing!! :)

[@CommanderXED]

What a great tip. Thanks!

[@missliey]

I have been trying to get the glass clean with just dry newspaper or with some water and it didn't seem to do anything - after your video i used some ash and was amazed at how easily it came off! Thank you so much :)

[@guigovr]

Works like magic, thanks!

[@ottawafrankie]

Great Video. It works. Thank you very much!!

[@suzannecuerrier279]

Wow! Thank you. This was of great help to me.

[@CeeDust]

Great, works well, thank you!

[@scschicksr]

Thanks for the tip.

[@firefighterexperienc]

Thanks... I like the paper towels tip.

[@Thebowzer221]

My stoves have secondary combustion feature. Harthstone brand. Bought them in New Hartford CT. 1 is 17, the other is 15 years old. Love'm. Not cheap by any means, $1,600.00 each, back then! Very good quality, burn beautiful. I run'm hot, very little creosote. Clean flues 1X per yr. Very little crud in there. Large fire box, can get a 26" log in there. I spent a lot to buy them. I also saved a lot, using them as much as we do. Not to mention how good they look. Stone on top and sides. Viet Vet.

[@Jhontauel]

I did this today on a stove that I couldn't tell you how long since it was cleaned as we just bought the house. Both doors took me about 1 1/2 minutes! Thanks so much!!

[@CTSCAPER]

Glad it helped. I need to do this myself soon.

[@bluekingfisher1416]

Great tip. I will try it on mine. Cheers

[@Thebowzer221]

John, great tip. I will try this. 1 other thing that I do on my 2 wood stoves, both with glass doors. When I see the black suit starting to pile up on glass, I burn wood closer to the glass instead of further back in the stove. It will burn off most all of the "heavy" build up. Then comes the paper towles. Wolcott. I'm going to sign as Viet Vet, instead of Wolcott Connecticut.. Viet Vet. Keep M coming.

[@michaelengland7228]

You absolute star, thanks.

[@warren52nz]

Brilliant! Works too. Who would have thought?

[@Jecen]

honestly the perfect video, short informative and it works, great video sir keep it up!

[@RockieSc]

Thnx for the info!

[@mdgartners]

Thank you for the info. We are using Windex and it works but I would rather use your method. Better than a chemical.

[@sidwelldesign]

So brilliant!

[@tonysimpson6088]

Top tip, thanks, its worked!

[@jeanseward8467]

That's amazing!!!

[@johnnysurfs]

That worked! Thanks a million.

[@CTSCAPER]

Glad to hear. Happy holidays.

[@cipollinaj]

For that really baked on dark grit left on the glass,
I found using a razor blade mounted on the flat holder that I use to take the registration off my car's windshield also takes that hardened grit off .... in 10 seconds !!! Hope this helps

[@sdjnwhyNZ]

Man, you found a new way of doing the charcoal polishing! :D

[@BlueTb]

thank you!!!

[@johnswimcat]

Good video. You can sieve the ash first using a kitchen sieve and store in a tub. I can lift the door off it's pintles with my Morso Dove stove, I only burn wood, and lay it flat for cleaning. Wood ash with a damp cloth works well but I also find a Scotchbrite pad is sometimes enough, I always wet the glass first (not when hot of course!). I also use, a lot and when the tarring is hard, a cheap plastic window scraper with a Stanley knife blade which works well and I can use it when the glass is hot. What to use depends on how thick the tarring is and how soft it is, if it's soft that means one isn't really running the stove properly, i.e. the wood is not well seasoned, one isn't burning hot enough or there's too much air from the bottom and not enough from the airwash. I have used HG Stove Glass Cleaner, effective but expensive and, as you say, not very nice

[@CTSCAPER]

Great tips John. You don' get any scratching of the glass with the scothbrite pad? That sounds like a fast and easy option if it doesn't scratch.

[@CraigArndt]

Thats amazing! I have a new stove that I'm learning to use, it has an air wash but it isn't really that effective. I am going to try this, great tip.

[@CraigArndt]

I tried it this weekend, worked great. It took a few minutes to get the really nasty baked on creosote, but I can see the fire again! Great tip, thank you.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

Good one!

[@bitchoflivingblah]

Wood ash to loosen the stubborn stains, then a dash of vinegar on a tissue to leave a beautiful clean finish.

[@CTSCAPER]

I'm going to give that a try!

[@saharshahin5794]

This is an old way that the Arabs in palastine used to clean the glass of oil lanterns about 100 years ago, we know it from our grandparents.

[@YankeeinSC1]

gotta be real careful saying that, "wipe the glass with your ash"...

[@livibam]

Nice1 thanks

[@iznogood9]

thanx you save us

[@wally1957]

I use a Scotch-Brite pad (maroon color) and a damp sponge. Only takes seconds to clean. I use it everyday before I build a fire and it does not scratch the glass.

[@izholmes]

This worked so well! thanks for the tip. Then can you burn the paper towels after?

[@CTSCAPER]

I don't see whey not though I also don't think they would burn if their wet.

[@gunforme]

This a cheaper way to do it. For tougher spots I've also found those magic erasers work great and you can reuse those many times.

[@OWK000]

cool!

[@patcornwell9298]

I burn 24/7 in cold WVa winter. You must keep your chimney clean or you will burn your house down. I clean my stove ,chimney,glass each month . Clean my door glass with cheap oven cleaner.Dry clean fire will help.

[@alexnicolson5682]

BRASSO on a cloth does exactly the same and also a quick splash of glass cleaner to shine the glass, don't know the price of Acryl but a tin of brasso is about £2.00

[@RockieSc]

I like thi stove. What brand / make is it?
Greetings

[@BornTooLateVintage]

Looks like my old Dovre wood stove.

[@bwgries]

It works because that's lye. Soak wood ash in water remove water, mix water (now lye) with fat tallow (over heat) and you have traditional homemade soap (over simplified, but not by much)

[@lightningxx]

bwgries 👌🏻

[@chrisdougan2623]

my previous stove glass hardly ever turned black, my new one gets black after only one night, what causes this?

[@treescape]

Open your airwash

[@ShronGriffiths]

Ive just got a wood burning stove, and the glass has gone black, do you have to do this everyday ?

[@ShronGriffiths]

it is well seasoned wood I'm using. My multi fuel stove also works my heating, it has a boiler at the back of it, what does 'dampening the fire' mean ? I do see that a lot of people having this problem of the glass getting black.

[@2000talon]

Oh..who would of thunk..thank you

[@markhedger6378]

Use old newspaper and water it's just as good

[@konkorum0149]

Why on earth would anyone bother with any cleaners?! If you can afford a chemical cleaner, you can also afford a pack of razors. ...you can VERY easily scrape that off with a razor blade. However what you’re doing does have the added benefit of not needing to sweep or vacuum up as much of the mess afterwards

[@johnkirwan9552]

Dont do it that way, you will eventually scratch all the inside of your glass. Newspaper is the cheapest way

[@s.grahampark3666]

Before buying any type of cleaner, try using the ash from the stove. Apply with a cloth that is damp with the ash, In our experience this works well

[@swedensy]

What bad design stove is it that ash accumulates at the door.

[@jj11725]

Works very well. 🤌