A wood stove is something to show off.
What can be more pleasant than putting there some logs and enjoying the fire during a long winter evening?
However, it comes with a significant drawback: its glass gets stained.
Sometimes, the glass gets dirty after a single use of the stove.
Before we move to our tips about how to clean the glass of your wood stove, let us check why it might get dirty too quickly.
First of all, you might use incorrect fuel. If you want the glass to stay clean longer, use dry wood or special coal.
Humid wood will cause a lot of smoke while burning and will stain your stove glass immediately. The same issue can arise if you use traditional coal instead of special low sulfur smokeless coal.
Again, if the temperature is too low, the wood might last longer but will produce more smoke, thus, making your stove glass dirty faster.
However, sooner or later, the glass gets stained. In such cases, you need to clean it. Here, we have collected some tips about how you can clean the glass efficiently and relatively fast.
Prepare the Glass for Cleaning Procedures
Before you move to the actual cleaning, prepare your stove and the glass. Remove the ashes. Don’t throw them, though, at this stage. You might need them later for the cleaning process.
Now, with a brush, remove debris from the surrounding area and the glass. Then, you can move to the cleaning procedures.
Use Damp Cloth
This method works well if you don’t wait until the glass gets dirty, indeed. It is easier to clean warm glas; however, make sure it is not hot.
As soon as you feel comfortable with its temperature, soak the cloth in warm water. You don’t need any detergent at this stage.
In circular motions, rub the glass. Rinse your cloth as soon as it gets dirty. Don’t forget to change the water when needed.
Newspaper and Ashes
If the glass is so dirty that a damp cloth doesn’t work, you can use a newspaper with the ashes that you have just collected.
Prepare:
- Ashes
- Newspapers
- Warm water with detergent
Now, do the following:
- With a cloth soaked in water, wash down the dirt from the glass
- Now, make a ball from the newspaper
- Dip the ball in the water, then – in ashes
- Now, in circular motions, scrub the glass
After the main dirt is removed, you can continue with a wet cloth until the glass is clean.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is known as an efficient cleaning and disinfectant material. And indeed, it can do wonders with your stove.
Take some baking soda. Add water and make a thick paste. Apply the paste on the glass. For very dirty spots, you might want to leave the paste there for a while. In circular movements, rub the glass with a cloth.
Baking soda can clean very stained surfaces. However, it leaves a white residue that is very difficult to remove. Therefore, when you decide to use baking soda for cleaning purposes, get ready for a lot of rinsing.
Vinegar
Take a cloth, dip it in vinegar, and start cleaning the stove glass with the usual circular movements. When the main job is done, remove the leftovers with a damp cloth.
Special Cleaner for Stove Glass
Finally, when the glass has become just too dirty, you might not handle the cleaning procedures in the ways we have mentioned. In such a case, you need to get a special cleaner.
The good thing is that there are plenty of products for stove door cleaning.
Via: @northline_express
They are very efficient and easy-to-apply. Don’t forget to read the instructions carefully and use chemical products only as it is described in the instructions.
After application, rinse the door carefully. Otherwise, when you burn the stove the next time, your room might fill with toxic smoke.
Some More Things to Consider
Never use sharp objects to scratch off the soot. They can damage the glass and leave ugly scratches. While it doesn’t influence the functionality of the oven, the look will be spoilt.
Also, avoid using abrasive cleaners. They can also damage the door and stove surface, and this is not what you want.
