I've been heating with my Jotul F400 for 4 years now. I heat completely with wood--no gas. So the F400 has glass doors, and for years I've read here to use wood ashes to clean the glass. And I'd think, "Well that can't possibly work." And I'd try razor blades and wet paper towels, and sometimes, if the stove had been really hot thost things worked. So last week I actually tried using wood ashes. I dipped a damp paper towel into the ashes and wiped the glass AND THE BLACK SOOT CAME RIGHT OFF. Thanks to you guys who posted about that, cause it really does work.
Really , I never heard this. Glass on my stove has been dirty forever , no matter what I have tried just doesn't cut it. Going to have to try this trick. Once again you never know what you might learn here!
all i have ever used is damp news paper. with ash added you get a bit of Lye which is what helps to remove the soot / creosote baked on the glass.
Are you doing this with a completely cold stove? edit: reason I ask is I tried it on a cold glass. Didn't work that well for me. I didn't try it warm.
I only clean my glass when cold- somewhere there was not to that effect in the manual, and never to use harsh chemicals.
I use a mix of water/white vinegar (2 to 1) and dip a magic eraser into that mix, then dip the magic eraser into some ash/crushed clinkers, and gently scrub the black stuff right off the glass. Works like a charm. And I'd NEVER clean the glass hot. It'd probably be ok to clean it when it's warm to the touch, but I wouldn't do it hot. I'd be afraid of it contracting and cracking. Taste just my .02 cents.
I watched Brett's video. He cleaned his glass with just a wet towel. Tried it on mine and it worked effortlessly. Just water on a rag. Doesn't work till the glass gets a little warm though. I thought he was on fhc but I can't tag. I know he's on ope.
Slightly wet newspapers (now there's something getting harder to find) dipped in the stove's ash has always worked for me. And the cost of these cleaning supplies is extremely low. The thicker the build up, the more time and elbow grease needed, but it always gets the job done! Just don't wait so long between cleanings. As far as being stubborn, well it's a guy thing right?
Hmm...weird, water only works for the lightest of buildup for me... anything more than just a haze takes some ashes too IME
For stubborn build up Rutland Glass cleaner on cold glass works wonders. A $.50 cent sized dollop, or two, goes a long way to cleaning off thick stuff. No blades, no steel wool, no ashes. Each application makes next removal easier within reason. Wipe on a thick layer and let it sit 30 seconds and wipe off. A second lighter application may be need, but if not just buff glass with a dry paper towel. Works for anthracite coal fly ash on glass too. I clean once to twice a week….whatever it takes to maintain clear glass for viewing pleasure.
Speaking of stubbornness, my husband, who taught kid from a young age, to soak the glass and then wipe. I tried, begged pleaded nagged. Nope, had blocked air washes since our first glass door in 2014. Choose my battles lol. I can still tell from light if the fire/pellets are ok or not. Who wants to do a bet on how many months til the air wash in our new wood stove is jam packed with wet soot? My bet is, umm, 14 months. Rutland glass cleaner is gone for years, he now uses his favorite cleaner in the house that he uses on everything. Windex
What do you mean Rutland is gone for years? I place the dollop in paper towel and wipe in. It never ever runs.