Read your owner's manual to make sure your cleaning procedures don't
invalidate the warranty. This is rarely a problem with recent
fireplaces, but older models have a number of restrictions.
Things you will need
Razor blade or painting scraper
Ammonia - based cleaner
Disposable towels or rags
Instructions
1. Remove the sooty buildup with a razor blade or paint scraper. You can
skip this step if there is only minimal black debris on the windows.
2. Spray the windows with an ammonia-based cleaner. You can make your own with a mixture of equal parts ammonia and water.
3. Using clean towels, start wiping the windows in a circular motion. You
won't be able to remove all of the buildup with a single wash. Spray and
wipe at least three times.
4. Use wet newspaper with a little bit of ash sprinkled on it if there are
spots that won't come off with just the ammonia cleaner. The newspaper
and ash will scrape off stubborn particles that ammonia alone will not
remove.
5. Allow the window to dry completely once all the visible soot has been
removed. Spray and wipe down the windows one more time with ammonia and
water. This will prevent most of the fogging from ash and sooty remains
that aren't visible.
Tips and Warnings
Add 1/4 cup vinegar to your cleaning solution if fogging continues after
cleaning.
Occasionally burn an extremely hot fire to burn off excess soot from the
windows. Most soot is material that hasn't completely burned, and so
the heat will break down much of what you can see. Extra hot fires also
help remove soot buildup from your chimney.
Make sure you do not clean the glass while it is still hot. Cold liquid on hot glass can cause it to shatter
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