Regular cleaning of the fireplace from soot ensures not only efficient heating and aesthetics, but also safety. Not only does the fireplace insert get dirty, the glass also needs to be taken care of just as often. We explain why this happens and how to clean dirty glass at home.

How to get rid of soot from the fireplace?

A fireplace requires proper maintenance and regular inspections to ensure its proper operation. We should start cleaning the fireplace from soot only after about 12 hours after the fire goes out. During the heating season, we remove tar and flammable substances at least once a week. Washing the walls from soot is also necessary. Otherwise, the tar substances will form a thick layer that will reduce the cross-section of the chimney and may lead to a fire.

Soot deposits on the walls can be removed using special chemicals that we spray on their surface. After a few minutes, wipe off the dirt with a damp cloth. The fireplace insert, i.e. fireclay, grate, cast iron plates and deflector must be disassembled and cleaned before each heating season. It is best to clean fireclay using special means for removing soot.

The most important condition for the proper operation of the fireplace is the use of dry wood, preferably hard.

Cleaning the fireplace glass – how often should it be done?

The glass in the fireplace requires frequent washing, even every few days. To wash ordinary glass ceramics, use liquids that are specially designed for it. If the glass is heavily contaminated with soot and tar, you should use preparations that dissolve and remove these impurities. Sprays work especially well because they soften dirt and don’t run down the glass.

Do not use abrasive materials to clean the glass, because they might scratch it. Let’s avoid using scrapers, magic sponges or your favorite wire brush. They can be replaced with a cellulose sponge or dish sponge. After washing, wipe the glass thoroughly so that no dust remains on it, which can stick to the glass due to the temperature.

Why does fireplace glass get dirty?

Fireplace glass can become covered with dirt and soot for many reasons. The most common include:

Using the wrong fuel

It is a mistake to use hardwood that has not been properly dried or seasoned long enough. Wet fuel lowers the combustion temperature, resulting in “smoke”. The resulting smoke settles not only on the glass, but in the entire chimney.

Coniferous wood (pine, spruce, larch and fir) again burns very hard. It is full of sticky resins that fog the glass and contaminate the chimney vent. Wood used as fuel should be dry, clean and without bark. Its presence can also cause soot to accumulate on the fireplace glass.

Flame suffocation

Complete combustion of fuel, without by-products in the form of soot, is not possible without oxygen. Restriction of air access, e.g. by tightly closing the flap, it causes dirt not only on the glass, but also on the entire installation. In the case of a short fireplace flue, care must be taken to maintain a high draft.

Home methods of cleaning glass

You can use home remedies to remove soot deposits from the fireplace glass:

  • Cleaning the fireplace glass with ash – dip a damp cloth in the ashes from the fireplace and clean the stained glass with it. However, the ash must be free of sharp particles.

The account @beachluver17 on TikTok presented exactly this method of cleaning fireplace glass using ash. In the video, they gently applied fine ash to the tip of a water-soaked microfiber cloth and thoroughly cleaned the glass from dried deposits and soot.

However, an important note appeared in the comments that this method is only suitable if we burn wood in the fireplace, not coal, because the ash from the coal can scratch the surface of the glass.

@beachluver17 #mrsclean #chimneysweepwife #chimneysweep #fyp #fypシ #foryou ♬ So Fresh, So Clean – Outkast
  • Cleaning fireplace glass with vinegar and ammonia – add a tablespoon of ammonia and a tablespoon of vinegar to half a liter of water and spray the glass with this mixture. After a minute, wipe it with a cloth.

We do not recommend cleaning the fireplace glass with baking soda. Even when mixed with water, it has abrasive particles that can damage its surface.

How to clean the chimney? Collect these husks and burn them. You don’t have to go to the roof