A wood burner creates a beautiful atmosphere by providing a sense of warmth and comfort. While it requires very little maintenance, there are some things you should do to keep your wood burner functioning at its best. Cleaning will not only make it work more efficiently, but it will also help make it remain the centrepiece of your room. Before we dive in to learning how to clean wood burner glass, let’s get the fundamentals in place.
What is a Wood Burner?
A wood burner is a heating or cooking appliance that uses the burning of wood as its main fuel source. It is one of the oldest sources of heat and simple in design and its nature. The wood is contained in the body of the burner, which is usually made from cast iron or steel. The front of the burner is typically made of glass, which allows you to enjoy the radiant glow from the fire. The heat will warm your home and create a beautiful ambiance. There is nothing quite like a wood burner. But the one downside is the smoke that a burner produces, so you need to have a chimney to ensure the smoke can escape.
The emission of smoke, and the presence of blackened wood can lead to a build up of soot and residue on the inside of your burner, which will be especially visible across the glass viewing port. A wood burner does require some regular maintenance, so for this reason, they may not be suitable for everyone. However, if you’re willing to put a little effort into maintaining your wood burner, you will be greatly rewarded.
How to Maintain your Wood Burner
A constant airflow is necessary to create the combustion necessary to keep the fire glowing in your burner. Air is drawn through the burner to provide the oxygen that the fire needs. Adjustable air vents help to control the rate at which the smoke is released. This determines how much heat will be retained and allows you to control the temperature of your room. But all this combustion will blacken your burner, which is why you need to intervene in order to keep your burner looking it’s best.
Why Does My Burner Need Cleaning?
The most obvious reason for cleaning glass on your wood burner door is to keep it looking at its best. But there are other benefits too. A clean stove will generate more heat and work more efficiently; the more often you clean your burner, the better it will serve you. Fire produces smoke and soot, this is something we cannot hide from. The other thing to consider is the fuel your burn. Wet wood will produce a lot more smoke than dry fuel, thus blackening your burner glass quicker. While you cannot avoid your glass blackening, there are some wood burner glass cleaning tips that will help you keep your burner looking its best.
How Often Should I Clean My Stove?
This will depend entirely on how often you use your burner and the type of wood you’re looking to burn. Try to clean your burner as often as possible, as the more frequent you clean it, the easier it will be to keep on top of. The most obvious reason for cleaning glass on your wood burner door is to keep it looking at its best. But there are other benefits too. A clean stove will generate more heat and work more efficiently; the more often you clean your burner, the better it will serve you.
Essential Equipment for Cleaning Glass On a Wood Burner Door
A very simple, yet important detail, is to make sure your stove has cooled down before attempting to clean the glass. Many people assume a warm stove would be easier to clean, but this is far from the truth. And when it comes to the necessary equipment, all you need is a cloth, some newspaper, and the ash from your last fire.
How to Properly Clean a Wood Burner
Take your cloth and wipe the inside of your burner, and rinse your cloth and repeat until you get as much of the blacks soot out of your burner as possible. Then, take a sheet of newspaper and scrunch it into a ball, which you can then dip into the ash and scrub the glass with. It is important to make sure there is no grit in your ash first, as this could scratch the glass, and you want to have a fine ash so the glass swill not be damaged. Gently rub the ash on the glass, and this will remove all the soot and debris.
Wood Burner Glass Cleaning Tips
There are many alternative options you can use for cleaning glass on a wood burner door. You can use a standard oven cleaner spray to help break down the soot, or you can also make your own spray by mixing some bicarbonate of soda with water. This will help remove the soot and make your burner look like new. Once it is clean, use a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water to shine the glass and add a layer of protection.
Things to Remember When You Are Cleaning Wood Burner Glass
The most important thing to remember is that some actions cannot be reversed. If you scratch your glass, it will not be something you can fix, so make sure the ash you use has no grit or small particles. When you scrub the glass, you do not need to use a lot of force. Just take your time, and you will get a great result without damaging the surface of your burner glass.
At RFC Services we work with homeowners and businesses who realize how beautiful a wood burner can be in a room. If you want a centrepiece to transform your home, a wood burner is something that will make your home unique. It is not only practical, but also an efficient way to heat your home. We are here to help answer any questions you might have about wood burners. Make sure to get in touch with our friendly team and get the best heating solution for your home today.
