# Hazy Glass After Cleaning It - Picture



## Enigma869 (Jan 12, 2014)

Good Afternoon...

I'm just wondering if any of the knowledgeable folks on this board may have any pearls of wisdom as to how to remove the hazy top portion of the glass on my P68?  I used to have the same issue on my Accentra, and it's beyond annoying.  I get that pellet stove glass gets dirty (which is annoying enough), but to deal with this after the glass is cleaned seems like an issue that shouldn't be happening.  I've only ever cleaned the glass with regular water, or ammonia free Windex, so there definitely shouldn't be any damage to it (caused by me).  I find that when I clean the glass, the top part of the glass (inside part) remains hazy (see picture).  It's definitely not dirty, as when I run a cloth across it, the cloth remains clean.  Are there any magical formulas that people are using that make this go away?  Any and all suggestions are most appreciated. 

John


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## slvrblkk (Jan 12, 2014)

Have you tried stove/cook top cleaner? They make one for wood/pellets stoves too but it's basically the same stuff.


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## P38X2 (Jan 12, 2014)

slvrblkk said:


> Have you tried stove/cook top cleaner? They make one for wood/pellets stoves too but it's basically the same stuff.


+1. That crap will come right off. Don't expect it to stay off, though.


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## Bioburner (Jan 12, 2014)

Some have had success using the fine pellet ash on a damp rag. Your stove top cleaner is tums-calcium carbonate-marble dust.


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## jertola (Jan 12, 2014)

Use white vinegar on a paper towel. Comes off with one wipe. Just go over it it with some window cleaner afterwards because the vinegar streaks.


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## Enzo's Dad (Jan 12, 2014)

a window razor with water and vinagar works well.


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## Woody1911a1 (Jan 12, 2014)

do NOT use ammoniated window cleaner  

try ceramic stove top cleaner available at any grocery or hardware store


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## Former Farmer (Jan 12, 2014)

Bioburner said:


> Some have had success using the fine pellet ash on a damp rag.


X2


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## Melissa220 (Jan 12, 2014)

I use Rutland Conditioning Glass Cleaner for Stove, Grill & Hearth.  I use straight water to take off the surface ash and then follow the cleaner instructions,  Works quite well!


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## P38X2 (Jan 12, 2014)

Melissa220 said:


> I use Rutland Conditioning Glass Cleaner for Stove, Grill & Hearth.  I use straight water to take off the surface ash and then follow the cleaner instructions,  Works quite well!


That's exactly the method/products I use.


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## Enigma869 (Jan 13, 2014)

Thanks for the feedback.  I just ordered 2 bottles of the Rutland Glass Cleaner.  I never considered needing another cleaner, given that when I ran the cloth along the glass, it appeared to be clean, given no ash or visible dirt was transferring, which is why I was baffled by the constant haze on the top of the glass.  Hopefully, this Rutland product will make it magically disappear (at least while my stove is clean).  Thank you again for the suggestions.


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## Stevekng (Jan 13, 2014)

Enigma869 said:


> Thanks for the feedback.  I just ordered 2 bottles of the Rutland Glass Cleaner.  I never considered needing another cleaner, given that when I ran the cloth along the glass, it appeared to be clean, given no ash or visible dirt was transferring, which is why I was baffled by the constant haze on the top of the glass.  Hopefully, this Rutland product will make it magically disappear (at least while my stove is clean).  Thank you again for the suggestions.


WOW! I never thought that cleaning the glass on a stove would become a job for an alchemist! I have been using glass plus window cleaner for years on all my stoves. I have no idea what's in the stuff, though. I  have a VF-100 (Meridian), A Quad Castile, and a St. Croix Afton Bay. I also have a  Majestic Direct vent gas fireplace with a glass front. Yep, Glass plus on 'em all. I do have to use some ash on a glass plus soaked paper towel for the St. Croix once in a while. The stove is in my PEI house. I think it has something to do with the crappy Canadian pellets. The quality of pellets up there blows. The good thing is; I don't have to buy special cleaners. I do have to fight my wife for the cleaner if we're both using it though. That's why I keep spares.


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## JoeS (Jan 13, 2014)

Magic Eraser takes the stuff right off!


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## Stevekng (Jan 13, 2014)

Enzo's Dad said:


> a window razor with water and vinagar works well.


RAZOR!   Wow! I don't think I would use a razor. The only time I've used a razor on the window is when my wife brushes the glass with a plastic bag when the glass is hot. And then I only scrape it when the surface is cool to the touch I use a drywall blade and make sure the flat of the blade makes full contact with the area. It's real easy to scratch that glass, especially when it's hot or warm.


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## Enzo's Dad (Jan 13, 2014)

You have to be pretty agressive to scratch glass with a razor. Painters have been scraping glass successfuly for years. So far no issues i use the razor to loosen the really tuff areas then water and vinagar.

Ps the car industry also uses razors to clean glass with a dry wall blade seems more likely to scratch


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## Bioburner (Jan 13, 2014)

Some stoves use a ceramic glass and it is not friendly to use of some cleaners.


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## mikestod (Jan 13, 2014)

P38X2 said:


> That's exactly the method/products I use.



Rutland Stove Glass cleaner here too.  Pellet ash works good but if you get a little grit in it you can scratch the glass.  Ceramic stove top cleaner worked ok, but you wipe on, let haze over and then buff off.  The Rutland stuff is simpler to use, it goes on liquid and cleans everything off with very little elbow grease required and no buffing.  I also had a concern about the use of cleaners on the ceramic glass, and the Rutland stuff is sold specifically for wood and pellet stoves so it seems safest to use without worrying about discoloring the glass.  Its cheap enough at Tractor Supply too!


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## Jack Morrissey (Jan 13, 2014)

Theres something wrong if it looks like that after cleaning....


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## briansol (Jan 13, 2014)

I use the brush on the vac that gets most of the ash off and to about the above picture.
then a dab or 2 of rutland cleaner on a paper towel, and a little rubbing and it clears right out.


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## Bridgeman (Jan 13, 2014)

Why not use ammoniated window cleaner? I think my Harmon manual says to use it. I do use a little ash if it needs a little extra. Is this a problem with a chemical reaction?  Four years in and the glass is in great shape.


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## jdinny (Jan 13, 2014)

Rutland Fireplace Glass and Hearth Cleaner here as well.


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## Enigma869 (Jan 13, 2014)

Bridgeman said:


> Why not use ammoniated window cleaner? I think my Harmon manual says to use it. I do use a little ash if it needs a little extra. Is this a problem with a chemical reaction?  Four years in and the glass is in great shape.


 
I was told specifically by two different Harman dealers NOT to use any cleaners with ammonia in them.  I was using Ammonia Free Windex, but I'm still baffled by that haze that doesn't want to seem to disappear.  It disappears momentarily, but when it dries, the haze is showing.


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## hossthehermit (Jan 13, 2014)

That haze blocks the heat, does it ????????????


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## Enigma869 (Jan 13, 2014)

hossthehermit said:


> That haze blocks the heat, does it ????????????


 
Wasn't really my point!  I don't recall making this post about the heat coming out of my stove.  I understand that glass on pellet stoves get dirty.  That said, when I clean it...it shouldn't look like it looks.  Hell, the stove isn't even 6 months old yet!


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## Bioburner (Jan 13, 2014)

Bridgeman said:


> Why not use ammoniated window cleaner? I think my Harmon manual says to use it. I do use a little ash if it needs a little extra. Is this a problem with a chemical reaction?  Four years in and the glass is in great shape.


Page 18 of the manual for P 43 says to use cool water. Or can use an approved non abrasive stove glass cleaner. Harman may not use ceramic glass. Some makers do.


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## Melissa220 (Jan 13, 2014)

Enigma869, you will not be disappointed in the Rutland.  If you have any haze remaining, it's only going to be because you missed a spot!  (I speak from experience...LOL)


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## Enigma869 (Jan 13, 2014)

Jack Morrissey said:


> Theres something wrong if it looks like that after cleaning....


 

I'm willing to listen to theories, Jack.  Again, I simply use a clean paper towel with cold water.  When the glass is wet, it looks clean.  When it dries, that haze never leaves.  Definitely seems odd to me.  Who knows...maybe I have a defective piece of glass.  We'll see what happens after I try the Rutland glass cleaner.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 13, 2014)

Dip a wet paper towel in cold ash and it will take the stuff right off. As to ammonia in glass cleaners I have been using them for thirty years and haven't had a piece of stove glass hurt by it yet.

And the glass in all modern wood and pellet stoves is Pyroceram or Neoceram ceramic. Not glass.


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## Former Farmer (Jan 13, 2014)

Would the ammonia in glass cleaner deteriorate the gasket material around the glass or door?


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## Bioburner (Jan 13, 2014)

Gasketing is fiberglass. Pretty inert chemically. The adhesive is silicone.


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## Pete Zahria (Jan 13, 2014)

One thing I did notice in my very short time using a pellet stove.
After getting the glass clean, I wiped it with silicone lube from a spray can.
(It was Liquid Wrench silicone spray). I sprayed it on a small piece of cloth,
wiped it on the glass, let it stay wet a bit, then wiped it off completely.
Now, when I wipe the glass when I clean it, it is MUCH clearer with little effort..
I expect I will do that every time I do a good clean after shutdown..

Dan


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## Ctcarl (Jan 13, 2014)

I just run the vacuum brush lightly then get a bounty paper towel with warm water. On the second paper towel it's good.


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## jmart (Jan 14, 2014)

Enigma869 said:


> I'm willing to listen to theories, Jack.  Again, I simply use a clean paper towel with cold water.  When the glass is wet, it looks clean.  When it dries, that haze never leaves.  Definitely seems odd to me.  Who knows...maybe I have a defective piece of glass.  We'll see what happens after I try the Rutland glass cleaner.



I have the exact same issue on my stove's glass.
I tried dry wiping it daily and the ash falls right off but that stubborn haze near the center builds and gets worse every day.
When I shut the stove down for cleaning, a wet paper towel cleans everything nice except for that darn haze. I use Rutland's and it
does a very good job, but the cycle starts all over again. I've been dealing with this haze issue since the day one and I also wonder if the glass is defective--very disappointing.
Jerry.


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## Melissa220 (Jan 14, 2014)

jmart said:


> I have the exact same issue on my stove's glass.
> . I've been dealing with this haze issue since the day one and I also wonder if the glass is defective--very disappointing.
> Jerry.


The haze and the ash buildup on the window or your pellet stoves is not a defect in the glass or the operation of the stove.  It is a normal byproduct of the material we burn.  Consider the condition of the inside walls of your pellet stove when you clean it...completely covered in ash and perhaps some creosote.  Your window is being impacted as well.   I've now had my stove for 17 months and every week during burn season I clean the glass.  Some weeks are worse than others depending on how hard the stove has had to work.  Same with the ash buildup on the interior.  

No defect...consider it a visible sign of the pellet stove heating your home and saving you oil money!


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## Stevekng (Jan 14, 2014)

Melissa220 said:


> The haze and the ash buildup on the window or your pellet stoves is not a defect in the glass or the operation of the stove.  It is a normal byproduct of the material we burn.  Consider the condition of the inside walls of your pellet stove when you clean it...completely covered in ash and perhaps some creosote.  Your window is being impacted as well.   I've now had my stove for 17 months and every week during burn season I clean the glass.  Some weeks are worse than others depending on how hard the stove has had to work.  Same with the ash buildup on the interior.
> 
> No defect...consider it a visible sign of the pellet stove heating your home and saving you oil money!


The haze he is talking about is there right after he cleans the glass (if I understand the posting correctly) If that is the case, then the haze isn't a normal condition because he hasn't burned any pellets on the freshly cleaned glass. His cleaner isn't doing the job.


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## Enigma869 (Jan 14, 2014)

Stevekng said:


> The haze he is talking about is there right after he cleans the glass (if I understand the posting correctly) If that is the case, then the haze isn't a normal condition because he hasn't burned any pellets on the freshly cleaned glass. His cleaner isn't doing the job.


 
You are correct.  For the record Melissa...I wasn't suggesting that ash buildup on glass with a fire raging was anything unusual, or a defect.  My point was that after the stove has been cleaned, and the glass has been cleaned, the haze that I posted a picture of always comes back when the glass dries, even though it appears to be clean.


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## jmart (Jan 14, 2014)

Enigma869 said:


> You are correct.  For the record Melissa...I wasn't suggesting that ash buildup on glass with a fire raging was anything unusual, or a defect.  My point was that after the stove has been cleaned, and the glass has been cleaned, the haze that I posted a picture of always comes back when the glass dries, even though it appears to be clean.



Enigma869,
    I get the same issues as you describe. 
I've been using the Rutland glass cleaner for a couple years and it does remove the haze--you'll like it.


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## Melissa220 (Jan 14, 2014)

Stevekng said:


> The haze he is talking about is there right after he cleans the glass (if I understand the posting correctly) If that is the case, then the haze isn't a normal condition because he hasn't burned any pellets on the freshly cleaned glass. His cleaner isn't doing the job.


thank you Steve. I was responding to JMart's comment that he wondered if the glass is defective I was not responding to enigma. I already suggested to enigma that he try Rutland glass cleaner.


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## Keifer2669 (Jan 29, 2014)

As someone said earlier.  Get a damp paper towel dip it in some of the fly ash and wipe it down. Then finish it off with some windex. I was just using windex then I read about the ash trick and first time I was impressed how well it worked!


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## Harvey Schneider (Jan 29, 2014)

Pete Zahria said:


> One thing I did notice in my very short time using a pellet stove.
> After getting the glass clean, I wiped it with silicone lube from a spray can.
> (It was Liquid Wrench silicone spray). I sprayed it on a small piece of cloth,
> wiped it on the glass, let it stay wet a bit, then wiped it off completely.
> ...


Rutland cleaner contains silicone, that's why it can make the haze disappear.


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## Ctcarl (Jan 29, 2014)

Keifer2669 said:


> As someone said earlier.  Get a damp paper towel dip it in some of the fly ash and wipe it down. Then finish it off with some windex. I was just using windex then I read about the ash trick and first time I was impressed how well it worked!


My tech said to never use windex due to the ammonia in it.?


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## Keifer2669 (Jan 29, 2014)

Hmm what does the ammonia do?


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## Ctcarl (Jan 29, 2014)

Keifer2669 said:


> Hmm what does the ammonia do?


Don't know but he said don't use it.


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## Keifer2669 (Jan 29, 2014)

Maybe affects the glass when heated up.  Now that I tried trick with the ash I can go without the windex. Before I had to scrub hard to got the brown streaks off. Last week was the first time I tried the wet ash and it came off easy. Then just a quick wipe for final cleaning


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## Ctcarl (Jan 29, 2014)

Keifer2669 said:


> Maybe affects the glass when heated up.  Now that I tried trick with the ash I can go without the windex. Before I had to scrub hard to got the brown streaks off. Last week was the first time I tried the wet ash and it came off easy. Then just a quick wipe for final cleaning


Yea when she's shut down I get a damp paper towel do that about three times by the third shot it's nice and clean.perhaps the ammonia can weaken the glass or maybe the glass has some form of coating and it weakens it.im in the eyeglass field and ammonia on drill rimless glasses is one material will cause small cracks in the corners.


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## Siddhartha (Jan 29, 2014)

New to the pellet stove world (just installed Quadrafire MtVernon AE) 
and my wife asked me about the gunk on the glass after about 6 bags burned.  I thought it was just normal burn stuff.
Will try the suggestions here for cleaning.


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## Keifer2669 (Jan 29, 2014)

Cool thanks for the info


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## fmsm (Jan 29, 2014)

Enigma869 said:


> I'm willing to listen to theories, Jack.  Again, I simply use a clean paper towel with cold water.  When the glass is wet, it looks clean.  When it dries, that haze never leaves.  Definitely seems odd to me.  Who knows...maybe I have a defective piece of glass.  We'll see what happens after I try the Rutland glass cleaner.


Dip your wet paper towel in ash and wipe, it will remove the haze, then use a few dabs of Rutland to Polish the glass and provide a slick surface that the ash will not stick to as easily.

Please try the wet paper towel dipped in ash, it is just abrasive enough to remove your haze/build up. You can also then use a damp paper towel to finish cleaning the glass before you get your Rutland.


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## Bridgeman (Jan 29, 2014)

I checked the Harmon owners manual and it recommends glass cleaner with ammonia. So any compelling evidence against it?


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## TheMightyMoe (Jan 29, 2014)

Wet rag + Ash + Rub


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## Enigma869 (Jan 30, 2014)

Bridgeman said:


> I checked the Harmon owners manual and it recommends glass cleaner with ammonia. So any compelling evidence against it?


 
I'm not sure what the theories are against ammonia, as I'm no chemical expert.  That said, I was also told by two different Harman dealers that I should only use ammonia free cleaners.  I never really asked why, as I only ever use a wet (with water) paper towel.


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## slvrblkk (Jan 30, 2014)

They say the ammonia could etch the glass.


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## Hdhogger (Jan 30, 2014)

Wipe with dry paper towel first. Then use these and wipe dry. Works for me. Glass still looks new after cleaning.


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## Stevekng (Jan 30, 2014)

How about these. We can't be too careful, you know.


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## Ctcarl (Jan 30, 2014)

The wet paper towel seems to me wrking fine. So I will stick with that .


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## Hdhogger (Jan 30, 2014)

How about these. We can't be too careful, you know.

Well, if sensitivity is a problem I guess these would be a better choice. Though I can't find these in the wife's stash of cleaning supplies.


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## Harvey Schneider (Jan 30, 2014)

It is, perhaps, rash to assume that a haze on a window is only on the surface. Whether it is glass or ceramic you could be looking at a chemically bonded layer of contaminant or even a chemically modified surface on the window.
I got curious so I did some research on the web. The most relevant things I could find were about people trying to restore antique glass that had white stains. The general recommendation is to use a mild acid like vinegar or citric acid to etch the stains off. That makes sense because most white stains that stick to a glass surface are metal oxides or carbonates (like calcium).
Being the impatient type, I reached for a bottle of CLR (calcium, lime and rust remover). This contains dilute hydrofluoric acid. I dampened a paper towel with the CLR an wiped the "permanently" hazy window or my PDVC. I spent about a minute scrubbing and turning the towel to expose clean areas to the window. Then I wiped it with a towel wet with water, and finally dried it thoroughly with another paper towel.
nearly all of the haze disappeared. It is hard to put a number on it, but I would guess that better than 95% of the haze is gone in just one cleaning.
*I don't think that this is good for normal weekly cleaning. Hydrofluoric acid will etch glass and ceramics. It is suitable for a rescue operation.* It will take time to know if the window is going to stay clear of just quickly haze over again. 
The window on my PDVC was so bad that I could not clearly see the flame. The window was in that condition when I bought the stove, and even the abrasives that I tried couldn't cut the haze.
No pictures, so it didn't happen. You'll have to take my word for it.
YMMV


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## Stevekng (Jan 30, 2014)

Hdhogger said:


> How about these. We can't be too careful, you know.
> 
> Well, if sensitivity is a problem I guess these would be a better choice. Though I can't find these in the wife's stash of cleaning supplies.


Well, if you can't use ammonia, CLR, or other equally toxic-to-glass cleaners, then Baby Wipes ought to  do the job!


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