Hard-to-remove stains/haze on glass...

[Samcanadian]

So just lately I noticed some stains on my fireplace glass that can't be removed with a warm wet rag (which I typically use) or the paper towel + ash trick.

I haven't tried a chemical cleaner yet, but I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on what may have cause this or what could be causing it.

-Only burning wood
-Starting fires with newspaper and occasionally glossier pages from ads in the ad bundle we get dropped off on our driveway every week.
-I have thrown in some cardboard from a few cookie packages etc recently, but I don't know if it would cause this?
-The ONE thing I'm concerned about, that may have caused this, is a couple of those "Mystical Fire" packets that you can buy at the gas station. I thought my 3 year old would get a kick out of them, and I'm starting to wonder if the only kick anyone's getting is myself, administered by myself, if this was the cause.

 

[DAKSY]

I wouldn't use ANY colored glossy paper to start your fires.
They contain acids & that may be the reason for your etching/hazing.
I would try some FINE autobody rubbing compound to see if you can remove the discoloration.

 

[firefighterjake]

I've had good luck with lemon juice . . . or maybe it was vinegar. It removed some stubborn "stains".

 

[spudman99]

Vinegar that is distilled with distilled water can be your friend. Wipe it on in a diluted solution. Let it sit for a little and then rub off with some elbow grease. Rinse and repeat. It will come off if the staining has not been there a long time.

 

[Samcanadian]

Vinegar that is distilled with distilled water can be your friend. Wipe it on in a diluted solution. Let it sit for a little and then rub off with some elbow grease. Rinse and repeat. It will come off if the staining has not been there a long time.

Wow, thanks for this tip! I tried it today and some of the stain came off right away, but the majority was a little stubborn. I eventually tried dipping the wet vinegar-rag in the ashes and used that to polish the stain....came right off. Couldn't be happier, thank you very much for the help.

 

[Woodfire2019]

The instructions and glass cleaner they have here are helpful: https://mffire.com/wood-stove-101-how-to-clean-dirty-wood-stove-glass/

 

[xman23]

I use fire view

 

[yooperdave]

The only thing I have ever used to clean stove glass is damp newspaper dipped in cold ashes and lots of elbow grease.