Today I’m sharing an awesome product I recently discovered, thanks to my father-in-law, and my advice for how to clean glass fireplace doors – in two seconds, with no scrubbing!
Handy Hubby and I consider ourselves pretty lucky because both of the homes we’ve purchased have had wood burning fireplaces. Hubby grew up in a cozy country home with a wood stove, while I grew up with a Mom who pined for a fireplace my entire life; we both had it hammered into our heads that a house is homier with a fireplace.
In the townhouse, the fireplace boasted an illegal insert (thanks, home inspector who “specializes in fireplaces”) so we were forced to remove it and use it as a masonry fireplace. When it was in use, the glass doors were open. In the lakehouse we once again have a fireplace insert, which operates with the doors closed. The noisiest fans in the world help push the warm air into the room, although even without them it gets so toasty that the furnace shuts off.
It’s much more efficient than the townhouse fireplace, but the downside is that the soot bakes onto the glass. Cleaning the glass fireplace doors is a regular chore in the winter, but luckily I’ve picked up a trick to quickly and painlessly remove that baked on soot from the glass!
When we first moved here, I scrubbed the glass with Windex and a chore boy scrubbing cloth (love those things). I’d have to let the Windex sit for awhile, trying to keep it from dripping everywhere, and then get the best core work out of my life, scrubbing. (Cleaning this fireplace is clearing vexing, remember the shop vac mishap?) One day we were at my father-in-law’s place and he started cleaning the glass on his fancy new wood stove (so jealous). He whipped out a can of Bon Ami foam glass cleaner and it cleaned the glass in seconds – NO scrubbing! I immediately bought a can and tried it myself. I just sprayed it on, let it sit a minute, and wiped it off with a paper towel.
Blech. But look, it’s like magic! Now THIS is how to clean glass fireplace doors – no scrubbing, pretty much zero effort, haha.
It was SO much easier to clean the glass fireplace doors this way. I think either my Mom or Mummu used Bon Ami, because I have memories of cleaning glass with it as a kid, so I eschewed it when shopping for glass cleaner as an adult (weird, the things that motivate my consumer habits). Well, I’m back in the Bon Ami Bandwagon, because look at my glass fireplace doors now!
In case anyone has struggled with how to clean glass fireplace doors, I wanted to share this as a PSA. I like a clean home, but I want cleaning to be easy, so from time to time I share products that really knock my socks off (like that citru-shine stuff I’m still smitten with).
Looking for more cleaning tips?
Here’s my tip for how to make chrome and stainless look (and stay looking!) brand new and gleaming.
This is how I clean lampshades without a vacuum (it takes two seconds).
My post on how to clean black marks from Pyrex – and bring back shine to Pyrex that’s dishwasher dead – has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times! In that post I’ve also got a tip for removing utensils marks from bowls and plates in seconds – I made a cereal bowl set look brand spanking new!
I did a follow up post about how to remove that really grimey, baked on grease from glass and Pyrex – you’ll never guess what product under your sink did the trick!
And, if you’re updating a space, find out how I turned worn our lacquered brass into bright, brushed gold with one magical ingredient and two easy step!
hLast but not least, here’s how I wash ( and de-pill) dry clean only cashmere and wool at home – great for laundering delicate vintage woolens and even pretty wool rugs from the thrift store (because who wants to spend $30 dry cleaning a $3 find?).
Wonder if it would work on my oven door.
It might work, depending on how baked on the stuff is. I have yet to try it on my oven, although I really should because my oven is horribly, embarrassingly dirty. If it doesn't work, this Kitchn article might help: http://www.thekitchn.com/the-only-way-i-was-able-to-clean-my-greasy-oven-door-203637
While I am familiar with powdered Bon Ami, I never saw the spray glass cleaner. I wonder if it is sold in the US? Off to check Amazon……..
I never even thought about the availability in the US, but I wasn't able to find it on Amazon – I usually try to link to products when I can. In Canada, you can buy it at Walmart and Home Depot, so if it's to be found in the US, I'd put money on those stores.
Une solution facile pour nettoyer c’est de prendre du papier journal et de frotter à sec le tout vient très prop
Author
That’s a good tip! I don’t get the newspaper but I’ll try it with fliers next time I get them.
I didn't think the burn marks and soot would come off the glass, I'm impressed you got it off! My parents have a fire like this one I'll have to tell them to clean the glass it looks so much better now 🙂
Oh gosh, you should have been me scrubbing before, with the Windex and the chore boy – took FOREVER. It's a night and day difference. I never think there's much difference between household cleaners and so I've tried to work with as few bottles as possible, but I'm really learning that certain products just work so well for certain jobs. I might phase out the Windex entirely…
Sounds like you should add that to your exercise regime, cleaning is hard work!
I definitely count cleaning as exercise!
Wet a bit off the ask dust from the fireplace. Does the same thing.
Right now after checking,you can find it on AMAZON-but for $28.00 a can. Even on E bay,thats the price you will pay after shipping.This must be a Canadian product? Someday I will try it if they start selling it for a lower price. Until then I use a small bottle of glass cleaner/conditioner on both my wood/coal stoves. I tried Rutland,but that didnt do such a good job. I use the “Imperial” brand,its a spray,cream or gel in a small bottle,and so far does a pretty good job. Doesnt take much to clean the glass and is between $10-$15 a bottle,lasts a good while. Available in stores,no shipping.
Author
I always link to products I use on Amazon, just so people can easily find it. Sometimes Amazon sells these smaller items as an “add-on,” so you can get it for a really good price if you tack it on to another order. But it sounds like you have yourself a great alternative already 🙂
Thanks for the tips! This definitely helped me cleaning my fireplace. I love your blogs by the way!
Author
Happy I could help – and thank you!
I normally use oven cleaner… works in the same way. Spray on, let it foam and remove after a few minutes with a paper towel. It is available in germany in supermarket…
Author
Great tip, thank you!
Hi.
I love reading through your web page. I’ve several great tips.
Do you have a ‘How to Clean Silk Plants’ segment?
I’ve two silk leaf Trees
I tried the spray on floral duster, but didn’t work very well…..and very tedius to dust each leaf by hand.
Thanks
Author
I’m glad you found some good tips but I’m sorry, I don’t have any for faux plants! I only had one faux plant indoors and that was a fiddle leaf fig and I just dusted each leaf. It’s why I eventually gave up and gave it to my Mom, lol! I wonder if you could gently lean it over the side of a sink or shower and just spray clean the leaves and let it dry – keeping the water out of the base (where I imagine it could soak in). It’s how I clean real leaves!
I picked up some very stained china. Try soaking you pyrex in a sink overnight with hot tap water and oxyclean. I just had to rinse and dry. They are lovely with gold trim. No haze
Author
Great tip, thank you for sharing! Your china sounds beautiful!