How To Clean Glass Fireplace Doors
The glass doors on my fireplace were dirty and definitely needed a good cleaning. But you have to be careful how you clean glass because it’s very easy to damage. If you use abrasive cleaners, you could scratch the glass and make it look cloudy. If you’re wondering how to clean glass fireplace doors, this is an easy, foolproof method!
Here’s how I got my dirty glass fireplace doors looking like new.
Materials you’ll need to clean glass fireplace doors
- ammonia
- plastic garbage bag
- glass baking dishes
- glass measuring cup
- rubber gloves
- a soft sponge
Step 1: Remove glass fireplace doors
I was lucky that this was an easy option for me. All I had to do was loosen a few screws and I was able to remove the glass from the frame. If you aren’t able to remove the glass, keep reading. I’ve included some other options for you!
Step 2: Place glass in a large heavy duty garbage bag
Next, you’ll need a bag big enough to hold the glass and strong enough so it doesn’t accidently rip or leak. (Large capacity, heavy duty contractor bags work well) I didn’t want the flat pieces of glass to sit on top of each other because I wanted space between the glass for the fumes to reach the dirty areas. So, when I placed the glass in the bag, I stacked each piece on glass baking dish.
Step 3: Add ammonia
Then, I added a cup of ammonia to each baking dish. I did this outside where it was well ventilated. Make sure to tightly tie the bag closed. (I held my bag closed with a large, heavy rock!) The fumes from the ammonia loosen the baked on crud, so you want to make sure the bag is well sealed to keep the fumes in to do all the hard work for you. This works best if you place the bag outside in the sun on a warm sunny day. The heat will really get those fumes going. I did this on a cooler 50 degree day and it still worked.
Step 4: Let the glass sit for at least 24 hours
The ammonia will do all the work for you by loosening the baked on crud.
Step 5: Remove the glass from the bag
Wear rubber gloves so the ammonia doesn’t come in contact with your skin and remove the glass from the plastic bag. Rinse with warm soapy water and a sponge or soft cloth. Do not use anything abrasive that will scratch the glass. The crud should come off easily. You can see it easily wiped right off!
Finally, after rinsing and drying the glass, I put it back on the fireplace.
Here is the before and after! So much better, don’t you think!
Safety precautions:
- Do this outside where it is well ventilated. The ammonia fumes are good at cleaning, but not good for you to breath in.
- Do not combine ammonia with any other cleaning agents, especially bleach. When ammonia and bleach are combined, they create chloramine – a gas that is EXTREMELY toxic.
- Do not use this technique on glass that has any type of acrylic, plastic, optical or UV coatings (like reading glasses or car windows for example) Ammonia can damage these types of coatings.
Can’t remove the glass from your fireplace? Try these options:
Cerama Bryte (Amazon) – Cerama Bryte is a cleaning product made for glass cooktops. It will not scratch or damage glass. Be sure to use a soft sponge or Cerama Bryte cleaning pad. Do not use steel wool, abrasive powder, or cleansers that can scratch the glass and make it look cloudy.
Rutland Products Hearth and Grill Conditioning Glass Cleaner (Amazon) – This product is specifically made to remove baked on creosote and carbon from glass fireplace doors.
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