Glass doors make a great addition to any fireplace. They can help you keep the fire inside the hearth (where you want it), and they can also help prevent gases and smoke from escaping the fireplace and entering your room. One problem with glass doors is that they tend to get dirty from all the soot, creosote and carbon deposits that come off of your fire.

Cleaning Your Fireplace's Glass Doors

If you've tried cleaning the glass doors on your fireplace with normal glass cleaner, you probably have not had much luck. The stuff that cakes up on fireplace glass is totally different from normal dirt and dust. It's stickier, it's tougher, and it's much harder to remove. For these reasons, it's usually necessary to buy special glass cleaner that is designed for fireplaces.

Luckily, fireplace glass cleaner isn't much more expensive than normal glass cleaner. The difficulty comes in finding it--usually you have to go to a fireplace dealer or a local hardware store. It usually comes in spray bottles (just like normal glass cleaner) and will last you several years, so investing in a bottle is definitely worth it.

Some types of fireplace glass cleaner actually contain a special silicone shield that adheres itself to the glass once the cleaner has dried. This silicone shield will actually prevent creosote and soot from adhering to the glass, so it will stay clean longer. When it does come time to clean the glass, you'll find that the deposits come off much easier if they're lying on top of the silicone layer.