- 1). Read your owner's manual to make sure your cleaning procedures don't invalidate the warranty. This is rarely a problem with recent fireplaces, but older models have a number of restrictions.
- 2). Remove the sooty buildup with a razor blade or paint scraper. You can skip this step if there is only minimal black debris on the windows.
- 3). Spray the windows with an ammonia-based cleaner. You can make your own with a mixture of equal parts ammonia and water.
- 4). Using clean towels, start wiping the windows in a circular motion. You won't be able to remove all of the buildup with a single wash. Spray and wipe at least three times.
- 5). Use wet newspaper with a little bit of ash sprinkled on it if there are spots that won't come off with just the ammonia cleaner. The newspaper and ash will scrape off stubborn particles that ammonia alone will not remove.
- 6). Allow the window to dry completely once all the visible soot has been removed. Spray and wipe down the windows one more time with ammonia and water. This will prevent most of the fogging from ash and sooty remains that aren't visible.