An Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven with its glass door open
An Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven with its glass door open

How to Clean a Karu 16 Glass Oven Door

The large glass door on Ooni’s Karu 16 oven lets you keep a watchful eye on your creations while maintaining oven temperatures.  Say goodbye to needing to open the door to check out what’s going on. This is all thanks to the ViewFlame™ technology used to make the door that keeps the window from getting sooty and opaque. Air streams over the glass’ surface to prevent soot from building up allowing you to look in on your pizzas in real time as they bake. 

Even with Ooni’s newest tech, if you run the oven with an overfilled fuel tray (too much wood or charcoal back there) or use poor quality fuel (always opt for kiln-dried hardwood and lumpwood charcoal), then the glass on the door may still turn black. 

Never fear. With a few simple cleaning steps (and prevention tips for next time), your glass door will be squeaky clean and transparent again.

To clean your glass door:

  1. Allow the oven to cool, remove the door and then wipe the glass with a dry paper towel to remove the majority of the soot.
  2. Create a solution of one part vinegar and three parts water, then apply it to the glass with a clean rag or paper towel. 
  3. Let the vinegar solution sit on the glass for five minutes. 
  4. If there’s a stubborn spot, let the solution sit for 10 minutes. 
  5. Use the coarse side of a sponge to clean the glass with the solution. 
  6. Rinse the glass with water.
  7. Use dry paper towels to soak up the excess water and make sure the glass is completely dry before firing up the oven again. 
  8. Re-attach your door, fire up and enjoy watching your pizza bake.  

To prevent soot build-up in the future:

  • Always use quality fuels: kiln-dried hardwood and lumpwood charcoal are a must. Our Assorted Oak Pack5” Oak Logs and Lumpwood Charcoal are all designed for use in our ovens. You can also purchase these types of fuels at your local hardware store. 
  • Top your fuel tray often but in small increments. Remember, overfilling the fuel tray can lessen airflow through the grate and cause excess soot, which can build up on the glass door. 
Previous article How Derrick Tung of Paulie Gee’s Logan Square Invented His Lap Cheong Chinese New Year Pizza