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A blanket "carmelized" onto a wood burning stove

June 24, 2009

I'm house-sitting for my sister and her boyfriend.

The other day, I was really cold and held a blanket in front of a lit Webster (Wild Oak series) wood-burning stove, when I heard the puppy yelping and screeching outside in the back yard. I have to keep a close eye on her because of coyotes being spotted in this neighborhood of Big Bear, California (SoCal).

I dropped the blanket and ran out to get her!

She was okay (thank god!). Just got excited at other animals, I guess.

But when I got back into the house, the blanket was melting onto the stove!

At first I tried to wipe it off, but it was too sticky and decided to wait for it to dry, then try to remove it.

The next morning, I spent over 3 hours removing "caramelized" chunks of blanket off the surfaces only to find at least one layer of coating coming off with the blanket!

I can't remove all of the mess and I don't know what to do or use next.

Do I use WD-40 [on eBay or Amazon] or vinegar [in bulk on eBay or Amazon] or other oils to soften and remove the rest without further damage?

What about the finish?

What is the difficulty rating in this?

My sister and her boyfriend said to not worry about it, but I'd like to do as much as possible before they come home.

Thank you for any possible help.

Natalie Barrett
amateur - Big Bear, California, USA

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Paint stripper might work.

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
June 29, 2009