Cleaning techniques for glass surfaces
Windows, glass coffee tables and other glass surfaces inevitably get dirty and grimy over time, and often a normal wipe down doesn’t seem to help as much as it should. Without the right technique and cleaning fluid, it’s likely that cleaning your glass surfaces will leave smudges and cleaning streaks, which is more than annoying.
Luckily, with the right technique and washing liquid, cleaning your glass surfaces can be quick and easy. From windows, indoor glass surfaces such as cabinets and glass coffee tables, and outdoor surfaces such as glass for garden tables and greenhouses, you can have your whole house looking spotless, inside and out! Me and My Glass show you the techniques on how to clean glass surfaces with ease.
Preparation
While you can buy glass-cleaning products from any general store, we recommend making your own glass-cleaning liquid at home, as it’s just as effective as store-bought liquids, and is much cheaper.
To make your glass cleaning liquid, you have multiple options depending on what you have at home. You can either make:
- A mixture of two quarts (half a gallon) of water, with two tablespoons of dishwashing liquid mixed in
- A solution of half distilled white vinegar and half water
- Half a gallon of warm water with two tablespoons of ammonia mixed in
- A mixture made up of half rubbing alcohol and half vinegar, with a few drops of washing-up liquid
Any of these solutions, along with store-bought products, should leave your glass surfaces looking spotless. But for them to work properly, you need the right equipment.
If you’ve opted to use a home-made cleaning liquid, we recommend pouring it into an empty spray bottle so it can be applied easier. Now, to select your tool of choice.
We recommend using a microfibre cloth, but a soft cloth that is lint free, or a coffee filter are both equally usable. The important thing is to use something that won’t leave lint behind, or scratch your glass surface. A squeegee is also viable, however these can be tricky to use, so generally it’s best to stick to clothes.
Oh, and you’ll also want to grab some newspaper, as it’ll come in handy later.
Cleaning
Though it’s not absolutely necessary, lightly dusting down your windows and other glass surfaces beforehand can be a useful extra step. Doing this will remove any excess dust particles before cleaning, ensuring they won’t scrape against your glass as you clean and leave horrible little scratch marks.
For flat surfaces such as garden table glass or glass coffee tables, simply spray your solution generously onto the surface, and then wipe it down with circular motions. For windows, you’ll want to start at the top and work your way down.
The final, and often unknown element of cleaning windows is using newspapers! It may surprise you, but wiping down your glass surfaces immediately after they’ve been cleaned with old newspaper is the best way to ensure a streak-free finish.
Extra Advice
One of the most important aspects of cleaning windows is using the right materials. Make sure your cleaning cloth is made from microfibre if possible, and is definitely lint-free. Using newspaper to wipe-down after is the best way to dry your windows off to ensure no streaks are left behind.
Work fast – taking too long will let the cleaning product and water begin to dry onto your glass, leaving behind mist marks. The quicker you clean, the better your glass will look.
Make your own cleaning fluid. It’s just as easy, if not easier than buying branded glass-cleaning liquid. It’s just as effective, and significantly cheaper – there really is no reason not to! That being said, if you do choose to buy your cleaning liquid make sure to check the labels for any advice from the manufacturer.
Don’t use cotton! Doing so will leave behind lint on your glass surfaces, defeating the whole point of cleaning them.
If you follow these steps, your glass surfaces both inside and outside your house are guaranteed to be gleaming and absolutely streak-free.
