How To Clean Tempered Glass (Quickly & Easily!)
Tempered glass is one of the most durable types of glass in the world, which is why it’s often used in convenience store counters, cellphones, as well as commercial furniture. When you first get it, it has a tendency of having a shiny, pristine look that’s not unlike regular glass. As the years pass, though, it starts to become harder to clean and even a little cloudy. Thankfully, if you clean it the right way, you can restore it to its former glory…
Removing the cloudiness from tempered glass doesn’t have to be an ordeal. To do it, follow the instructions below:
- To clean your tempered glass, mix one tablespoon dish soap with two cups of water.
- Apply the solution to the glass and let it sit for five minutes so that it can absorb any grime in your glass.
- Wipe the area down with a damp sponge.Â
- Wipe the area dry with a clean microfiber rag.
Being able to clean tempered glass properly is a must if you want to be able to maintain your furniture. However, there is so much more to this issue than meets the eye. Let’s delve deeper into the topic…
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Why Is My Tempered Glass Cloudy?
It can be alarming to see a white haze form over your tempered glass, but it’s not something to freak out about. In most cases, the white clouds you see forming are built up from roller lint, dust, and grime. Since tempered glass is mildly textured, it’s often hard to get all the dust and dirt off your glass without proper cleaning.
Does Scratching Increase The Cloudiness In Tempered Glass?
Yes and no. A little scratching is not going to make clouds appear on your glass. However, it can exacerbate issues that your glass is having. This is particularly true if the tempered glass in question is on a cellphone. Scratches can make it hard to properly operate a phone with this type of glass, not to mention also make your glass look rather terrible.
What Should You Do If You’re Unsure Of Your Glass’s Tempering Status?
Tempered glass is not the same as regular glass. It’s designed to break into rounded bubbles rather than sharp glass. If you’re unsure whether or not your glass is tempered, use this guide to determine if you have tempered glass. From there, you can figure out which cleaning procedure you should follow.
Can You Use Windex To Clean Tempered Glass?
One of the more common misconceptions that people have about tempered glass is that you can clean them with glass or most types of cleaners. While this is potentially possible, it’s really not a smart idea. The truth is that harsh chemicals can sink into the glass and actually scratch your glass.
Though there are plenty of instances where people have used Windex to clean tempered glass, it’s not a good idea. This is doubly true if the tempered glass in question is part of a cellphone. Windex and bleaches can remove the hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings that make tempered glass so resilient to stains.
Which Products Work Well For Cleaning Tempered Glass?
There are several products that are good for cleaning tempered glass. None of them are Windex or bleach. If you want to stock up on cleaners that are safe for tempered glass, get the following in your cleaning arsenal:
- Dish Soap. Without a doubt, dish soap is one of the greatest things to ever happen to your cleaning arsenal. It’s strong enough to cling to dust, but is gentle enough to work with almost any material. It won’t just clean a Ninja blender. It’ll clean glass too.
- Microfiber Cloths. Though you can use other rags and cloths, microfiber is the preferred cleaning material since it’s so gentle on the glass.
- Lens Cleaning Wipes. Do you know those cute little lens cleaning wipes that are typically used for glasses? They can work well in a pinch if you have to clean tempered glass from a phone or camera lens.
An Alternate Way To Clean Tempered Glass
Did you run fresh out of dish soap? There is still a simple way to clean tempered glass without having a seriously annoying issue. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:
- Mix a solution that is 60 percent rubbing alcohol and 40 percent water. No need to stir, it tends to work perfectly well on its own.
- Dip a microfiber cloth in the solution and start to wipe down the glass. You don’t need to soak the rag, but you will need to have a decent amount to ensure that your glass is sanitized. Think of a lens wipe, and you’ll have a good idea of how damp the wipe should be.
- Let the glass air dry. This will only take a couple of seconds.
While this can be used for glass tables, most people prefer to use this cleaning method for phones. It’s easy to see why. It’s a fast way to make sure that your phone will be sanitized without being covered by soap.
Can You Use A Window Scraper On Tempered Glass?
Tempered glass is a lot more sensitive than its nickname of “safety glass” suggests. It’s surprisingly easy to scratch this glass, which is why you shouldn’t use rough cloths on it. Sadly, this also happens to mean that using a window scraper to force off grime and dirt clinging to your glass.
Because a scraper literally scrapes stuff off, it’s very likely that it will scratch off some of the subtle uneven bumps on the glass. These bumps or uneven textures can occur in any and all types of tempered glass. Moreover, they aren’t always easy to spot. Rather than risk a mess with your glass, skip the squeegee.
Does WD-40 Repair Tempered Glass Scratches?
One of the most awkward things about the way people treat WD-40 is how they assume it’s a panacea for all things home-related. While it *can* clean a grease stain out of a carpet and grease a joint, the truth is that it’s not meant to repair everything. This goes for glass, too. So, no, it cannot repair tempered glass scratches.
WD-40 is a lubricant, not a polish. Trying to use it as a polish is only going to make your table a greasy mess that’s even harder to clean than what you initially had.
Can You Clean Tempered Glass With Baking Soda?
While baking soda is one of the most commonly-used cleaning agents that you might find, it is not a cleaning material that you should ever use on glass. It doesn’t matter whether it’s tempered or not, either. People underestimate how abrasive baking soda can be and how quickly glass can be scratched.
As a result of the abrasive nature of baking soda, it should never be used to clean glass or mirrors. If you’re having a hard time with getting stuff that is seriously stuck to your tempered glass, leave the dish soap solution on for a longer amount of time. Or, if it’s extremely bad, just go for straight dish soap and skip the dilution portion of the tutorial.
Is Tempered Glass Easy To Clean?
When compared to other types of glass, the answer is yes and no. Tempered glass is not typically cleaned with Windex, simply because it needs to be gently wiped. Because it’s not cleaned by “stereotypical” methods, people might be a little surprised by what they need in order to do a proper cleaning. Aside from the extra effort it can take to thoroughly clean tempered glass, you won’t see much of a difference.
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Related Questions
Does vinegar leave streaks on glass?
While there are a bunch of cleaners that are known for leaving streaks, vinegar is not one of them. Vinegar is excellent when it comes to dissolving the oils and grease that cause streaks. As long as adequate vinegar is used to clean the glass or mirror in question, you should not see streaking.If streaking is a major issue, try to wipe the item in question with a crumpled-up wad of newspaper. This will actually help absorb the grease that causes streaking while helping your glass dry.
Is tempered glass breakable?
A common misconception about tempered glass is that it’s unbreakable. The truth is that it’s stronger than most other glass, but it’s not impenetrable. Tempered glass can still break, but it will take a bigger impact than what you would expect to have with other glass types.Tempered glass is meant to be resilient, but it’s more importantly made to break differently. When tempered glass breaks, it doesn’t shatter. It breaks into smaller, rounded edges. This is why tempered glass is sometimes called safety glass.
Can you use vinegar for tempered glass cleaning?
It’s a mixed bag, to say the least. Many people believe that vinegar, on its own, is too harsh a cleaner. Others believe it’s just better to stick to rubbing alcohol. However, some believe that a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution can work well.
Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.
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