It’s more confusing than difficult to clean glass. There are a lot of cleaning products on the market that promise to make window cleaning quick and easy. It is quick and easy as long as you do it right.
Most people clean glass when it’s dry, because that’s when they see the smudges or dirt. They use a dry paper towel, handkerchief, shop rag or shirt sleeve to wipe the glass. This smears the smudge around or maybe even grinds the dirt into the glass. Technically glass is a liquid, which is why it can be easily scratched.
Decide whether to use a retail glass cleaner or make your own.
• If you use a retail glass cleaner, read the contents label.
o It may have ammonia, which cleans the best but has strong fumes and leaves streaks. It may have alcohol, which dries quicker. It may be a combination. Both are effective, but they are flammable too.
o Some glass cleaners are tinted liquid in squirt bottles and some are foamy in aerosol cans. Wipe fast with a tinted liquid, it can streak the glass. Foamy cleaners stay put, which is great for inside windshields. However, they may contain petroleum products that are harmful in large amounts.
o Most environmentally safe cleaners have citric acid. This is an effective cleaner, but you have to dry it off quickly so it won’t eat into the glass, damaging it.
• If you make your own glass cleaner, use the proper ingredients.
o A simple, effective homemade glass cleaner contains vinegar and water mixed equally at a 1:1 ratio.
o Pilkington, a leading window manufacturer, recommends one part vinegar to 10 parts water for tinted or treated glass. Anything stronger can damage the tinting.
o Consumer Reports recommends a mixture of 7 pints of water, 1 pint of rubbing alcohol and a half-cup of ammonia. This mixture cleans better than vinegar and water, just be sure to follow the recipe specifically; it is toxic if swallowed.
o Never use bleach or abrasives in a glass cleaner mixture. The resulting fumes are toxic. Plus they damage the glass.
o If you are going to store homemade glass cleaner, tint it with blue food coloring so that you remember what it is.
Clean the glass without damaging it.
• When you apply the cleaner to the glass use a clean, dry cloth. Preferably the glass is dry too. If there is no visible dirt on the glass, first spray the cleaner on the clean, dry cloth instead of spraying it directly on the glass. Ignore your grandmother’s advice and don’t use newspaper. It sticks to the glass and gets your hands dirty for no good reason.
• Never use brushes, abrasives (like powder tub and tile cleaner or baking soda), razor blades, credit cards or steel wool. Glass scratched with these things usually must be replaced.
• If you have never used a particular glass cleaner before test it on a small part of the glass.
Make sure it dries clear. If the glass is cloudy there is residue left behind and possibly chemical damage to the glass.
• Use a squeegee to remove excess cleaner from the glass before you dry it.
• Dry the glass with a separate cloth. There are new micro-fiber cloths that do an amazing job of removing cleaner without leaving spots. A water-soaked chamois also will work but it may smear.
• Be sure to get all of the glass cleaner off the glass, or it will dry into a film that slowly contaminates the glass.
• Watch out if you get glass cleaner on latex paint. It could take the paint right off.
Consider using a glass treatment protector.
• Now there are a number of glass treatments that repel water, such as Aquapel® by PPG. Most are designed for windshields, but they can be applied to shower doors, mirrors and windows as well. Glass treatments can reduce glare, too.
• Make sure the glass is thoroughly clean and dry before applying a glass protector. The glass protector also needs time to dry according to the instructions.
If you clean the glass and notice scratches or foggy patches, take your vehicle to your local Glass Doctor franchise shop or ask the shop to send a professional glass service technician to your home or business to examine the glass. Our technicians may be able to use special equipment to restore the glass to its original condition. If a single pane is damaged, it may be easily replaced instead of having to replace an entire window. Of course, if you clean your glass carefully you might be ready to become a professional.
References:
“Homemade cleaning products,” Consumer Reports, Dec. 2006.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/news/december-2006/homemade-cleaning-products-12-06/overview/0612_homemade-cleaning-products_ov.htm
“Pilkington ComfortPlusTM – Cleaning,” Pilkington Group Ltd., Sept. 2000.
http://www.pilkington.com.au/applications/products/asia+and+australasia/australia/english/bybenefit/solar+control/products/pilkington+comfortplus/cleaning.htm
About Glass Doctor®:
Established in 1962, Glass Doctor is the largest chain of full-service glass replacement providers in the nation. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500,” Glass Doctor franchisees offer complete glass replacement, service and repairs to the automotive, residential and commercial markets at more than 360 locations in the United States. Glass Doctor is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc. For further information or to find the location nearest you, visit http://www.glassdoctor.com.
Monday, November 5, 2007
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