How to remove scratches from glass & How to prevent them

Learn the most effective ways to remove scratches on glass and how to prevent them.

Key points:

How to remove scratches on glass simply and efficiently:
Determine the thickness of the glass and the extent of the damage.
Choose the appropriate way to polish the glass from the recommendations below.
If the glass surface is severely damaged, seek professional help.
Follow our recommendations to avoid glass scratches in the future.

Almost all of us have probably had to ask ourselves the question, “how do you remove scratches on glass?” After all, glass is a very fragile material that requires careful attention and care. As a rule, the cause of scratches, or even cracks, on glass surfaces is a careless attitude or a ridiculous accident. Dropped your glasses on the floor? The cat scratched the walls of the aquarium with his claws, trying to eat fish? Then you need to polish the glass. With some smart tips and simple ideas from Insiderius, you will know how to remove scratches from glass and how to polish glass at home.

Before you start removing scratches, make sure that the damaged surface is made of glass and not plastic. Try the product of your choice on a small area of the surface to avoid damaging the entire piece.

Polishing thin glass

There are various methods on how you can remove scratches from glass, including thin glass. This could include eyeglass or watch glass, smartphone or tablet screens, furniture or glassware, and the options below can help you get rid of minor surface scratches.

Toothpaste

This product is great for removing minor scratches from eyeglass lenses, watch glass, smartphone screens or monitors. To remove scratches from glass, use whitening toothpaste. This will help you get the best results because of the abrasives it contains.

Before you polish the glass, carefully wipe the damaged surface with a soft, damp cloth.

Take a cotton pad and squeeze some toothpaste onto it.

Work on the damaged surface with this disc. Polish the glass in a circular motion for a few minutes.

When the desired result is achieved, wipe off the paste residue with a damp cloth or a soft napkin.

Ammonia solution

To make an ammonia solution, you will need 15g of dry ammonia and 0.5l of water.
Combine the ingredients and wet a soft cloth or cotton pad with the solution.
Treat the damaged surface until you achieve the desired result (on average, the procedure takes from 1 minute).

Nail polish

Colorless nail polish is ideal for masking shallow to medium scratches on the surface of fine glassware, glassware of appliances or glasses.

Clean dust and any other contaminants from the damaged surface. To do this, you can use Cif wet glass wipes.
Apply colorless varnish to the scratch with a thin brush.
Allow the item to dry (approximately one hour).
Moisten a cotton swab with acetone and gently wipe off any excess lacquer.
Wipe the item with a damp cloth or soft cloth.

Polishing thick glass

This type of glass can include car windshields, windows, showcases or the walls of aquariums. Scratches of varying depths can be removed from thick glass using a drill with felt tips or a polishing machine. In the case of severe damage, we recommend that you seek professional assistance.

The following procedure should be followed:

Remove any dirt of any kind from the damaged surface.
Use a suitable detergent, then wipe with a damp cloth and dry the glass with paper towels.
Highlight the scratches with a marker so that they are easy to see.
Apply glass polishing paste to the felt pad of the drill and onto the damaged area of glass.
Bring the drill or polisher to the glass surface at a slight angle and turn it on.
Smoothly polish the damaged area in a circular motion, making sure not to overheat the glass. If necessary, pause the machine and spray the glass with water from a spray gun.
When the desired result is achieved – wash the surface with a detergent, wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it with paper towels.

WARNING!
Be extremely careful when handling glass. Do it in a well-lit room and wear protective gloves to avoid cuts.

How to prevent scratches on glass

Glass polishing can be a serious problem which our tips can help solve. But it would be much easier to avoid scratches on a fragile surface than to deal with the consequences.

Here are a few basic tips to help prevent scratches on glass:

1) Never wipe glass surfaces with newspaper or a rough cloth. Use soft cloths or microfiber cloths.

2) Use a special detergent to clean the glass. When using a detergent or baking soda solution, make sure that there are no small particles, granules or grits left in the solution.