Does glass scratch in car windows, windows, clocks, or glass tables? You can often remove annoying scratches yourself with simple home remedies. Our guide shows the best way to proceed and what needs to be observed so that the glass does not get even more scratches.
Removing glass scratches: the most important things at a glance
- You can often successfully remove or at least mitigate light to medium-deep scratches in glass by polishing.
- Home remedies are an effective alternative to traditional glass polish.
- For light scratches, for example, toothpaste, ammonia, baking soda, baking powder, metal polish are suitable.
- For deeper scratches, for example in Windows and windshields, glass-ceramic cleaners are ideal.
- As an alternative or in addition to polishing, we recommend filling the scratches with clear substances.
Can you remove scratches from glass?
Unsightly scratches in the glass are usually caused by a brief carelessness or willful destruction. If the scratch is too deep, you will not be able to repair damaged glass with either home remedies or chemical alternatives – then only this will helpless insurance. But of course, it is worth a try before you have the glass completely replaced. Most home remedies for removing scratches from glass are at home anyway.
The basic principle is always the same: You need a polishing agent that removes the top layers of glass and thereby eliminates fine cracks and softens deep cracks. Patience and caution are required.
Caution: Be aware that in the worst case, slight abrasion can also lead to milky glass or further scratches.
Preparation: This must be done before the treatment
- Thoroughly clean the glass with washing-up liquid or window cleaner. Then dry the scratched area thoroughly.
- Take a microfiber cloth and rinse it out with lukewarm water. Squeeze out the excess moisture so that the cloth stops dripping. The cloth should be absolutely free of crumbs and lint so that the removal takes place evenly and no new scratches occur.
Tip: Wrap the cloth around your index finger to measure the amount of polishing compound and to be able to work precisely on the scratched area.
Home remedies for light scratches in the glass
Toothpaste
Area of application: Superficial glass scratches, for example in clocks or glass tables
You need: Microfiber cloth, a small swab of white toothpaste (no gel) without added abrasive balls
Instructions:
- Dab toothpaste on the scratch. Start with a small amount and add more if necessary.
- Rub in with small, circular movements for 30 seconds.
- Wash off the toothpaste with a clean cloth and lukewarm water.
- Repeat the process until the glass scratch is no longer visible.
Ammonia
Areas of application: Superficial glass scratches, for example in windows and on the car
You need: microfiber cloth, 15 milliliters of ammonia, 0.75 liters of water, washing-up gloves
Instructions:
- Put on gloves to protect the skin.
- Mix ammonia and water in a bowl to form a solution.
- Polish the scratched glass with the ammonia solution using circular movements for a maximum of 30 seconds.
- Remove the mixture with a clean cloth and lukewarm water. Repeat until the scratched glass is no longer visible.
Baking soda
Application: Superficial glass scratches on thick glasses
You need: microfiber cloth, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of water
Instructions:
- Mix baking soda and water in a 1: 1 ratio in a bowl until all of the lumps have dissolved.
- Take up the soda solution with the cloth.
- Rub in with circular movements for a maximum of 30 seconds.
- Remove the mixture with a clean cloth and lukewarm water.
- Repeat until the scratch in the glass can no longer be seen.
Baking powder
Area of application: Superficial glass scratches on thick glasses You need: Microfiber cloth, baking powder, water
Instructions:
- Mix baking soda and water in a 2: 1 ratio in a bowl until all the lumps have dissolved.
- Take up the soda solution with the microfiber cloth.
- Rub in using circular movements for a maximum of 30 seconds.
- Remove the mixture with a clean cloth and lukewarm water.
- Repeat until the scratch is no longer visible.
Metal polish
Areas of application: Superficial glass scratches on thick and finer glasses
You need: Microfiber cloth, metal polish solution, rubbing alcohol
Instructions:
- Wrap a microfiber cloth around your finger.
- Apply a small amount of metal polish to the cloth.
- Rub scratches with the polishing cloth for 30 to 40 seconds using circular movements.
- Remove metal polish with a clean cloth and lukewarm water.
- Repeat until the scratched glass is no longer visible.
Tip: The metal polish that works best contains cerium oxide. Paris red also works but is more expensive.
Home remedies for deep glass scratches
Glass-ceramic cleaner
Area of application: Medium-deep glass scratches on thick glasses
You need: Microfiber cloth, glass-ceramic cleaner for cooking surfaces
Instructions:
- Apply glass ceramic cleaner to the cloth.
- Rub over the scratch with light pressure and slow movements.
- Wash off the glass-ceramic cleaner with lukewarm water.
- Repeat until the scratch is no longer visible.
Note: The glass-ceramic cleaner also seals the scratched area.
How can I hide deep scratches in the glass?
- Touch up scratches in the glass with nail polish
If all attempts to repair the glass scratch by polishing have failed, you can reduce the visual conspicuousness by filling it with nail polish. However, you need a certain instinct because the intact glass surface should come into contact with the nail polish as little as possible. Area of
application: Deep glass scratches, even on smaller areas
You need: Clear nail polish, nail polish remover, microfiber cloth
Instructions:
- Apply as little of the nail polish as possible to scratch in the glass.
- Let the paintwork for about an hour so that the liquid can settle deep into the scratch.
- Now remove the excess polish with nail polish remover on a microfiber cloth.
Tip: Make sure to use as little nail polish remover as possible to avoid that it also settles deep into the cracks and softens the concealing effect.
- Touch up scratches in the glass with Canada balsam
If you want to remove deep scratches on the glass, you can use Canada balsam as an alternative to clear nail polish. The transparent drying tree resin has a similar refractive index as glass and therefore fits into the glass almost imperceptibly.
Area of application: Deep glass scratches on large surfaces You need Canada balsam, microfiber cloth Instructions: Follow the instructions on the package.
Tip: Filling in scratches only makes sense if you are dealing with a few, deep scratches. Using nail polish or Canada balm on a lot of dense scratches will only draw more attention to the masked scratches.
Professional removal of glass scratches
- Glass polish
Special glass polish (or whitewashing chalk) is probably the most obvious alternative to the household remedies described and is often described as the safest option for removing glass scratches – because the abrasion strength is specially adapted to the glass material. The glass polish may have to be dissolved with water depending on the initial consistency. Please refer to the instructions on the package. The glass polish is rubbed onto the affected area with either a cloth or a polishing machine using light pressure and circular movements.
- Glass scratch repair kit
Special glass scratch repair kits promise a professional removal of glass scratches. This includes glass polish, polishing pads and a grinding wheel that is permanently mounted on the drill. In order not to damage the glass, you should work with the drill on the lowest level. But even the special kit does not work miracles. Fine hairline scratches are reduced, deep scratches cannot be removed with a machine.
- Polished red
Polishing red is used in the artistic and technical fields for grinding hard materials, including glass. As with the home remedies described above, the polishing red is also applied to the scratched area in the glass using a polishing cloth with circular movements.
Tip: If there are stubborn polish residues on the glass, the best way to remove them is with an ammonia solution.
Can you repair scratches on glass without damaging the glass?
It is possible for the glass to become matt in the polished area where the scratch was in the glass. So decide beforehand whether you can live with this visual consistency. A single scratch may be less noticeable than a milky spot on the glass. In general, you should polish as selectively as possible so as not to damage “healthy” glass.
How do I remove scratches on my smartphone?
The home remedies toothpaste and baking powder are particularly suitable for mending scratches on the display of a smartphone. But be careful: buttons and connections should be masked off beforehand.
Can I repair scratches in the lens?
If there are scratches in glass glasses, you can try light home remedies such as toothpaste and baking powder, but the success is usually only minor. Professional glass polish is also available in stores, but these often only give moderate results. With plastic glasses, the chances of success are better. Here you can use special plastic polish. Sunscreen with a high sun protection factor and car polish is also an alternative to plastic lenses as home remedies.
Leave a Reply