Toilet      03.11.2023

How to remove scratches on glass? How to get rid of scratches on windows at home Removing scratches on plastic windows

Sooner or later, any person has questions regarding the restoration and processing of glass surfaces. Someone accidentally scratched their phone, someone needs to tidy up their car glass or do stained glass work. Simply put, a lot of situations arise, because today glass elements and parts are found almost everywhere. The glass itself is quite fragile, so it has to be renewed periodically. Of course, it’s much easier to just treat glass with care. But if the problem does arise, then you need to know for sure how to remove scratches from the glass so as not to spoil it. Today we will take a look at the most effective and popular ways to restore the integrity of glass surfaces.

Glass care rules

To prevent removing scratches from glass in the future from taking up a lot of your free time, you should first figure out how to properly care for this material. So, remember the following rules:

  • Learn how to wash glass correctly. In this situation, stop using newspaper, which our grandmothers and great-grandmothers used to rub on glass and mirrors to give them a glossy, mirror-like shine.

Important! Modern printed materials contain very coarse particles that scratch the glass. First, small cracks appear, and after a couple of such rubbings, quite deep scratches form, which can really be seen with the naked eye. You cannot use newspapers to care for frosted glass.

  • Always use a cloth that is most suitable for wiping glass surfaces. The main thing is that it is tender and soft, attracts dust and absorbs moisture well. Material with prickly pile will definitely be superfluous here.
  • Avoid using too aggressive chemicals, as they may make the glass more susceptible to mechanical stress.
  • If you wash the glass with washing powder, make sure that it is completely dissolved in water, because the remaining coarse particles can damage it and leave a whole grid-like pattern on the glass.

If damage does occur, then try to correct the situation using the proven methods described below.

The most popular ways to remove scratches from glass

First, before you do anything and try out the most effective methods in practice, assess the scale of the tragedy. That is, look how noticeable and large these scratches are. The glass can change a lot in appearance if they really get that serious.

If everything is that bad, then try these options:

  1. High-quality and thorough washing. Are you sure it's really a scratch? To understand 100%, you need to thoroughly wash the glass and wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth - quite often pieces of dirt stuck to the surface are mistaken for scratches. So follow this procedure first.
  2. Toothpaste. It would be better if it was a whitening paste. But the main thing is not to use gel paste. You need to moisten a cotton swab in it and use circular rubbing movements to treat the defect areas clockwise, and then in the opposite direction. It is recommended to repeat this procedure several times to achieve the best effect. Then the glass should be washed so that no traces of paste remain on it.
  3. Paste GOI. She copes perfectly with such problems. Previously, it was sold in almost every store, but today it is difficult to find real high-quality grout among the huge number of fakes. But if you still catch luck by the tail and get the original paste, then you should rub it in the same way as toothpaste. It is only recommended to use a piece of felt instead of a cotton swab.
  4. Polishing agents. You can find them at a car cosmetics store. But you shouldn’t start treating the entire surface right away; it’s better to first apply the composition to an inconspicuous area of ​​the glass and make sure that the product really won’t spoil it. We are mainly talking about decorated and painted surfaces.
  5. Stained glass film. Of course, it will not remove the scratch completely, but it will help disguise it. Naturally, it is used in cases of the deepest scratches. The main thing is to stick it on carefully so that no bubbles form underneath.

Home remedies for removing scratches on glass

Above we looked at ways to eliminate defects using so-called special means. But what will “the people” tell us about how to remove scratches on glass using improvised means that can be found in any home?

These include the following options:

  1. Transparent nail polish. Many won't believe it, but it actually works miracles. It allows you to visually hide damage to items such as jewelry, watches and miniature vases. And for work you only need the varnish itself and a cardboard scraper. You need to apply a layer of varnish to the defect and scrape over it.
  2. Walnut. You only need to use its core, and it is better to discard the brown skin immediately. You should press the nut against the glass in a circular rubbing motion, and right before your eyes the scratch will begin to disappear.

Video material

Now you know how to remove scratches from glass using special and traditional methods, the main thing is to choose the right option so as not to completely ruin the item or surface. It is also important to have patience and time, because not all defects can be eliminated quickly and easily; sometimes you have to work hard.

February 27, 2013

Repairing scratched glass can be as easy as pie with some toothpaste and a little effort. The only question is whether it should be restored or better replaced. Not only does the glass restorer create a rainbow effect on the glass, but scratches reduce the strength of the window, leaving it vulnerable to cracking with just a light pressure on the desired spot.

It’s already upsetting that you can feel a scratch on the glass with your fingernail; it’s probably also so deep that it won’t be possible to fix it without leaving a trace. Polishing kits can leave an indentation with bubbles that refract light when the sun shines through the window. Depending on where the window is located, this could be a problem for you. If the scratch is located right in the center of your bay window, it will usually need to be replaced.

Working with minor scratches

For scratches that can be seen in the sun but cannot be felt with a fingernail, toothpaste is the best solution.

Toothpaste is the best solution to the problem of scratches on glass

Paste or cream works much better in this case than gel. Clean the glass thoroughly. It is better to clean the surface with a lint-free cloth. Apply a generous amount of toothpaste along the entire length of the scratch and wipe off the excess.

If you use a razor blade to scrape off excess toothpaste, do yourself (and your window) a favor.

Make movements in one direction only. “Scraping” the glass with movements back and forth, across the glass, can cause irreparable damage!

After the window is dry, take a piece of soft cloth and polish your window. The scratch will disappear immediately, along with the toothpaste. Sometimes, you get scratches that are barely noticeable, but they still bother you. Take your time using the paste. First, try polishing the glass with furniture polish. Just be careful to avoid scratchy materials - such as newspaper - while polishing. Your best choice is a soft, dry cloth.

Medium scratches

Most window cleaning professionals will tell you that there is no need to repair scratches on your window. But if you run your finger over a scratch and your nail gets into the groove, then this means that the window is too damaged to be restored. And yet, for those persistent jack-of-all-trades, there is a possible solution. A second treatment with toothpaste containing equal parts dry mustard and vinegar, and this mixture can fix scratches that are a little deeper. Apply toothpaste and polish with a clean cloth. If your scratch is still visible after sanding, it's time to move on to the next step - a professional scratch removal system.

Professional methods

Some scratch removal kits are sold both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. Auto glass restoration kits usually include everything you need to complete the task. Unfortunately, they can be quite expensive, and without professional knowledge, you may not be able to put them to good use. Look for products that do not contain abrasive ingredients. Cerium oxide and those that only scrape out scratches. The end effect is a reduction in the strength of your window. Home owners and their insurers will agree that it's better to replace a window right away than wait until it breaks.

Preventing scratches

Undoubtedly, the easiest way to take care of a scratch is to hide its presence in the first place.

Not all scratches can be fixed, but some common causes of scratched windows can be avoided, as follows:

  • Construction marks - mortar, putty and plaster - stick to the surface of a new window and, when cleaned off, create scratches. Some new products protect the window surface. They can be applied or sprayed onto glass at the factory, such films can be removed after construction is completed, and then the window simply needs to be washed.
  • Newspaper, hard towels and vigorous scrubbing can scratch the glass surface. Surprisingly, a diamond ring can do the same. Wash the window with a soft, clean cloth. If lint or streaks remain on the surface, use a lint-free towel and avoid wiping windows when the sun is shining on them.
  • Dirt or construction dust can very easily scratch a window when you wash it. If possible, first rinse or hose off the dust from the window before washing it.

Windows create the overall impression by which your home is judged. Stained, cloudy, dirty or scratched windows give the wrong impression. Correct the feeling of neglect and upgrade your home by restoring or replacing damaged window glass.


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Scratches on glass are a minor nuisance, but they can ruin your impression and mood. Glass is a rather specific material: hard, but fragile. Previously, it was impossible to eliminate scratches on glass at all, and even now it is not worth wasting time on large or deep damage - it is easier to replace the glass itself. But you can fight with small marks. How to remove scratches from glass - our useful tips.

Before using any of the above methods, the glass must be thoroughly cleaned: rinse with warm water, dry and treat with any product for cleaning glossy surfaces with alcohol or ammonia.

Do not use preparations with an oil composition!

How to remove small scratches, including mesh

  • Option 1 – Buy regular clear nail polish and remover. The glass must be washed, dried, and treated with a regular cleaner (it will remove traces of grease). Then apply varnish to the scratches and let it dry. And then take a little nail polish remover onto a cotton swab and rub it over the surface. This will remove all excess varnish, and the surface will become perfectly smooth.
  • Option 2 – polishing for metal. This pleasure is more expensive, but it is enough to apply a little of this composition on a soft flannel cloth and wipe the glass. After 5 minutes, repeat the procedure. Wipe until then. Until the scratch marks disappear.
  • Option 3 - use toothpaste, and only the cheapest one will do, white - not a gel, without different effects. Using a cotton swab with the applied pea paste, without pressing, use a circular motion to treat the area with the scratch. Then remove the remaining paste with a dry cloth. Repeat the procedure 5-6 times and the scratch will disappear.
  • Option 4 – liquid car polish. This composition is specifically designed for such purposes. The application technology is as follows: apply polish to the scratch itself and the same amount to a thick napkin or cloth. Treat all glass thoroughly.
  • Option 5. To remove scratches, there is a special GOI paste on sale. Before use, this composition must be heated to a molten state (this can be done even in an ordinary spoon over a gas burner). Next, use a soft cloth (felt is best) to scoop up the paste so that it is absorbed into the fabric, carefully apply it to the scratched area and rub it in with slow circular movements. In a few minutes there will be no trace of scratches.

The best option is GOI paste No. 4, and for very small scratches - No. 2.

  • Option 6 – traditional method: mustard and vinegar. Take 1 tablespoon of dry mustard and 1 tablespoon of regular vinegar. They need to be mixed and applied to the glass. Leave for 15 minutes until completely dry. Then simply wipe the glass with a clean soft rag. Microcracks will no longer be noticeable.
  • Option 7. Polishing with laundry soap. Take a little dry soap onto a clean finger and rub it on the scratch. And then polish with soft felt for about 10 minutes in a circular motion. They say it helps.
  • Option 8 is risky, but it is used in watch shops. Install a self-tapping screw with a large head into the drill, to which a piece of high-quality genuine leather is firmly glued. So they polish all the glass with it.
  • Option 9. The method is “smelly”, but effective. Add 5 ml of ammonia to a glass of warm water, then rub the scratch with a dampened rag in a circular motion for a long time. When it is no longer visible, rinse the glass with warm water.

What to do with large scratches

It is impossible to remove them with home remedies. But you can try to hide it. How? For example, using stained glass film. For windows, glass in doors and furniture - this is a great way to hide not only scratches, but also cracks and at the same time decorate the room and update its interior.

If some glass is very valuable, it is impossible to replace it, then there is an option - to update it. The procedure is quite complicated, time-consuming and expensive, but if necessary, then it is necessary. It consists of the following stages:

  • First, use 0-grit sandpaper to evenly sand the entire surface. Sand until the scratch is smoothed out.

  • Next, using the technology described above, use GOI paste - first No. 4, and then No. 2. You will need a lot of paste - it is better to heat it in a water bath. It is best to rub with a felt circle or flannel.

All glass structures require careful maintenance. This applies to glass decorating wooden windows, plastic or loggias. Any well-maintained glass transforms the window structure itself, and the appearance of the entire room becomes aesthetically pleasing, even larger in size. Any defect in the image of the window brings ugliness.

How to remove a scratch on glass.

If you see minor defects on your window glass, you can remove them by polishing. You can do the job using GOI paste. Decoding the abbreviation (State Optical Institute). This solution is used in optics for polishing glasses. You need to melt a small piece of paste, soak a rag with the resulting mixture, and polish it. After the procedure, you will see how smooth the surface will become and the scratches will disappear. But it will not be possible to remove deep defects in this way.

How to deal with deep defects on glass.

It is better not to touch the surface yourself. Self-polishing using a machine can distort the glass; you do not know the professional movements that need to be made during such work. That is, scratches can be removed, at least they will not be noticeable if you still try to remove the defects yourself. But if you then look through it, everything will be distorted, since the surface will become like a lens. It is better to contact professional companies engaged in such work. Employees will use sandpaper of the required size, as well as a paste with the desired structure (in most cases, these are coarse-grained diamond compounds). But after each time of grinding (there are 3 in total), the paste should be replaced with new, more gentle compounds. After careful grinding, the glass is polished again with the necessary mixture. Thus, professionals will produce removing scratches on glass.

There is an opinion that the glass in old windows and in new-fashioned double-glazed windows differ in composition, and it is not possible to remove scratches from a double-glazed window. Is this really true?

When manufacturing double-glazed windows, the float method is used. After melting quartz sand, limestone and soda in a furnace, glass is obtained, which is transported in the form of a ribbon to coolers. Next, it is placed in a special bath filled with molten tin, with which the glass is polished. Ordinary window glass is made from quartz sand, melted in a furnace, after which it is given the desired shape and polished with special grinding machines using water and special compounds. Therefore, removing scratches from ordinary glass is easier than from double-glazed glass. But even if you remove the defect, a magnifying glass will eventually appear in place of the scratch, which will be visible to the naked eye. So, if a scratch appears, then contact the manufacturer of plastic windows, some of them know how to deal with such problems and do not harm the surface of the product.

How to remove a scratch on glass using improvised means?

You can remove unwanted defects from glass using toothpaste. Apply a small amount of solution to the defect and remove excess with a rag. Next, the movement must be done with a soft cloth; only up and down, left and right movements can damage the glass. This method will help to remove, again, only not deep defects. For deeper scratches, you can again use toothpaste, but add vinegar and mustard to it in equal proportions. Then proceed as you would when removing minor defects. Remember that all these methods are only needed to temporarily remove the problem; in order to completely get rid of scratches, you still need professional help.

Very small scratches on the glass, barely noticeable, but still embarrassing, can be removed using regular furniture polish. This composition must also be applied using a soft rag.

Is it possible to prevent scratches?

So that such defects do not appear, and you do not have to produce removing scratches on glass, You need to follow a few rules.

Glass products and surfaces surround us everywhere today. The only drawback of a material like glass is its fragility and ability to scratch.

Over time, minor violations of integrity are simply inevitable. The aesthetic appearance of glass is immediately lost as soon as scratches appear on it.

Is it possible to cope with this trouble on your own? How to remove scratches from glass so that it becomes like new again? If the defect is shallow, then it is quite possible to disguise it and make the glass product smooth as before.

All this with your own hands, without the help of specialists. And various tools will help with this, which are not at all difficult to find at home or in a hardware store.

How to remove scratches from glass

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to protect glass surfaces from damage. Therefore, all that remains is to deal with the consequences of a careless attitude.

Various methods and means are used to eliminate scratches on glass. Very shallow abrasions can be removed by simple sanding.

Many people purchase special pastes to fill the defect or try to remove the defect with regular toothpaste. There are many other options that are difficult to even suspect.

Where abrasions and scratches may occur:

  • glass;
  • souvenirs;
  • phone or tablet screen;
  • window or balcony glazing;
  • auto glass;
  • decorative items;
  • decorations, etc.

If scratches appear, this greatly spoils the appearance of the item. Something definitely needs to be done about this. There is still a chance to save glass material.

How to get rid of scratches? We will try to consider all existing and effective ways to remove scratches from the glass surface.

Ways to remove scratches

Whichever glass restoration option is chosen from those proposed, be sure to wash the scratched surface before polishing. Next, be sure to wipe it dry.

Now let’s look at all the ways to remove scratches and abrasions of different types of glass.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste must have a whitening effect. It's more potent. You will also need cotton pads, with the help of which the paste will be applied.


A small amount of whitening toothpaste should be squeezed onto the disc and pressed firmly onto the damaged area for a few seconds. After this, polish the scratched area in a circular motion, first in one direction, then in the other direction. Thus, a kind of cleaning of the defect occurs.

Actions must be carried out until the desired result is achieved. After this, the product is wiped off excess paste with a soft towel and washed with clean water.

Anti-Scratch Product

You can purchase this particular product or another similar one at a car store. This polish is specially created to combat shallow and medium-depth damage. Anti-Scratch can be used on both thin and thick glass.


How to polish scratches with it? Apply the required amount of the substance to a soft cloth and vigorously polish the glass. After this, wipe it with a clean napkin. More detailed information about use can be read directly on the tube with the product.

Paste GOI

GOI paste is also not a little-known product. You can even use it to remove scratches from a glass table. All that is required is to warm the paste a little (in a water bath) and treat the problem area with a cotton swab or soft cloth.

After actively rubbing the scratch with GOI paste, the glass will be perfectly polished, and not a trace will remain of the defect. You can use this paste both for the screens of gadgets or watches, and for ordinary windows.

Vegetable oil

This method is suitable for masking only the most minor scratches. It is recommended to use vegetable oil for small products. For example, to remove scuff marks on the glass of watches, phone screens, key fobs, etc.


You just need to pour any vegetable oil (sunflower, corn or olive) onto a flannel napkin and rub the scratch vigorously until it is perfectly polished. The screen will shine like new again, and the abrasion will not be as noticeable.

Dry mustard with vinegar

The use of the products is very simple. We get rid of small scratches like this: mix the ingredients in such proportions to obtain a thick consistency, like toothpaste. After which the resulting mixture is applied, for example, to the glass of glasses using a cotton pad, and intensively polished.

After the defect has been removed, wipe the glass product well with a clean damp cloth.

To remove shallow scratches on household glass products, it is good to use nail polish. It must be colorless.


It’s even better to choose not ordinary varnish, but “Smart Enamel” nail hardener. It adheres more firmly to the glass surface and looks almost invisible.

Before application, you need to not only wash the surface, but also degrease it. You can use nail polish remover or regular acetone.

It is necessary to carefully cover the scratch with varnish, and try to fill it without going beyond the limits. If, after all, the product has touched the entire surface, then this problem can be solved with the help of a rubber spatula or other non-solid auxiliary tool.

Excess varnish should be removed only after it has completely dried.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose to restore a glass product, but it will be useful to use the recommendations before carrying out restoration work.

  1. It is advisable, before applying the selected product to a scratched item, to try how it will work on some other unnecessary piece of glass.
  2. Before processing glass yourself, it is still recommended to consult a specialist.
  3. It is better to wash the surface before work with glass cleaner rather than plain water.
  4. On gadget screens, in order to avoid the formation of flaws, it is recommended to always wear special films that protect them.
  5. Under no circumstances should you try to rub out deep or small scratches with sandpaper, even fine-grained sandpaper. Such an action can only completely ruin the thing.
  6. If by chance, for example, an area of ​​a mirror, aquarium, window, sideboard was damaged, or the scratch turned out to be too deep and it could not be removed, then all is not lost. The problem area can simply be covered with a suitable decorative sticker.

As you can see, all the tools described are really not difficult to find. Application is also not difficult, but the result will be magnificent.

The main thing is to choose the right method and not try to completely remove deep defects on your own. Only a specialist can correct such violations. And in some cases, the glass should simply be replaced with a new one.