A glass coffee table, TV unit, display cabinet or console looks light and lasts for years. But glass shows every speck of dust and every fingerprint, and daylight from the window only highlights the streaks.
Getting glass furniture crystal clear takes more than a quick wipe of the top. You need to remove the dust, lift the stains, polish the glass and not forget the metal and wooden parts, hinges and castors.
What you will need
- a bowl of warm water and a soft sponge
- a few drops of washing-up liquid
- white vinegar
- glass cleaner or a vinegar and water mix
- microfibre cloths
- WD-40 Smart Straw for hinges and castors
- WD-40 Multi-Use for sticker residue
Important: Do not use the scouring side of a sponge, steel wool or abrasive powders: they leave permanent scratches on glass. Remove glass shelves before cleaning and lay them on a soft cloth.
Step 1
Remove the dust
Dampen a soft sponge in warm water and go over the whole piece. If there are glass shelves, lift them out carefully, lay them on a towel and wipe them the same way. Let the glass dry.
Start with the dust, not the polishing: dry dust under a cloth acts like sandpaper and scratches the glass.
Step 2
Lift the stains
Fingerprints and greasy marks come off with a sponge and a few drops of washing-up liquid, which also dissolves dried drops of wine, coffee or fizzy drinks. Rinse with clean water and dry with microfibre.
Wipe white rings from plant pots and limescale from hard water with a cloth and vinegar. Adhesive left by price tags and tape lifts easily with WD-40 Multi-Use: spray it onto a cloth, hold it on the mark for a minute and wipe, then wash the area with soapy water. Remove dried paint carefully with surgical spirit.
Step 3
Restore the clarity of the glass
Once the stains are gone, spray glass cleaner onto a microfibre cloth rather than onto the glass and wipe every glass surface and shelf before putting them back.
Natural alternative: 250 ml of vinegar to 750 ml of warm water. Rinse the cloth often and finish with a clean dry microfibre cloth.
Step 4
Clean the other materials
Glass furniture is rarely all glass: legs, frames and uprights are often wood or metal. Wash aluminium and painted metal with a sponge and washing-up liquid, rinse and dry. Wipe varnished wood with the same vinegar and water solution and dry it immediately.
Step 5
Lubricate hinges and castors
Take the chance to service the moving parts: display cabinet door hinges, table castors and runners. Apply WD-40 Smart Straw precisely through the thin straw so you do not spray the glass. It frees the parts and protects the metal from oxidation. Open the door or roll the table a few times and wipe off any excess.
Tip: Wipe the glass in two directions: horizontal strokes on one side and vertical on the other. That way you can see at once which side a streak is on.
What next
Dust glass furniture once a week and give it a full clean and polish once a month. Service hinges and castors with WD-40 Smart Straw every six months to keep doors quiet.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
More guides in «How to use».