Glass loses clarity

Cause

Exposure to air-borne salt, dust or dirt 

Repair

  • for a low level of dirt or staining, first try washing with detergent and warm water or a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water, applied with a clean microfibre cloth or sponge

  • proprietary intensive glass cleaners/glass restorers are available for more serious staining. Do not allow cleaning solutions on the edges of laminated glass or IGUs

  • in some cases, polishing with cerium oxide may help. Available from some hardware stores, this comes in powder form and is mixed with water to create a paste

  • professional cleaning of stained or scratched glass is available. Look for a well-experienced company that specialises in this work. The glass is typically polished with a hand-held device using mild abrasives. It works on normal window glass as well as toughened and tinted glass. In some cases there may be some subsequent visual distortion in the glass

  • in extreme cases, replacement of the glass may be the only option that will give a satisfactory result

  • begin a regular glass cleaning routine. Locations with salt spray or industrial or agricultural chemicals in the atmosphere will require this more frequently. In some cases cleaning every month or two may be required

Cause

Alkaline run-off from concrete, cement plaster or cement mortar

Repair

  • the lime in run-off from concrete, fibre-cement, mortar or plaster forms an alkaline solution with water. The best option by far is to prevent alkaline runoff from reaching glass, and to immediately clean off any that occurs

  • clean as indicated in the first repair above