How to Clean a Glass Table (Effortlessly)

Glass dining tables can give your home’s interior design a sophisticated or modern air. But they can be a lot of maintenance, especially if you have kids and are trying to keep the table top clean and shiny. Glass dining tables often need more care than wooden or ceramic tabletop materials.

If you’re having trouble keeping your glass dining table clean, we’ve made a list of some cleaning products that work wonders together with some cleaning techniques to keep your table sparkling and squeaky clean without much hassle. Continue reading to discover how to clean a glass table the right way, and I will share some of the top products and methods to clean a glass table. These same methods can also be used to clean other glass surfaces, like windows.

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How to Clean a Glass Table

Use Plastic to Scrape off Stubborn Substances

If you have any sticky substances stuck to your table, like dried food, hair gel, makeup, etc., it might be best to scrape them off. You could use a plastic spoon or some sort of scraper tool to help loosen the substance, but you’ll probably want to avoid scraping too hard because you don’t want to damage the surface underneath. Avoid using any sharp or metal objects; you don’t want to scratch or permanently damage the glass table tops. 

If the residue is not easily removed and you are scared of damaging the glass surface, you can opt for one of the following methods instead for cleaning glass: 

Plastic Spoon Method

Simply place the end of a plastic spoon onto the spot where the residue appears to be sticking, and slowly push down. As you do this, keep pushing down until the residue starts to come loose. Then repeat the same process again.

Paper Towel and Plastic Spoon Method

Place a piece of paper towel over the spot where the residue is located, and then use a plastic spoon to press down on the paper towel. Continue pressing down until the residue starts coming off. Once the residue is removed, simply wipe away the excess with another clean paper towel.

Hot Water, Dish Soap, and Cloth Method

This method involves using hot water and a clean cloth to try to loosen the residue. First, heat up a cup of water, add a few drops of dish soap, and rub it onto the area where the residue seems most prominent using a clean cloth. Let the soapy mixture sit there for about five minutes, and wipe the surface with a cloth soaked with warm water. Repeat this process once or twice, depending on how much residue is still present.

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Clean Your Glass Table Top Without Leaving Any Streaks

There are a few methods that you can use to clean your tabletop without leaving any streaks. You can choose between a commercial glass cleaner, or you can opt for a homemade one like baking soda and vinegar or spraying vinegar and lemon juice. Each of these methods will not leave streaks behind.  

Spraying With Glass Cleaner

If you prefer to use your commercial glass cleaner, you simply need to follow the instructions on the bottle to get the best results. Use the amount of product recommended on the bottle. Make sure to spray enough to completely cover the table’s surfaces and corners. To avoid streaks, wipe out any evident debris from the table with a microfiber cloth (lint free cloth) or other soft material before applying the cleaner.

If you don’t have a glass cleaner at your home, you can also use a mixture of dish soap and a damp paper towel to wipe the glass table off.  

Using Baking Soda and Vinegar

If you want to clean your glass table top without using any harsh chemicals, simply follow these steps:

Step 1: Water and vinegar mixture 

Fill a small jar with equal parts water and vinegar for later use. The size of your glass tabletop affects how vinegar solution you should make. Start by combining 1 cup of water and vinegar; you can always make more afterward. While you make the baking soda paste, set the vinegar mixture aside.

Step 2: Baking soda paste 

Make a baking soda paste by combining 0.5 cups of baking soda with at least three teaspoons of water. In a small basin, combine water and baking soda and stir until a thick paste forms. This will be used to clean your glass surface.

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Step 3: Apply the paste and vinegar 

Using a sponge, cover the surface with the baking soda mixture. Use a soft sponge that won’t scratch or leave any traces on the glass. Dip the sponge into the bowl of paste mixture and then rub the table with circular, sweeping motions. Make sure you’ve covered the entire glass surface by being as thorough as you can.

Step 4: Rinse 

Rinse the table after dipping your sponge into the vinegar mixture. Use a long, broad motion to wipe the table after dipping one end of the sponge into the vinegar solution. Continue until all of the baking soda has been eliminated. This can take a while to finish, depending on the size of your table. Use a bucket to catch any excess liquid. 

Step 5: Let it dry

Dry the glass surface by wiping it with a squeegee. Run long, straight lines down the table. After you’ve finished cleaning the table, allow it to dry naturally.

Spraying Vinegar and Lemon Juice

Lemons are also an excellent option for cleaning glass tables, especially if you have hard water stains. This procedure works best with freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than store-bought, as store-bought lemon juice sometimes contains preservatives that produce streaks on clean glass.

Simply cut a lemon in half (or two) and squeeze the juice onto the table’s surface. Wipe the juice off the table with a microfiber towel or newspaper. 

If you don’t have any lemons lying around, you can also use vinegar. White vinegar is well-known for its diverse uses in the home, including some that are not related to cooking. And it works particularly well as a glass cleaner. Pour two cups of white vinegar and two cups of tap water into a spray bottle (50:50) and use it to clean your glass dining table. Warm water is preferred.

When the spray bottle is full, spritz the table with the mixture and immediately wipe it down with a dry cloth. For the next few minutes, you could smell vinegar, but it should go away soon. This can be sped up by opening the windows.

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Deep Cleaning a Cloudy Glass Table Top

If you have a glass tabletop that seems to have developed a little cloudiness over time, you can take care of it yourself. All you need are three common household items — water, rubbing alcohol, and white vinegar. Mixing those ingredients together creates a simple cleaning solution that you can use to wipe off the surface.

To make sure you don’t end up with too much residue left behind, start out with a light coating of the cleaner. Then, once you’ve wiped away most of the dirt, add another coat and wipe the surface clean. 

Tips for Different Types of Tables

Glass Table Without Framework

 If your table’s framework is not a concern, you can use any of the glass cleaners (commercial cleaner, vinegar and baking soda, or lemon juice) mentioned above to make the glass gleam. You can also try some rubbing alcohol to remove greasy or oily stains left on the glass surface.

Glass Table With Wood Framework

If you have a glass table with a wood framework, you can use a vinegar solution to clean your table. To do this, follow these steps:

1. In a spray bottle, combine one part white vinegar with two parts water. Apple cider vinegar can be used in place of white vinegar if you don’t have any.
2. Spray the table with the cleaner. Try to minimize the absorption of the liquid into the wood as much as possible by wiping the solution off as quickly as possible. You don’t want to permanently damage the wood. 
3. Wipe the table using a clean, soft cloth.
4. Dry the wood off with a cloth. Be sure to check if the wood has dried completely. 

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Glass Table With Metal Framework

Bar Keepers Friend is a perfect cleaning solution for glass table tops with a metal framework. To properly use this cleaning powder to clean your table top, simply follow these steps:

1. Wet a sponge with water. Squeeze out most of the liquid and pre-wet the surface.  
2. The damp surface should be covered with Bar Keepers Friend powder. Apply Bar Keepers Friend directly to the damp sponge before using it to wipe the pre-moistened glass if you’re cleaning the underside of a table.
3. The glass can be “washed” with the wet powder using the same sponge.
4. Dry the glass by wiping it down with some paper towels. 
5. Polish the surface with a lint-free towel or microfiber cloth.

Conclusion

There are many ways to clean a glass table. The best way depends on what type of table you have and how dirty it is. Some methods may work better than others, depending on the type of stains you are trying to clean.

If you don’t get the desired results, try using another method. However, no matter what method you choose, remember to keep your glass dining table clean so that it can look brand new and stay in tip-top shape for years to come.

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