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Hi Hazy Friends! It’s January week 2 of the Wipe Your Glass Series.
In this step-by-step series I will walk you through three different cleaning methods for your glass artwork and when to use them.
Last week you learned all about The Basic Dust, a great regular maintenance clean for your beautiful window art that only requires a rag and a little time. In a perfect world this would always be enough, but sometimes it’s not.
This week we are putting in a little more elbow grease with The Quick Shine. This is great for pieces that haven’t been dusted for long periods of time and the dust WILL NOT MOVE. Or maybe you just did The Basic Dust and your glass is still looking super streaky. This means it’s time for a Quick Shine.
How often to Quick Shine:
Every 4-5 months/ or as needed. It really depends on how dusty your house is and how much you like to clean!
Tools Needed:
+ Glass cleaner that is AMMONIA FREE. This is important as ammonia can slowly break down the solder and you piece could become unstable and fall apart over time. Though I hate aerosol for the environment, this Sprayway Glass Cleaner works amazing. (by purchasing from this link I earn a small commission).
+ A clean soft cloth I prefer a flour sack dishtowel like these: Utopia Kitchen Flour Sack Dishtowels (by purchasing from this link I earn a small commission). Other glass artists I have talked to prefer microfiber cloths or auto cloths.
+ A toothpick or small soft object to help you get in the nooks and crannies. Make sure this object is made of a material that will not scratch the glass, think plastic or wood.
+ Your two hands and a desire to clean
We start the same was as we do for the basic dust, using the flour sack dish towel or soft cloth of your choice. Gently wipe down the piece to remove surface dust and make sure to wipe along the solder lines where dust has accrued as well as along the edges of the piece. Removing the loose dust before spraying your glass cleaner will make for a much quicker clean!
We start the same was as we do for the basic dust, using the flour sack dish towel or soft cloth of your choice. Gently wipe down the piece to remove surface dust and make sure to wipe along the solder lines where dust has accrued as well as along the edges of the piece. Removing the loose dust before spraying your glass cleaner will make for a much quicker clean!
After removing the surface dust, spray one side of your piece with the glass cleaner of your choice. Using your clean soft cloth, gently wipe the surface of the glass in a circular motion to clean any stubborn dust or fingerprints from the art.
Repeat on the other side.
After removing the surface dust, spray one side of your piece with the glass cleaner of your choice. Using your clean soft cloth, gently wipe the surface of the glass in a circular motion to clean any stubborn dust or fingerprints from the art.
Repeat on the other side.
Now take your toothpick (or other small object of choice) and wrap the pointy end in your soft cloth. Gently run the covered tip along the solder seams. Make sure to get into the corners and around the edges of the piece. You will likely still see some moisture on the glass at this point, don’t worry we will get to it!
When cleaning along the solder seams be gentle. Many stained glass pieces are made using the Tiffany Method. This technique uses an adhesive copper foil around each piece of glass that the solder is applied on top of. Pushing into the seams or along the edges too hard could result in lifting the foil and compromising the integrity of the art.
Now take your toothpick (or other small object of choice) and wrap the pointy end in your soft cloth. Gently run the covered tip along the solder seams. Make sure to get into the corners and around the edges of the piece. You will likely still see some moisture on the glass at this point, don’t worry we will get to it!
When cleaning along the solder seams be gentle. Many stained glass pieces are made using the Tiffany Method. This technique uses an adhesive copper foil around each piece of glass that the solder is applied on top of. Pushing into the seams or along the edges too hard could result in lifting the foil and compromising the integrity of the art.
Give your piece a final polish by gently buffing the face and edges in a circular motion. This is where you will remove any residual moisture from the piece. It will also restore the shine to the glass as well as to the lead/solder lines.
When buffing, take care to not apply too much pressure to the glass. Direct pressure to the face of the piece could result in stress fractures in the glass or weakening the leaded joints.
Gently hang the piece back in your window and admire your handiwork!
Give your piece a final polish by gently buffing the face and edges in a circular motion. This is where you will remove any residual moisture from the piece. It will also restore the shine to the glass as well as to the lead/solder lines.
When buffing, take care to not apply too much pressure to the glass. Direct pressure to the face of the piece could result in stress fractures in the glass or weakening the leaded joints.
Gently hang the piece back in your window and admire your handiwork!