5 Household Items that Will Help Clean Up Broken Glass

Sometimes glass breaks. When this happens and you need to act fast, there are some household items you can grab on the fly to clean up the mess. These easy methods work for both hardwood floors and carpet.

Before you begin cleanup, however, you should remove any pets and children from the area, and make sure to put on shoes and gloves. Start by carefully removing the larger, easy to grab pieces and dispose of them safely. Then, grab any one of these common household materials to ensure those pesky small shards are dealt with.

1.   Bread

Bread is a staple food that’s stocked in almost every pantry in America. It’s spongy and soft, which is perfect for picking up broken glass pieces. Simply pull out a slice of soft bread, press it flat against the small pieces until they stick, and dispose of the bread. Repeat until all pieces have been removed.

2.   Potatoes

A potato may sound useless in this case, but small glass pieces will actually stick to the moisture of a sliced potato. Simply cut up a few thick slices and press them flat down against the broken glass. Discard the potato and wipe down the area of excess moisture when you are finished.

3.   Tape

From duct to Scotch, adhesive tape is great for picking up many small, pesky items at once. Glass is no exception! Wrap the tape around a gloved hand with the adhesive side out. Then press the tape flat against the glass, discard the tape, and begin again. Or, you can pull out a long stretch of tape, hold both ends, press it against the ground, and pull up slowly. The glass will stick to the adhesive, and you can throw it away safely.

4.   Damp Paper Towels

The moisture from a damp paper towel will allow small pieces of glass to stick to the paper. This method is probably the easiest and most functional way to clean up broken glass pieces because it helps clean up any food or drink spills at the same time. Grab a roll of paper towels and layer them for added thickness and protection for your hands. Dampen the paper with water, and press into the small glass shards. Paper towels are a cheap and convenient option for easy glass cleanup.

5.   Flashlight

While a flashlight won’t help you pick up glass pieces, it can certainly help you see all of them. Dim the lights of the room where your glass broke, place your flashlight on the ground and shine its light on the glass. The glass with catch the light and reflect out, allowing you to easily see all the broken pieces everywhere. This helps ensure you’ve grabbed all the pieces. Then for an extra precaution, run a vacuum over the area to ensure it’s safe!

Ryan’s all-glass

These common household items are an effective way of cleaning any remaining glass from your hardwood floor or carpet. Remember to clear the area of any larger glass pieces first, remove children and pets, and run through the area with a vacuum for extra precaution. For more great tips and tricks like these, check out our blog page! Or visit our website for our expert glass-repair services.