San Antonio Window Cleaning: Exploring Different Types of Glass

David Rhodes
January 17, 2017

While calling the San Antonio window cleaning experts at Glass Geeks is always the smartest option, there are still plenty of folks who prefer to do the bulk of their house cleaning on their own. However, when it comes to cleaning your own windows make sure you know just what type of glass you’re working with.

Keep in mind, windows come in all sizes and shapes; the glass itself can vary widely from window to window, and the techniques used to clean these windows varies as well. In order to gain some clarity, let’s explore the common types of glass and how to clean them:

Annealed Glass

Annealed glass is a commonly used type of glass and you more than likely have this glass in your windows right now. Annealed glass is created with a process that involves slowly cooling the glass in order to relieve the internal stresses after it is formed.

This glass is usually flat and is extremely simple to clean. As a matter of fact, because it’s difficult to scratch, professional window cleaners will typically use a razor blade to scrape this glass. If you’re not a professional, however, the recommended method is to use dish soap, water, a microfiber towel, and a squeegee.

Heat-Strengthened Glass

Hence it’s named, heat-strengthened glass is heat-treated in order to induce surface compression, but not to an extent of causing it to “dice” on breaking in the manner of tempered glass. This type of glass is harder than annealed glass but can have to fabricate debris.

Keep in mind, while this type of glass can tolerate rapid variations in temperature, it does tend to have blemishes, thus, these windows should never be scraped with a razor, as the debris in the glass can cause the window to become compromised. Cleaning a window made of heat-strengthened glass should be done exactly the same as annealed glass, without the scraping.

Tempered Glass

Tempered glass can be up to 5 times stronger than annealed glass and is frequently referred to as safety glass because, when this glass breaks, it does so in small pieces that prevent any serious injury.

Tempered glass is typically etched or stamped in order to make it easy for identification, and is one of the most difficult types of glass to clean. Because tempered glass is extremely easy to scratch, it’s important that you make sure to use a microfiber towel and quality cleaner. You should also be mindful not to scrub the window.

Low-E Glass

Low-E glass has a coating or film applied to it in order to prevent your home from heating up due to ultraviolet rays.

As such, these windows are very expensive and, if you happen to have these installed, it is highly recommended that you avoid using window cleaner that contains ammonia. The ideal way to clean these types of windows is with a microfiber towel and an ammonia-free cleaner.

Not all glass is created equal nor should they be treated as such. Cleaning your windows might seem simple in theory, but it is important to note the differences between the types of glass whenever you’re attempting a window cleaning.

Scratching your glass is next to impossible to repair and can be expensive when it is possible. Window cleaning on your own is time-consuming and difficult to do with successful results. However, your local Glass Geeks technicians are ready to do the window cleaning for you. Get a quote for your home’s window cleaning today!