Use And Care Manual

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BOYD ARCHITECTURAL GRADE WINDOW

GLASS CARE AND MAINTENANCE

manufacturing and fabrication, as well as during all shipping and handling required to deliver the glass to the

end user. A large percentage of damaged glass results from non-glass trades working near glass. This will include

painters, siding contractors, ironworkers, landscapers, carpenters, and others who are part of the construction

process. They may inadvertently lean tools against the glass, splash materials onto the glass, and/or clean the

glass incorrectly, any of which can permanently damage glass.

Using 2, 3, 4, 5 inch and larger blades to scrape a window clean carries a large probability for causing irreparable

damage to glass.

The entire industry of glass manufacturers, fabricators, distributors, and installers neither condones nor

recommends widespread scraping of glass surfaces with metal blades or knives. Such scraping will often

permanently damage or scratch the glass surfaces. When paint or other construction materials cannot be removed

with normal cleaning procedures, a new 1” razor blade may need to be used only on non-coated glass surfaces. The

razor blade should be used on small spots only. Scraping should be done in one direction only. Never scrape in a

back and forth motion as this could trap particles under the blade that could scratch the glass. This practice may

cause hairline concentrated scratches, which are not normally visible when looking through the glass, but may be

visible under certain lighting conditions.

Jobsite storage and construction conditions can lead to stains on the glass surface. Cleaning and removal of such

stains may require the use of a more aggressive cleaning solution and procedure. If conditions are found that

cannot be cleaned using the above procedures, contact the glass supplier for guidelines on stain removal.

Members of the Glass Association of North America (GANA) publish information relating to jobsite protection and

cleaning of architectural glass products. In order to ensure long-term performance of the glass in a building, GANA

encourages glazing contractors, general contractors, building management, and owners to be aware of conditions

that can damage glass and to follow the handling and cleaning guidelines provided by their glass producer and

fabricator.

Consult the GANA website (www.glasswebsite.com) for additional information on glass and glazing applications

and links to members providing additional technical resources.

The Glass Association of North America (GANA) has produced this Glass Information Bulletin solely to provide

general information as to basic proper procedures for cleaning architectural glass products. The Bulletin does

not purport to state that any one particular type of glass cleaning process or procedure should be used in all

applications or even in any speciﬁc application. The user of this Bulletin has the responsibility to ensure the

cleaning instructions from the glass supplier are followed. GANA disclaims any responsibility for any speciﬁc

results relating to the use of this Bulletin, for any errors or omissions contained in the Bulletin, and for any liability

for loss or damage of any kind arising out of the use of this Bulletin.

NOTE: One of the common mistakes made by

non-glass trades people, including glass cleaning

contractors, is their use of razor blades or other

scrappers on a large portion of the glass surface.