Emergency DIY Fixes For Scratched Glass Front Door Panels

Posted on: 17 May 2016

Selling your house in today's challenging economic climate is not easy, and unsightly scratches in your glass front door panes can be really off-putting for potential buyers.  Deep cracks should be repaired by a professional, but you can avert disaster on the day of a viewing by fixing minor scratches yourself.

Here are two effective methods that you can use to carry out some speedy emergency DIY glass repairs on scratched glass front door panels.

What you'll need

  • lint-free cloths
  • clear spray glass cleaner
  • toothpaste (not gel)
  • clean sponge
  • clear nail polish (topcoat works best)
  • cotton buds
  • nail polish remover

Method #1 – Toothpaste repair

Use this method only if you have toothpaste on hand; tooth gel is formulated differently and it doesn't work.

  1. Begin by spraying the damaged pane with glass cleaner, and then wipe it clean with a lint-free cloth.  
  2. Put a small blob of toothpaste onto the scratch.  Use a damp sponge to gently rub the toothpaste all over the scratched area.  The mild abrasive contained in the toothpaste will gradually polish the scratch right out of the glass, leaving the pane as good as new.  
  3. Finish off by using a damp cloth to wipe off the toothpaste.  Spray the whole pane with glass cleaner and use a lint-free cloth to polish it up.

Method #2 – Nail polish repair

This method works well if you have a steady hand and have clear topcoat nail polish on hand.  Topcoat works best as it's designed not to chip or scratch and is less likely to peel off than basecoat.

  1. Start by spraying the damaged pane with glass cleaner and polishing it off with a clean, lint-free cloth.  
  2. When you open the nail polish bottle, you'll probably find that the brush comes out fully loaded with polish.  Get rid of any excess polish by wiping the brush on the inner edge of the container top.  You need to leave just enough polish on the brush to fill the scratch.  
  3. Brush the scratched area with nail polish, trying to keep as much of the polish as possible within the scratches.  
  4. Now take a cotton bud and dip it into the nail polish remover.  Use the cotton bud to carefully wipe away any excess nail polish from the glass around the scratch.  
  5. When the polish is dry, spray the glass with glass cleaner and polish it up using a lint-free cloth.

In conclusion

If you discover a scratched glass front door panel just hours before a potential buyer is due to call at your home, you can carry out emergency repairs by following the methods outlined above. Or you can call an emergency glass repair service for help.

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