The Best Ways to Clean Every Shard of Broken Glass
Cleaning up broken glass requires care. And to be thorough enough, sometimes you have to be creative. Even if you have a broom on hand, you can try another method – either the broom won’t be able to pick them up right from the start, or tiny pieces will get stuck in the broom’s bristles, jeopardizing your next sweeping session.
If you want to make sure you don’t leave any glass behind, all the best methods require some trickery. Here are our life hacks for cleaning up broken glass without a broom.
First things first: clear the area
When the glass hits the floor, it’s time to get all the kids, pets, and useless family members out of the room. Before you start collecting glass shards, make sure you are wearing tight shoes.
Start by collecting all the main glass shards. If you don’t have gloves, use tongs. Never kneel in places where there is broken glass, as sharp pieces can easily pierce your pants and cut your knee.
Once you’ve cleared as much as you can by hand, try the following methods to deal with any hidden, stubborn glass shards that remain.
Hack your vacuum cleaner
Vacuuming broken glass can wreak havoc on the inside of your car. If you are using a vacuum cleaner, cover the hose with a sock or a thin cloth. This barrier catches any small pieces of glass that are sucked in – just be careful when throwing away the glass-covered cloth.
Use a damp paper towel
A disposable wet wipe or folded wet paper towel is a classic way to pick up glass shards that don’t normally fall under a broom. With this approach, it is important to wear gloves to protect yourself from glass shards piercing the paper towel. Fold a damp paper towel in half.
Be smart with carbs
Two pantry items come in handy when it comes to glass cleaning. They are:
forbidden toast
A piece of bread works as an effective tool for cleaning up broken glass shards. This is a great way to pick up the little pieces and also set the stage for any deadly breakfast.
mighty potato
The second best food option for wiping up broken glass: the inside of a potato. Cut the potato in half and use the pulp to pick up the glass pieces.
Use something sticky
Even after you remove most of the broken glass, there are bound to be small glass grains around. It is advisable to recheck the area using duct tape, a lint roller, or any similar adhesive.
The best way to get rid of broken glass
Now that you’ve cleared the broken glass from your floor, be sure to dispose of it properly. Instead of throwing it straight into the bin (where it’s bound to rip open the bag), wrap the broken glass in an old rag and then place this spiked bundle in a paper bag and then in a cardboard box. Be extra careful and label this outer container so anyone who comes into contact with it knows what they’re dealing with.