How to Remove Streaks or Haze from a Glass Dining Table

One complication of cleaning glass top dining tables is the other materials your cleaner may come in contact with. A cleaner that’s safe for glass may damage wood or metal framework, and thoroughly cleaning the glass top without contacting another material could be tedious. Here are three methods you can use, each with a cleaner that is ideal for the framework and can work well to clean the glass.

If framework isn’t an issue for your table, then you can use a cleaner that will make your glass sparkle as good as any window. We’ve conducted thorough testing to determine the best homemade glass cleaner, which is listed below. If you would like to buy a glass cleaner, we also have an in-depth guide on 12 Natural Glass Cleaners that includes a variety of performance tests.

You Will Need:

• Isopropyl alcohol
• Citrus peels (optional)
• A jar (optional)
• Newspaper
• A cloth (optional)
• A broom or yardstick (optional)
• Duct tape (optional)

Steps to Clean the Table:

1. The home remedy testing we did for glass found that the best cleaners are alcohol-based. In particular, the DIY Citrus Alcohol cleaner performed the best overall, so if you would like to make that cleaner, here is the guide. It takes two weeks to steep the citrus peels in the jar of alcohol though, so for now, using plain alcohol can work.
2. Spray or pour some alcohol on the table. It is best to use isopropyl alcohol as rubbing alcohol contains dyes and other chemicals.
3. Wipe down the table with a piece of newspaper. As with windows, newspaper works particularly well for cleaning glass. Do not use paper towels, which are likely to create a lot of lint you will then need to remove as well. A soft cloth can be used if preferred.
4. To clean the underside of the table, wet a piece or newspaper or a cloth with the alcohol and wipe it clean. Be sure to wring out the cloth first so it’s only damp, not dripping onto the floor below. If the table is large and you don’t want to sit underneath it while cleaning, wrap the cloth around a long object like a broom handle or yard stick and use strong tape like duct tape to hold it in place.

The following method is guaranteed to make your glass sparkle and offers a brilliant polish to metal as well.

You Will Need:

• Bar Keepers Friend
• Water, preferably distilled
• Sponge
• Paper towels
• Lint-free towel

Steps to Remove the Streaks:

1. Wet the sponge with water. Wring it out, then wipe down the surface to be cleaned to moisten it. If the area is large, work in smaller sections.
2. Sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend powder over the wet surface. If you’re doing the underside of a table, apply Bar Keepers Friend directly to the damp sponge, then use it to wipe the pre-moistened glass.
3. Use the same sponge to “wash” the glass with the wet powder.
4. Wipe the glass dry with paper towels.
5. Polish with a lint-free towel or chamois cloth.

You Will Need:

• White vinegar
• Water, preferably distilled
• A spray bottle
• Newspaper

Steps to clean the Glass:

1. Mix one part white vinegar with two parts water in a spray bottle. If you don’t have white vinegar, apple cider vinegar can be used instead.
2. Spray the table with the cleaner. Although this cleaner is more safe for wood than others, it still is a liquid and liquids are an enemy of wood, so not allow the cleaner to soak on the wood for a long time.
3. Wipe down the table with a soft cloth.
4. Be sure the wood is fully dried with the cloth.

• Bar Keepers Friend will not harm wood, but over time it can bleach it.
• Bar Keepers Friend is available in the cleaning aisle of most supermarkets.
• Water from the tap often contains minerals and other things that can cause a streaky or hazy appearance on glass, so it is always best to use distilled water when cleaning items that you want to sparkle.