How to Remove Fingerprints from Glass

A dirty wine glass with water spots

The oils on your fingertips have a tendency to show up on glass. If you’re tired of seeing oily smears on glass surfaces throughout your home, use this guide to remove fingerprints with ease.

Remove Fingerprints from Window Glass

Windows and sliding glass patio doors are notorious for collecting fingerprints, especially if you have children. Fortunately, even the grimiest fingerprints are no match for window cleaner and a little scrubbing.

To begin, grab your favorite bottle of window cleaner or make your own concoction with equal parts water and distilled white vinegar plus three drops of liquid dish soap.

Spray the window with your preferred cleaner. Wipe it immediately with a microfiber cloth. This is better than a paper towel if you want to avoid leaving lint behind. Finally, dry and buff the glass with wadded up newspaper. The finished product is a clean, streak-free window you can be proud of.

Remove Fingerprints from Mirrors

You have to touch the medicine cabinet mirror to open it, which leaves fingerprints behind. If you’re sick of seeing the accumulated oily spot, you must first remove the fingerprints.

Use store bought window cleaner (or the homemade brew from the above tip) to clean your medicine cabinet mirror. Buff the mirror with wadded up newspaper to prevent streaking.

To prevent fingerprints in the future, place a small vinyl glass decal on the spot you touch to open the medicine cabinet. This way, your fingers touch only the decal and you’re saved from cleaning the mirror as often.

Remove Fingerprints from Auto Glass

On cold-weather road trips, your kids probably fog up the car windows with their breath and draw pictures to each other. While this is a cute way to pass the time, it turns your windows into a fingerprinted mess.

For the best results, grab automotive glass cleaner, which has a different chemical composition than household glass cleaner. Then, rather than reaching for the paper towel roll, arm yourself with a microfiber cloth that will absorb oily fingerprints effectively and not leave lint or streaks behind.

Spray the cleaner liberally on the offending windows and wipe away with the cloth. The techniques described here should prevent smudging, streaking, and other visibility problems.

Remove Fingerprints from TV and Computer Screens

Most TVs and monitors today have LED screens, not glass screens you can simply spray with window cleaner. If your eager kids touch the screen with their grimy fingers, there’s an easy way to remove the prints left behind.

First, get your hands on a bottle of LED screen cleaning solution. Spray a small amount on a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Alternatively, you can use pre-moistened electronic screen wipes. Whichever cleaning method you choose, gently rub the soiled area in a circular motion to remove fingerprints without damaging the screen.

Remove Fingerprints from Eyeglasses

When your glasses become smudged, the fastest way to clean them is to rub them on the corner of your shirt. Unfortunately, this is the wrong way to clean eyeglasses because it could scratch the lenses with dust and dirt.

If you don’t have the fancy cleaning solution from your optometrist, never fear – there’s an even better way to clean fingerprints from your glasses. Simply lather up some kitchen soap on the lenses and rinse them in warm water. Then dry with a soft, clean cotton or microfiber cloth to avoid scratching the lenses.

The experts at Glass Doctor® never want you to be caught off guard by unsightly fingerprints. Hopefully, with these tips, your home will feel and look cleaner in a jiffy. Give the Glass Doctor® experts a call for all of your home glass and auto glass service needs.