Caring for Glass

So, I’ve built a stained glass something for you and it’s gone to live at your house. Here’s how to take care of your stained glass piece of art.

Treat your glass with respect. Remember – no matter how much it’s supported or how strong it looks – this piece is made out of a breakable material and is fragile. Some types of glass have natural “imperfections” which means that there will be certain places in the glass that are thinner and/or more susceptible to stress breaks.

Displaying safely:

Our hanging pieces come with a suitable ribbon, chain or cord for hanging purposes. We think it wise to check these hanging materials for wear or damage from time to time, particularly if they are being hung outdoors (Jute cord in particular tends to deteriorate quite rapidly outside), or in areas where the piece is in motion a lot which may wear the hanging material. To shorten or lengthen a piece of chain, use 2 needle nose pliers to twist the link open instead of pulling the link open – pulling can weaken the metal and cause the chain to break.

I recommend that you hang your piece securely from a sturdy hook that has been screwed into a secure material, like a wall stud or wooden window frame – something that isn’t going to fall down and go “boom” once it has a piece of weighty glass hanging from it. I am not a huge fan of suction cup hangers attached to windows unless it’s a quality suction cup hanger with a really small piece hanging from it in a no-traffic area. (After all that work, wouldn’t it be a shame to have the piece fall and smash just because the wire used to form the hanger wasn’t strong enough?)

Cleaning:

The glass piece you have purchased has been cleaned, then completely protected with a waxy sealer that is applied in its liquid form, is left to dry, and is then buffed and polished with a soft, dry rag.

Aside from a light dusting, your glass shouldn't need TOO much in the form of cleaning. I would suggest wiping it down with a damp rag if you'd like to clean it.  Or if it needs a little more than that, dishsoap and water is my preferred cleaning method.  

If it's been outside, even that may not be enough, reach out to me and I can give you some suggestions based on your piece at that point.