Cleaning your glass pool fence can be a challenge if you want it to stay clear and smear free.
It’s easy to see why glass pool fences are so popular – they certainly have plenty of advantages in making your backyard look bigger and giving you an unobstructed view of your pool. The frameless versions even offer the illusion of having no fence at all.
Until they become streaky and marked, that is – then they begin to lose their appeal a little and keeping on top of them can take some work.
Like cleaning windows, your glass pool fence can certainly feel like a big chore and is something we find easy to put off. But the good news is that cleaning your glass pool fence doesn’t need to be difficult or take up too much of your time.
So, here’s our SOAP TIPS for a crystal-clear pool fence with a streak-free finish in a flash.
First mix your glass cleaner.
Resist using ammonia-based, chemical ‘miracle’ glass cleaners. While some do a decent job, they are extremely toxic and just not necessary – not to mention, expensive.
Order yourself a large bottle of distilled white vinegar, a large bottle of distilled water, and a couple of spray bottles – all of which are super-cheap.
The beauty of vinegar, is that it’s non-toxic, antibacterial and its acidic content is completely safe for your skin, as well as for your children and pets.
Cleaning Glass to Avoid Streaks
Though vinegar is great at preventing streaks, it’s often your tap water that is the biggest culprit, due to the various minerals it contains – and this will vary by area. By diluting your vinegar with distilled water, you can avoid those irritating streaks, because the water doesn’t have all those minerals in it that can be present in tap water.
Mix around 2 parts warm water to 1 part vinegar and fill up your spray bottle.
Spray the mixture directly onto your glass pool fence, wipe dry with a clean, lint-free micro-fibre cloth, chamois, or embrace the old-school method, with crumpled newspaper. If you do use newspaper, stick to the black and white pages only, and remember to wear gloves. If you prefer, you can remove excess liquid with a squeedgy first, but beware – these can leave streaks too. Avoid using paper kitchen towels, which tend to leave linty streaks on the glass.
If any rogue streaks remain, just polish off with a dry cloth. At SOAP with use heaps of cloths when cleaning your home, so don’t scrimp on cloths and try to get away with one or two – you are going to need a few to get the job done right. Then just stick them in the wash for next time.
Removing Stubborn Dirt
If your glass pool fence is particularly dirty, or marked, just heat about a cup or so of vinegar on the stove until it is very warm, but still cool enough to touch. Dip a cloth directly into the vinegar and apply it generously to any stubborn marks and leave it for a while to soften the marks.
You can also spray the whole glass area with a stronger concentrate of heated vinegar and water at a ratio of 50:50, again, leave it so soften the grime, then hose off with water. You can then spray and wipe dry as described above with your basic distilled water and vinegar mix for a sparkling finish.
If the task at hand requires a much deeper clean, then just add a little soap to the mix – but only a little (no more than three drops of liquid dish soap), as unless you’re a glass-cleaning pro, the suds will leave ugly streaks. Again, with this mix, we recommend rinsing or hosing with water before spraying with your basic distilled water and vinegar mix before drying.
The trick to keeping your pool fence looking clear is to keep on top of it regularly to avoid a build-up of salt, chlorine, or whatever you use in your pool, on the glass.
Glass Protection
Here’s a tip you might try on any of the glass panels that are particularly prone to splashing to keep them clear for longer. Apply a little car wax and polish off after cleaning, which will make it harder for water deposits to stick to the glass.
Relax By The Pool
If you’ve found this all very interesting, but actually prefer relaxing by the pool than wrestling your glass fence into submission, then give us a call and add this extra service to your next clean.