Cleaning Varnish from Glass

Written by Cassandra Merkling (last updated March 3, 2025)

Perhaps you have just finished varnishing a beautiful French door. Maybe you were refinishing the frame of a beat-up old mirror. Whatever happened, you got varnish on the glass and now you want it off. Well, here are a few options for you.

There are a few things you can do to remove varnish from glass. First of all, make sure that you have wiped off all varnish that is still wet. You can remove the dry varnish with something like Goo Gone and a dry Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Take care that you do not remove the lacquer from the area surrounding the glass unless you mean to do so.

Some people recommend using a sharp razor blade (like the kind you can get from the Stanley website) along with some soap or Windex to moisten it in order to get lacquer off of glass. If you do this, be sure to keep your razor blade at a low angle so you do not scratch the glass. Do not use it on smoked or frosted glass, though, as it has been known to cause scratching on this kind of surface. Also take care if you try to use the razor blade method on tempered glass, as it tends to be a bit more (excuse the pun) temperamental about being scraped, as the standards for making a good tempered glass are no longer as high as they once were, resulting in fabricating debris which you can inadvertently dislodge with a razor blade and which can result in scratches.

Other methods you can also use to remove varnish from glass are lacquer thinner, denatured alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, which can dissolve the lacquer (and that makes sense, since lacquer is basically resin dissolved in some kind of volatile solvent). Another, more environmentally-friendly (in case you are sick of being in stinky surroundings) suggestion for removing dried varnish from glass is to use baking soda as a mild abrasive on the surface and buff the blemish away. If you want to power that idea with a little "oomph," you can add some water and a few drops of ammonia, making sure to wash the solution off after rubbing it onto the surface with a good cloth.

Author Bio

Cassandra Merkling

MORE FROM CASSANDRA

Cleaning Laminate Flooring

Laminate floors are a beautiful and inexpensive option that more and more home owners are starting to use. Laminate ...

Discover More

Choosing the Best Photo Albums for You

Photo albums can be quite mysterious to the amateur photo collector. Think about a few features you would like in a photo ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of Mold and Mildew

Eeeeew, mold! Not only is it gross, but it can be dangerous. Since no one really ever wants to have mold and mildew ...

Discover More

Tough Cleaning Jobs Require Brawny! Brawny paper towels provide the versatility you need: the strength for demanding jobs and the softness to clean up your child's messy face. This 24-roll pack of pick-a-size sheets can handle just about every cleaning task in your home. Check out Brawny 24-Pack Giant Paper Towels today!

More Cleaning Tips

Removing Hard Water and Rust Stains

If you have scrubbed your sink and it is germ free, but still looks grimy, chances are you have a hard water stain.

Discover More

Cleaning Paint from Glass

Water based paints will absorb water and become rubbery making it easy to peel the paint right off of the glass. Razors ...

Discover More

Crystal Cleaning

Is your crystal no longer crystal-clear? Worry no more! Here are some ideas about what you can do to get your crystal ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is four less than 4?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.