Cleaning Broken Glass Out of Carpet

Written by Karen Bates (last updated June 4, 2018)

3

It happens every once in a while: a table is accidentally bumped, and whatever was on it is knocked off onto the floor. Hopefully nothing has been broken, but in some unfortunate situations, something breakable is ruined during the ordeal, leaving shards of broken glass on your floor.

Although it seems less likely that broken glass would end up on a carpeted area than on tile or wood, it is important to carefully and thoroughly clean the area if it does happen. Because carpet can easily hide a small piece of glass, a quick spot cleaning is not enough to really take care of the mess. In order to avoid cuts or injuries, you should take great care when cleaning pieces of broken glass from a carpeted area. Any glass that is left behind could cause harm later on when it is accidentally stepped on.

If pieces of broken glass end up in your carpet:

  1. Be sure you are wearing proper protection for your hands and feet. Wear close-toed shoes around broken glass, and wear gloves if possible.
  2. Carefully remove large chunks of glass that are easily visible. Remember, just because you can't see more glass in the carpet, it doesn't mean it's all gone. Throw the glass away in a place where no one could be potentially injured by it.
  3. Vacuum the area thoroughly, going over it several times to ensure you pick up as much of the glass as possible.
  4. After vacuuming, use a brush to scrub at the area to bring any glass to the surface that might be embedded deeper in the carpet. You can use duct tape or a piece of bread to help pick up pieces as well.
  5. Vacuum again, this time getting the larger area surrounding the spot where the mess was. You want to be sure that any stray pieces are picked up so no one steps on them later. Even though the carpet might look completely clean, glass is easily hidden so a very detailed and thorough vacuuming is ideal.

It is a good idea to vacuum the area every day for a week after you clean up, just to make sure all of the glass has been sucked up. Wear socks or shoes around the area for a while to protect your feet, just in case. If you can't seem to get all of the glass up from the carpet or are worried that the vacuum can't get it all, contact a professional cleaner or rent a carpet shampooer to do a more thorough job.

Author Bio

Karen Bates

An English student who enjoys writing and art, Karen has had her poetry published in her university's literary journal and has several novels in the works. ...

MORE FROM KAREN

Home Remedies for Brighter Whites

There are many ways to get your white laundry white again using products you already have around your house. You don't ...

Discover More

Removing Water Stains from a Sofa

Unfortunate water stains can show up on almost any kind of sofa. Learn how to get rid of this annoying stain with a few ...

Discover More

How to Use Fashion Neutrals Properly

What are fashion neutrals and how can you use them? These clothing pieces are very useful if you need to expand your ...

Discover More

The Power of Microfiber! Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths will become your favorite tool for every cleaning task. This 36-cloth package is perfect for hundreds of uses in the garage, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and all around the house. Each cloth is tough, streak-free, lint-free, reusable, and washable. Check out Microfiber Cleaning Cloths today!

More Cleaning Tips

Removing Soda Pop Stains from Carpet

One of the most popular drinks around is soda pop, and as such it is also one of the most common types of staining ...

Discover More

Cleaning an Area Rug

Anciently, kings and rulers commissioned beautiful handmade works knotted with golden and silver threads to adorn their ...

Discover More

Chemical Carpet Cleaning

Buying a carpet can be an expensive transaction. What type of carpet? How much can I spend? These are all common ...

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 seven minus 2?

2018-06-08 17:37:19

JJ

Beth, I just looked back at this and discovered I'd given the credit to the wrong person for a tip. Please forgive me. Shining a light on the area is a perfect idea---but I ask your pardon for my goof. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.


2018-06-05 21:57:12

JJ

Petra, that idea is excellent. Shining a flashlight on the area will be very helpful! That way you'll know you won't have to worry about messing up the vacuum.


2018-06-04 07:34:03

Beth

After you've done all that, lay a flashlight on the floor several places around the circumference. Even a very tiny piece of glass will light up and you can get it.


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.