Window cleaners report finding silicone on glass from time to time. Although it is possible to remove silicone from glass, there are precautions to take before tackling the job. There are chemicals in the window cleaning industry designed to help with silicone removal. Many people attempt using a razor first, but with the risk of scratching the window we advise starting with another method first.
Oil-Flo is the first method Detroit Sponge advises using in combination with either a synthetic scrub pad or the 0000 steel wool. This will require some elbow grease but depending on how thick the silicone is, it should at least loosen it up enough that you may be able to buff the rest of the silicone off with a towel. If not, last but not least you can consider a razor.
CHEMICALS
Titan Oil-Flo Safety Solvent Cleaner is a specialized product for removing organic stains such as asphalt, tar, coal, wax, grease, and oil. Application is as easy as applying, agitating and giving a good rinse. Oil-Flo will not harm the surface; it will just dissolve the stain to water makes it easy to remove. Titan’s cleaner is our most aggressive cleaner and can be used on everything from removing crayon stains to dissolving parking lots.
You can also use Titan Oil-Flo Safety Solvent Cleaner for cleaning equipment, vehicles, applicators, tools, floors, machines, clothing, steel, concrete, aluminum, and much more. Titan Oil-Flo Safety Solvent Cleaner is ideal for cleanup of problems caused by overspray, tracking, spills, line breaks, and any time you have a stain and you want it removed quickly and safely.
Another chemical to try in combination with a synthetic scrub pad or 0000 steel wool is “Goof Off”. You can buy this at most hardware stores but I do have (6) small (6oz) bottles in stock at the moment. Most places advertise the 6oz bottles for around $7 per bottle but I am more than happy to sell you all (6) bottles for $20.
SCRUBBING
When scrubbing, we highly recommend using one of the following scrub pads or steel wool for scrubbing. Synthetic scrub pads are great for hand buffing and can be attached to a pad holder. The white scrub pads we stocker are made of spun plastic fibers to power through stuck on stains without scratching the glass. We carry two sized, a 6×9 inch pad that is about ¼ inch thick (comes in a pack for 10) or a 4.5×10 inch pad that is about 1 inch thick.
If you do not want a white scrub pad, window cleaners carry around steel wool. The Ultra Fine 0000 Steel Wool is a best seller at Detroit Sponge because it is able to remove stains off glass without scratching the glass. You can use it for cleaning and polishing windows and metal, or even sanding wood. The steel wool comes in a pack of 16 pads.
RAZOR
If this is not enough to get it off, then a razor would be the next step. As I am sure you are already aware, you just need to be cautious when scraping glass. Especially tempered glass. This type of glass is prone to scratching. If you decide to go with the scraping route, I recommend keeping the glass constantly wet w/your cleaning soap of choice and be sure to scrape in one direction. Meaning scrape, remove scraper from glass, wipe away silicone from blade and repeat process. DO NOT keep scraper on glass moving in back-and-forth.
I hope you gained a better understanding of how to best remove silicone from glass but please do not hesitate to call us if you have any other questions. Shop all of the products mentioned above on the Detroit Sponge website. For more tips read more of our blogs and follow us at social media @detroitsponge.