Glass Splashbacks look great. But unfortunately they also show up grease and dirt. Especially if there is light shining off it. I tested a bunch of methods and have found this to be the best way to clean a glass splashback.
How to Clean a Glass Splashback without Streaks
The best way to clean a glass splashback is by using dishwashing liquid.
Here is my surefire way to clean a glass splashback. You don’t need any nasty chemicals and I guarantee that this method will not leave any streaks and will remove all grease.
- Fill a Bowl with Warm Water and a Squirt of Dishwashing Liquid – There is no need to use any fancy cleaning products. Dishwashing Liquid is designed to trap grease and remove it. Other chemicals like “spray and wipe” and vinegar, are unable to trap grease.
- Use a Cloth to Wipe Down Splashback – I recommend using a Swedish Dishcloth, but any cloth works. Dip into the bowl and then wipe down the splashback. If the dirt is stubborn you may need to rinse the cloth and wipe it down with the warm soapy water.
- Remove water with Squeegees – This is the secret to ensuring a streak free finish. Use a cheap plastic Squeegee to remove the water. I use a sort of “S” motion. I keep a Squeegee under the kitchen sink and it has become my secret weapon for cleaning the glass splashback.
That’s it! The dishwashing liquid will remove all the grease the Squeegee will remove the water and leave a perfect finish.
How much Dishwashing Liquid Should I use
I use a small squirt in a medium sized bowl of warm water. Less is more! If you use too much dishwashing liquid the soap will actually build up on the glass and it’ll actually become sticky and dirtier over time.
Don’t squirt the dishwashing liquid directly onto your sponge or cloth. This is will be too much and you’ll end up with a slimy splashback. Instead use it diluted in warm water.
Tip – You can always use the warm washing up water from your sink. Before washing any dishes use the washing up liquid to wipe down your splashback.
Will Dishwashing Liquid Damage my Glass Splashback
Nope! Remember you use dishwashing liquid to clean delicate glassware. So it’s going to be perfectly fine for your splashback. I’ve been using dishwashing cleaner on my glass splashback in the kitchen for a number of years and it looks like it was just installed.
Ironically if you use glass cleaner or a multi purpose spray and wipe cleaner, you may damage your splashback. They contain stronger chemicals that will potentially etch into the glass overtime.
Using Vinegar to Clean a Glass Splashback
Vinegar will leave a greasy finish on a splashback. That’s because vinegar isn’t a surfactant. All it does is move the grease around, it can’t trap the grease like surfactant can. Do you wash your greasy pots and pans with vinegar? Off course not. So why clean the same grime off a glass splashback using vinegar.
I’ve seen a few websites recommend vinegar for cleaning including splash backs. But simple chemistry tells that it’s impossible for vinegar to trap and carry away grease. Put simply – it won’t work.
Using Glass Cleaner to clean a Glass Splashback
Glass cleaner is great for fingerprints but not so good with fat, oil, and other grime from cooking. If you have a couple of obvious fingerprints then a spray of glass cleaner will work well. For cooking mess, stick with dishwashing liquid.
Using Multi Purpose Cleaner to Clean a Glass Splashback
I tried the Koh multi purpose cleaner on my glass splashback. Unfortunately it didn’t do a good job of removing the grease and it didn’t leave a streak free finish. While I like using the Koh cleaner to wipe down certain surfaces for heavy kitchen grime simple dishwashing liquid will work a million times better.
The Best Cloth for Cleaning a Glass Splashback
I use Swedish Dishcloths. They are the same cloths that I use for washing up. Microfibre cloths will work too although they are more of a hassle to wash. You can throw a dirty Swedish dishcloth in the dishwasher.
I wouldn’t use any cloth that is abrasive. Glass is quite soft so any scratchy cloth might scratch your splashback. I’ve found that using dishwashing liquid is so effective that I don’t need to do any scrubbing.
