Funny Nature & Travel Art & Stage Going Viral Science Greetings Inspirational

Edit Profile Recently Viewed Favorites

Main > Tips & DIY > Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

Is It Safe to Vacuum Broken Glass?

By: Natalia J.

Add to Favorites In Favorites

Español

Font Size:

A+ A-

A single broken glass can scatter into hundreds of shards and create a dangerous mess in your home. You may be tempted to pull out the vacuum and clean it up right away, but not every type of vacuum cleaner will survive this venture. Below we explain what kind of vacuum you can and cannot use to clean glass shards, and how to clean up glass safely and responsibly.

1. Prepare the premises and gear up

Start by clearing the area of kids and pets to prevent any accidents. Then put on a pair of closed shoes, sturdy gloves, and eye protection. Last but not least, turn on the brightest lights you can to see all the shards of glass. If the area is poorly lit, use a flashlight to illuminate the broken glass pieces and make them easier to spot.

2. Clean up the big pieces

Begin by cleaning up the larger pieces of glass with a broom and dustpan. A stiff-bristled broom works best for this task. Use short sweeping motions to prevent any small pieces from flying away in all directions. Collect the broken glass in a dustpan.

3. Use a handheld vacuum for easy cleaning

Let’s start with a word of warning - a vacuum with a flexible hose should never be used to clean up broken glass. The glass shards can cut tiny holes in the hose and make it less effective at cleaning dust and dirt in the future. That being said, a portable vacuum without a flexible hose can certainly work for this type of task.

Related Article: Stop Cleaning Your Glasses With a T-Shirt, Do This Instead

4. Use a thick bag to dispose of the broken glass

When you’re done, avoid throwing the broken glass into the regular trash. Instead, collect the pieces in a thick paper bag or sturdy plastic trash bag. Wear gloves while you’re transferring the broken glass. If your handheld vacuum has a disposable collection liner, it’s still safer to place it in a trash bag before throwing it in the trashcan.

5. Get every tiny shard

Even after sweeping and vacuuming the floor, you may notice tiny shards of glass shining here and there. There are several safe ways to pick up all of those without a trace, here are the best ones:

Fold a paper towel into three layers. Dampen the paper towel and press firmly over the broken glass. The tiny glass pieces should stick to the paper towel right away. Fold the paper towel in half and place it with the rest of the broken glass. Repeat with a fresh sheet if necessary.
Press a slice of soft bread onto the broken shards. Dispose of it right away.
Slice a potato in half and place it over the glass shards cut side down. Then throw away the potato immediately.
Pick up the glass with a lint roller designated for removing lint and hair from clothing.
Wrap a piece of duct tape around your finger with the sticky side on the outside. Press the duct tape over the glass shards, and then dispose of it promptly.

Once all the glass is in the trash, dispose of the bag you used to collect the broken glass. Then carefully rinse the broom, dustpan, and the bottom of your shoes to avoid spreading glass around the house.

H/T: The Spruce

Like Next Post Send Share WhatsApp

Copy Link

Did you mean:

Continue With: Facebook Google

By continuing, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy

Report copyright infringement

Print this content

You may also like:

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

How to Clean and Organize a Leather or Fabric Wallet

Your wallet has more germs than a toilet, but most rarely clean theirs. This guide will walk you through deep cleaning and organizing your wallet.

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

How to Render Your Car Organized and Clutter-Free

Can’t Fit Anything in the Car? 11 Clever Car Cleaning Tips

Tired of not being able to fit your groceries into the car? With these 11 car organization tips, your car will always look neat and free of clutter.

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

Don’t Overlook These Especially Germy Spots in the Bedroom

These are 10 of the dirtiest, grimiest, and most germ-ridden spots in your bedroom.

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

10 Surprising Uses For Shaving Foam At Your Home

Shaving Foam: Your New Underrated Stain Remover

Did you know shaving foam can be an unexpected cleaning hack at home?

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

Here’s How to Clean Your Oven Super Fast

9:55

Grimy Oven? Get It Sparkling Clean in 5 Minutes!

These tricks will help you clean your oven in minutes.

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

4:38

10 Clever Uses of WD-40 I Really Want to Try

Here are 10 alternative uses of WD-40 few people are aware of!

Humor

When You Want to Get Lost - Try These Signs!

These signs for public information raise far more questions than they answer.

Health

16 Magnesium-Rich Snacks to Boost Your Body

16 Magnesium-Rich Snacks to Eat on the Go

Magnesium deficiency can lead to sore muscles, body tightness and constipation. These are foods rich in magnesium you can consume.

Send Comment

Related Topics: glass, life hacks, cleaning guide, cleaning tips, vacuuming, vacuum cleaner, useful to know, broken glass

Quizzes

Underrated But Brilliant Films

Think you know your under-the-radar masterpieces? Let’s see if you can spot these unpolished cinematic treasures, and if not - we've left you some clues...

A History Test for the Ages

In this trivia history quiz, we're going to ask about some of the greatest figures, wars and events that shaped the world we live in.

Ink Stain Rorschach Test

With the help of the following personality test, we will help you uncover this force using the principles of one of the most famous psychological tools in the world - the Rorschach inkblot test.

Most popular in Tips, Life Hacks and DIY