How To Clear Broken Window Glass Without Cutting Yourself Horribly

The first step when it comes to replacing a window is going to be clearing out all of the broken glass. This stuff can be especially dangerous since the glass is going to be all over the ground. But, there's also going to be some sticking out of the window as well. Here are some ways that you can make sure you don't slice open your hand and bleed all over yourself while clearing it all away.

Remove All Glass from the Ground Under the Window

Before you even fully approach the window, it's important to make sure that you take care of any glass that's on the ground so you don't cut your feet or get glass embedded in your shoes. Wear thick, closed-toe shoes if possible.

You'll also want to wear heavy gloves. One good option for this is wearing garden gloves made of leather. This is because leather is naturally resistant to being cut. You'll want to grab each piece of glass shard by the flat side if possible, in order to lessen the risk of getting cut since no gloves can guarantee that they will never be punctured.

It's also important to inform everyone in the area about the glass. This way they won't run into the room at a bad time and risk hurting themselves.

Carefully Remove Shards from the Broken Window

After you've cleared the area of glass, it's now time to carefully approach the window itself. There will likely be glass shards sticking out of it. If the window is only partially broken and big sections of it are still stuck, you might have to go after the putty at the edges of the window in order to remove the broken sections. You can use a wood chisel or putty knife to chip away at this until the window becomes loose.

Another good approach if the glass is still largely in one section is to use a cross-hatch style to tape cracked pieces so that they don't randomly shatter and fall apart as you're pulling at them. This is because they could fall in an unpredictable manner and cut you. If you're not going to put the new glass in yourself right away, it's a useful idea to put in plywood in order to keep any animals from getting in until you can replace the window.

Overall, deferring to professionals like Ryan's All Glass is often the right way to go. They will have equipment you don't have access to, though they will appreciate that you cleared the glass first. 

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