As the use of glass increased over recent years, issues of strength, safety and thermal performance became increasingly important design considerations. The availability of tinted and coated glasses had a dramatic impact on glass use in building projects. The vastly expanded aesthetic options, combined with the improved energy conserving and comfort capabilities of tinted and coated glasses allowed architects to use more glass, as well as larger sizes in their designs. A consequence of this trend was a corresponding increase in the use of tempered and heat-strengthened glass in order to meet both thermal and windload design requirements. The demand for tempered glass further increased with the passing of safety glazing legislation in 1977, which mandated its use in certain locations. This document discusses why industry cleaning procedures must be followed to avoid glass damage.

The Technical Services Division of the National Glass Association (NGA) has produced this Glass Technical Paper solely for informational purposes. This Paper was developed by dedicated member volunteers and subject matter experts. The original version of this document was published in 2002. This version of the document was updated and published in October 2023.

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