Scratched glass is a surprisingly common problem — shower screens, mirrors, windows and glass doors all accumulate scratches from cleaning, installation and daily use. In many cases, scratched glass can be restored professionally without replacement.

How Glass Scratches Occur

Glass is harder than most people assume, but it is not impervious to scratching. Common causes include:

Cleaning with abrasive cloths or unsuitable cleaning products
Grit or debris trapped under a squeegee or cloth
Contact with jewellery, keys or tools during installation or use
Construction activity near glazed areas

Can All Scratched Glass Be Repaired?

The repairability of a glass scratch depends on its depth. Glass scratches fall into two categories:

Surface scratches (light scratches) — these affect only the surface layer of the glass and can be polished out using specialist glass polishing compounds and equipment. The result is typically invisible.
Deep scratches — these penetrate further into the glass. Polishing can reduce their visibility but may leave a slight distortion in the glass (since polishing removes a layer of glass, which changes the optical properties of the surface). Whether the result is acceptable depends on the location of the scratch and the viewing angle.

A professional technician will assess the scratch and give you an honest assessment before starting work.

Shower Screen Repair

Shower screens are one of the most common glass repair requests. They accumulate scratches from cleaning and from jewellery or fittings catching the glass surface.

Shower screen glass polishing costs £85–£150 for a standard screen. This is significantly less than replacing a shower screen (£200–£600 or more including fitting).

Window Glass Repair

Scratched window glass is repairable in many cases. The main consideration is whether the glass is toughened (safety glass) or laminated — both are repairable, though toughened glass is more susceptible to optical distortion from polishing than standard float glass.

Mirror Repair

Scratched mirrors can be polished to reduce scratch visibility. Silvering damage (where the reflective backing has deteriorated) is not repairable by polishing and typically requires replacement.