How to Remove TSP Stains From Glass

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Things You'll Need

  • Bucket

  • White vinegar

  • Soft cloth

  • Liquid dish soap

  • Glass cleaning product

  • Paper towels

TSP can discolor glass and glass surfaces.

Trisodium phosphate, or TSP, is a cleaning product composed of soda ash and phosphoric acid commonly used to remove difficult stains and rust. You shouldn't clean glass with TSP, however. It can etch the glass or leave a stain behind, which makes the glass looking cloudy or white-colored. If the glass is etched because of the acid, there is no way to repair the damage. If the glass is now cloudy because of TSP, you can attempt to remove the cloudiness using vinegar. Depending on the thickness of the glass and the amount of time the TSP sat on the glass, the cloudiness may only lighten, not completely disappear.

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Step 1

Fill a bucket with white vinegar.

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Step 2

Submerge the glass in the white vinegar. If the object is too large to submerge, dampen a cloth in white vinegar. Lay the rag over the glass area, to allow the vinegar to work into the TSP stain.

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Step 3

Allow the vinegar to soak into the TSP stain for one hour. Remove the glass from the vinegar, or the vinegar cloth from the glass.

Step 4

Clean the vinegar residue away using soapy water and a soft cloth. Rinse the glass with cool water. Repeat the process until you remove the TSP stain.

Step 5

Spray the glass with a glass cleaner and wipe it away with a paper towel to achieve a streak-free finish.

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