Cleaning and keeping acrylic clean requires a little more attention than cleaning glass. This is because acrylic sheet is more sensitive to scratches than regular glazing. With the correct cleaning agent and the right materials, acrylic sheets will stay beautiful for years. That is why we are happy to give you a few guidelines to enable you to clean your acrylic easily and with no worries.
Supplies for cleaning acrylic:
Cleaning Plexiglass or acrylic is best done with soapy water and a soft microfibre cloth. We do not recommend cleaning agents such as white spirit and glass cleaners (Glassex), because these do not dissolve solid dirt particles (such as sand and dust). These particles are swept over the surface when the cloth moves back and forth, causing scratches. Always use a generous amount of water with a drop of detergent, this will thoroughly wash away the solid dirt. The fine fibres of a microfibre cloth also hold the dirt particles well. Rinse the cloth regularly. The use of chemical cleaning agents such as benzene, thinner or acetone is out of the question. These soften the surface and leave an (irreversible) haze on the plexiglass.
Avoiding static charge
When cleaning acrylic sheet, it is important to prevent the static loading of the material. Static charge attracts dust that is easy to wipe away but leaves scratches again. It is, therefore, preferable to clean acrylic with a special cleaning agent, such as Burnus antistatic cleaner. This prevents static charge when you clean acrylic. You can also clean acrylic with Burnus, these plastics are identical to acrylic. Burnus cleans and treats the acrylic so that it stays clean longer and is antistatic. The antistatic effect of this product is very strong; once plexiglass has been treated with Burnus, it does not need to be wiped clean daily. This means that you will prevent many small scratches from occurring.
Cleaning heavily soiled and damaged acrylic
If the acrylic is heavily soiled, for example, due to a thick layer of dust (for example, if a caravan or boat has been in a garage for a long time), you can blow the acrylic clean using a compressor. Then rinse it clean with a generous amount of water and then clean the acrylic with soapy water and washing up liquid. Do not wipe the acrylic, but let it dry naturally.
If the acrylic is damaged, or there are many scratches, you can polish it. You can read more about this in the article “Polishing Plexiglass“. Then treat the acrylic with Burnus antistatic cleaner to keep it looking good for longer.
