How to Get Glass Out of Carpet (Easy Steps to NOT Get Hurt!)

If you spill anything on the carpet, you’ll clean it immediately as it can permanently damage the carpet. But what about glass shattered all over the room? Any damage to the carpet is the LEAST of your concerns!

Using my tips below, you can get every shard of glass out of your carpet, no matter how small. You can even use a potato, a bread slice, or go over your kid’s pile of toys to find some clay!

But first, you’ll need to assess the level of damage.

Let’s See How Much Glass Fell 

Usually, you’ll only have dropped a mug or drinking glass, which is only a couple of shards. This is more localized and pretty easy to clean without any tools.

(A CFL bulb isn’t big either, but there’s a catch! Check out how to clean this type of glass.)

However, if your window broke because of an accident, you have a bigger mess to clean. Some of those myriad pieces could easily find their way into your foot or finger!

Oh, and unlike with fiberglass, you shouldn’t use your vac unless it’s filterless.

In this case, you’ll have to get way more creative and combine at least 2 of the methods below!

Don’t Jump Straight Into Cleaning!

The most important thing is to clear out the area, especially furfriends and babies. If it’s a bigger mess, close the door leading to the room, as the glass could be everywhere even if you can’t see it.

Now that you got everyone out of the way, it’s time to arm yourself. Get some gloves and put on long pants. 

Forget about kneeling to clean better, and protect the tootsies by using closed-toe shoes!

Get a bucket and coat it with a sturdy bag and several layers of paper within it. You shouldn’t make it easy for the shards to rip their way out. Then carefully pick up the big pieces or scoop them up using a piece of cardboard and a dustpan.

Now, the small shards of glass are stuck in the carpet, even though you can’t see them.

Time to cause some vibration!

I’m not talking about stomping up and down, that can hurt your foot! You can use a small scrubbing brush to make the shards come to the top of the carpet. From there, you can use a long piece of duct tape to lift these pieces. Throw away the duct tape with the shards of glass.

⚠️ Even tiny pieces of glass can cut your hand and cause bleeding; I’ve been there. If you cut yourself, stop cleaning and tend to your wound! The blood can stain the carpet, clothing and other stuff, which is causing a lot more work than you bargained for.

Random Household Items That Make Good Cleaning Tools

A Slice of Bread

Take a slice of bread and push it down on the area of the accident. The glass will get stuck on the bread.

This is best for de-glassing corners of the room.

A Damp Paper Towel

Fold a paper towel in half and dampen it. You can use this to pick up those stray pieces of glass left on the carpet. Once you’re done picking up the glass, you can throw it away. Wear gloves!

You can also use wet wipes (if you’re willing to sacrifice some). You shouldn’t use cloth napkins, towels, or ordinary mops as they can actually retain some of the glass particles.

A Piece of Clay

Scour your kid’s toy bin for clay. Break it up and mold it into as many little “muffins” as you can.

The procedure is straightforward. Get a muffin and use it to sop up as many shards as possible. Then throw it into the bucket and proceed with the next muffin until you use up all the clay.

(Sorry, kiddo!)

Can I Really Use a Potato to Clean Glass?

Yes, you can!

You can use any root vegetable, but a potato has a big surface. Plus a sack of potatoes is bound to be sitting somewhere in any household, at any given moment. 

Cut a potato in half, and press the fleshy side against the floor. Any stray pieces of glass you may have missed will be caught in the potato, and you can simply throw them away.

Just some added info: The potato also works to clean broken glass in a dishwasher. Use a flashlight in the dishwasher to see where the broken glass is. When you find the pieces, press the potato firmly on the surface. Throw it away when you’re done and run the dishwasher once to rinse small pieces of glass.

Who knew potatoes were so cool?!

Recycle & Upcycle

Ever wondered where these creative mirror and glass decor comes from? Sometimes, people actually make it themselves! 

Throwing them out might not be a good idea as it can cut the next person who tries to use the bin, such as your family or the trash collection employees.

If throwing them out is the only option you have, then wrap it in thick cloth or paper, and tape it up. This will ensure that no one else gets hurt.

If you want to recycle the glass, you can contact the city from where you’re from to check if they have a glass recycling project. They often have a drop-off point, or they might have days to pick up recycling.

Alternatively, you can take the glass pieces and turn them into a cool feature for your home. Look on Pinterest for ideas and how to do it safely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you vacuum up broken glass?

Using your vacuum cleaner seems like a good idea, but sucking up the pieces of glass can damage your vacuum if it uses filters. If the broken glass came from a CFL bulb, then vacuuming can spread the mercury powder deeper into the floor.

If you do use your vacuum, cover the hose with a sock. This will help collect the glass pieces, which can be carefully disposed of.

How do you get broken glass out of fabric?

You can use packing tape around your finger so that the sticky side is out and run it on the fabric to get the glass out of the fabric. But if you don’t have a roll of tape, many common household items will do. Think bread slice or a potato cut in half, or even a piece of clay!

What should I do if glass cuts me?

You should stop the clean-up process and tend to your wound. Clean it with warm water and antibacterial soap to get the dirt out.

Carefully use some tweezers cleaned with alcohol to remove the small pieces of glass and other debris from the wound. Apply some pressure to the cut with a clean cloth or bandage. It would be best to ask someone else to do this for you.