It is one of those annoying problems that lots of people face. A great set of wine glasses, a glass coffee table or a favorite vase has picked up some scratches and looks old and tired. Most people just chuck the offending item away, or hide it in a dark corner, even though it can be repaired with not much effort at all. With the right knowledge and materials, you can get your glass looking spotless again.

1.) Don’t use harsh abrasives to try and rub the scratch out. This may work on wood, but on your favorite whisky glass, you’ll end up with a horrible opaque patch that will look even worse and be even more difficult to remove. You need to use a very fine abrasive substance such as cerium oxide. This can be picked up from most good jewelers.

2.) Next you need a polishing wheel. This is a kind of buffing pad that can be attached to a drill and in combination with the fine abrasive, will gently buff out the scratch. If the pad isn't completely clean then you'll just make more scratches in the glass, so check carefully first. The drill should not be used on a high setting as the pressure on the glass may be too large. Crystal glass is stronger and so can withstand higher spin speeds.

3.) Scratches that cover a large area or are quite serious will need something a bit more substantial for repair. Special resin is often used for serious scratches and this can be found at most hardware stores or glassware specialists. You’ll need to ensure that the resin you use has the same refractive index as the glass, otherwise it will stand out like a sore thumb, especially on crystal vases and glassware. The resin will still need to be polished up using the abrasive like with smaller scratches, but if done right you should not be able to notice a thing.