- How you clean your 3D printer’s glass bed will depend on a couple of things: the bed type and the printed material
- For glass: use window cleaner, IPA hot water, or Acetone
- Another Redditor recommends this process for cleaning the glass: use window cleaner every 2-3 prints. Then, every week he cleans it down with 99% rubbing alcohol, a splash of apple cider vinegar which he lets set for a couple of minutes. Then one more window cleaner spray (Source)
- When it comes to BuildTak build type surfaces: don’t use Acetone as it will wreck it. It’s best to use: Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) or window cleaner (pro tip: the less additives, the better)
- For Ultrabase and similar build surfaces: IPA (again, no Acetone) and window cleaner
- For PEI (Ultem): IPA or window cleaner (Source)
If you own a 3D printer today, one of the most important parts of your responsibility is to learn how to clean and maintain it properly.
Because the cleaning solutions and tools that you use are essential to its proper care, you need to know how to clean a 3D printer glass bed as soon as it is in your possession.
Thankfully, there is quite a bit of valuable information online that can help walk you through the cleaning process, and will also provide great tips on how to clean it without damaging it.
With that being said, here are 4 things that you need to do to clean a 3D printer glass bed.
Cleaning Your 3D Printer’s Glass Bed: Tips
1. Prepare Your Equipment
One of the best ways to clean a 3D printer bed is to make sure that it is slightly heated first. And, once this equipment is at the right temperature, you can use a cleaning solution.
It is also important to know which types of cleaning solutions work best, especially if you want the glass bed to be sparkling and squeaky clean when you complete the job.
For instance, you do not want water stains or cloudy smears left back on the surface of the glass. Whatever the case or situation, here are a few highly recommended cleaning solutions that are expected to work best.
- Warm soapy water
- Window cleaner products
- Acetone
Each of these cleaning solutions can be used to do the job. So, one of your first steps is to spray the cleaning solution that you have selected (acetone, soapy water, and etc.) on top of its surface.
Also, once you have sprayed this cleaning solution on the areas that need it, let the cleaning solution sit for a minute or 2 before you wipe it off.
It is very important, however, to make sure that you are removing all of the dirt, debris and residue that needs to be cleaned off before moving to the next step.
2. Remove Filament Residue
Also, based on the situation or circumstances, you may need to use another cleaning method to maintain and clean the 3D printer bed properly. For instance, you can use a scraper as a cleaning tool to get rid of the sticky residue.
This is because the scraper can help to remove sticky residue a lot easier than a liquid cleaning solution. Also, when you are using the right type of scraper, It can also help you to do a good and thorough job in less time.
In fact, even though cleaning a 3D printer surface may appear to be a simple task, it can be a little tougher than most people may think. For instance, some people who have had to clean this type of surface may encounter issues cleaning these types of glass surfaces.
So, to prevent damages and to maintain this type of equipment correctly, it is important to choose the best possible cleaning solutions and tools. Primarily, this is because leftover filament residue is actually a common occurrence that usually happens after someone has removed a print.
You should also know that the leftover filament residue is not easy to get off of the surface of the 3D printer glass bed. This is because the filament residue is quite thin, and it can stick very strongly down on the surface of the 3D glass bed.
Therefore, it is normally very hard to remove with many of the typical cleaning measures. Also, once all of the sticky filament residues has been completely removed, you should use a paper towel to wipe down the surface of the 3d glass bed a second time.
We recommend only working with the best 3D printer filament that’s appropriate to your project to make clean-up easier!
3. Protect Future Prints
Clean 3D printer glass beds is not only about maintaining the beauty or the overall looks of the equipment that is being used.
Instead, more importantly, the glass bed must be perfectly clean for a number of different reasons, including the overall effect that it will have on the quality of the prints.
For instance, if the user of the 3D printer does not keep the printer glass bed cleaned properly, the quality of the prints can easily be degraded.
In some cases, the prints that the person is trying to produce may even be ruined. Therefore, you need to know exactly what you are doing before you get started with this process.
4. How to Remove Dirt and Debris
Whenever you are responsible for cleaning a 3D print glass bed, it is also very important to know exactly why this process should be done properly. And, why many professionals in the business stress the importance of this overall process, and how it can impact the work that you and others are doing.
Therefore, you should make sure that you do your research first, and here are a few of the top reasons why 3D prints can fail. Based on the situation or circumstance, there are several reasons why someone’s 3D prints fail.
Notably, one of the most commonly known reasons is the print process stops in the middle of the print activity. Typically, the 3D printer will fail if the 3D printer bed is not free from dirt, debris, oils any other substances that it picks up.
Conclusion
There are a few ways to clean your 3D printer bed. One way is to use a piece of cloth and some isopropyl alcohol. Another way is to use a brush and some acetone or fingernail polish remover.
If you are using isopropyl alcohol, make sure that you do not use too much or it will damage the surface of your bed. Also, make sure that you wipe in the same direction so that you do not leave any streaks.
If you are using acetone or fingernail polish remover, make sure that you are in a well-ventilated area. These chemicals can be very dangerous if you breathe them in. Also, make sure that you do not use too much or it will damage the surface of your bed.
Once you have cleaned your bed, make sure that you dry it off completely before you start printing again. Otherwise, your prints will not stick properly.
When you are investing in a 3D printer it is very important that you do your research in advance. Because not all 3D printers and their function are equal, you need to learn as much as you can about that particular 3D printer.
This is especially the case for anyone who wants to know how to clean it properly. Also, since the 3D printer is designed in a manner that requires it to be clean after its usage, everyone that uses this printer needs to learn how to clean a 3d printer glass bed.
Additionally, by learning how to use the proper procedures, cleaning solutions, and tools, you will help to protect your investment and the longevity of its use. Make sure you read up on how to clean your 3D printer nozzle, and dealing with filament sticking to your nozzle, as well- this will keep your unit in tip top shape!
Hello, my name’s Rush Chapman. I’m a 3D printing enthusiast. I started this site to help people choose 3D printing projects and select the best 3D printer for your needs, whether you’re a hobbyist or a pro!
