FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS
More Articles

How to Use Cerium Oxide for Glass Polishing

Cerium oxide is a polishing compound for glass. GT Tools sells it for minor hazing, light rub marks, fine scratches, water spots and mineral deposits. You buy it as a liquid that is ready to apply, or as a powder you mix with water. You work it into the glass with a felt or foam pad, by hand or on a drill or rotary polisher, and keep the pad and the glass moist until the mark is gone. Before you start, check the scratch with a fingernail: the Glass Polishing Kit is sold for scratches that do not catch it.

What Cerium Oxide Is Used For

Here is what each GT Tools cerium oxide product is sold for.

Cerium oxide is also in the box of the GT Tools system for deeper scratches. The Scratch Hog Glass Scratch Repair Kit - Standard box holds SpeedGrit resurfacing discs in five grits, an 8 oz cerium oxide polish, the Mineral Remover version and Diamond Fast powder.

Check the Scratch First

Run a fingernail across the scratch before you buy anything.

If your nail does not catch

This is the damage the Glass Polishing Kit is sold for. A cerium oxide polish and a felt or foam pad are the tools you need, and the steps further down cover the job. For isolated scratches of this kind across a larger area of glass, the Glass Saver Glass Scratch Repair Kit, at $567.00, is a machine designed for scratches that can be seen but not felt, and it comes with Diamond Fast compound and pads.

If your nail catches

The scratch is deeper than the polishing kit is sold for. GT Tools states that the Scratch Hog Glass Scratch Repair Kit - Standard, at $1,276.20, removes heavy scratches up to .015 of an inch deep; its box holds the SpeedGrit discs and the polish.

Liquid, Powder or Kit

There are three ways to start, depending on whether you want to mix your own compound and whether you already own pads.

Start with Price What you get
Cerium Oxide Glass Polish $22.68 for the 8 oz and $71.82 for the 32 oz Diamond Fast powder pre-mixed in a suspended liquid, ready to use
Cerium Oxide Glass Polishing Powder - 1LB DF8661 $34.20 1 lb of powder with an average particle size of 1.1 micron, mixed with water into a paste
Glass Polishing Kit $46.35 Half a pound of Diamond Fast powder, a 5 inch felt pad, a 5 inch backing pad and a spindle adapter

Prices checked 11/2/2026 on gtglass.com.

The liquid is ready to use as it comes. With a powder you mix to your own consistency, and the kit adds a felt pad, a backing pad and a spindle adapter to half a pound of powder. If the glass has hard water spots or mineral staining, the Cerium Oxide Glass Polish with Mineral Remover is $22.68 for the 8 oz and $84.15 for the 32 oz.

GT Tools sells three more. They are a 3.1 micron powder, the raw Diamond Fast powder that all of its polishing products are made from, and a Diamond Fast compound. Every polish and powder is on the Glass & Plastic Restoration page.

Pads and Drill Speed

You apply cerium oxide with a felt or foam polishing pad, and on a drill or polisher that pad attaches to a backing pad.

Pads

The Reusable Glass Polishing Pads - Hook and Loop are dense felt for the final polishing stage, at $18.90 for the 3 inch and $19.89 for the 5 inch. The Liquid Diamond Foam Polishing Pad - 5 Inch is high-density foam for a final polish to a high luster, at $17.00. Both attach to a hook and loop backing pad such as the Glass Scratch Removal Backing Pads - Hook and Loop, $25.56 for the 3 inch and $31.23 for the 5 inch.

Prices checked 11/2/2026 on gtglass.com.

Speed

The Glass Polishing Kit is meant for a power drill at around 1500 RPM. The Liquid Diamond Foam Polishing Pad is meant for a rotary polisher at 1000 to 2000 RPM. For a small touch-up, you can apply the polish by hand.

How to Polish Glass with Cerium Oxide, Step by Step

1. Clean the glass

Remove all dirt and contaminants from the surface.

2. Prepare the compound

If you are using the Cerium Oxide Glass Polish, shake the bottle well. Mix the DF8661 powder or the raw Diamond Fast powder with water into a paste. The DF4001 powder works as a paste or a slurry, and the Diamond Fast compound is blended with water into a slurry.

3. Load the pad

Put a small amount of the liquid or paste on a felt or foam polishing pad.

4. Polish

Work the compound into the marked area with moderate, consistent pressure, by hand or with a drill or rotary polisher.

5. Keep the pad and glass moist

Keep both moist the whole time you polish, to avoid overheating.

6. Wipe and inspect

When the hazing or marks are gone and the glass is clear, wipe off the residue with a clean, damp cloth and inspect the glass. Repeat steps 3 to 6 if you need to.

Safety

Wear protective gloves and safety glasses while you handle and apply the polish, and work in a well-ventilated area. If polish gets in your eyes, rinse them with water right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cerium oxide used for on glass?

It is a polishing compound. GT Tools sells it for minor hazing, light rub marks, water spots, light surface blemishes, fine scratches that do not catch a fingernail, and, in the Mineral Remover version, mineral deposits. The Cerium Oxide Glass Polish is for automotive, architectural and household glass. It is also in the Scratch Hog Standard box, alongside the SpeedGrit resurfacing discs that system uses on deeper scratches.

Can cerium oxide remove deep scratches from glass?

The Glass Polishing Kit is sold for fine scratches that do not catch your fingernail, so test the scratch before you start. For a scratch your nail catches on, GT Tools sells the Scratch Hog Glass Scratch Repair Kit - Standard at $1,276.20, which is sold for heavy scratches up to .015 of an inch deep and comes with SpeedGrit resurfacing discs and cerium oxide polish.

How do you mix cerium oxide powder?

Mix the DF8661 powder or the raw Diamond Fast powder with water into a paste, then put a small amount on a felt or foam pad. The DF4001 powder can be used as a paste or a slurry, and the Diamond Fast compound is blended into a slurry. There is no published powder-to-water ratio for any GT Tools powder. The Cerium Oxide Glass Polish comes premixed, at $22.68 for 8 oz and $71.82 for 32 oz.

What drill speed should I use to polish glass?

Around 1500 RPM on a power drill for the Glass Polishing Kit, or 1000 to 2000 RPM on a rotary polisher with the Liquid Diamond Foam Polishing Pad. Use moderate, consistent pressure and keep the pad and the glass moist while you work, to avoid overheating. When the marks are gone, wipe the glass with a clean, damp cloth and check it before you move on.

Can I polish glass with cerium oxide by hand?

Yes. Hand application is listed alongside a rotary polisher or drill for the Cerium Oxide Glass Polish, and the Glass Polishing Kit can be applied by hand for smaller touch-ups. Put the compound on a felt or foam pad, use moderate, consistent pressure and keep the glass moist. Wipe with a clean, damp cloth to see whether the hazing or marks are gone, and repeat if they are not.

Can I use cerium oxide on a car windshield?

The Cerium Oxide Glass Polish is for automotive glass, and the Glass Saver is sold for light scratches on all glass surfaces, so a windshield is within the scope of both. Check the damage with a fingernail first. Minor hazing and light rub marks are what the polish is for. A scratch that catches your nail is a job for a resurfacing system such as the Scratch Hog Standard.

Shop cerium oxide polishes, powders and pads at gtglass.com.