Glocks are iconic for a reason. These Austrian firearms are reliable, powerful, compact, and exceptionally satisfying to shoot.
But do you know what sets them apart? Their serviceability. Every Glock was made to be easily disassembled for cleaning, replacing defective parts, and even upgrading parts to aftermarket solutions, not by a gunsmith — by you, the owner.
It’s time to take advantage of that serviceability. Follow our detailed Glock cleaning guide to learn how to keep your Glock in peak condition.
Step 1: Prepare your workspace
Before we jump into how to clean Glocks, you need to set up your workspace. You’ll want to work someplace clean to avoid dirt and grime getting into your Glock parts right after you clean them. A rubber mat would be ideal, as its soft surface prevents scratching and can be easily removed, but any flat, clean surface will work.
You should also gather all of your cleaning and maintenance supplies so they’ll be ready for you when you need them. Here’s a list of materials you’ll need:
- Cleaning rod
- Bore brush
- Bore jag
- Patches
- Toothbrush
- Cotton swabs
- Gun lubricant
- Solvent
- Rag
With all your supplies ready, it’s time to learn how to clean Glocks.
Step 2: Remove the magazine and clear the chamber
One of the most common accidents that can occur is accidental discharge while cleaning. That’s why before you disassemble anything, you have to make sure there are no rounds in the firearm.
First, remove the Glock magazine. If you’ve shot a Glock before, you know how to do this. Press the mag release button, pull out the magazine, and set it on your work surface.
Next, clear the chamber. Slowly draw back the slide, extracting any live round out of the chamber. With the slide still pulled back, inspect the inside of the chamber. If you don’t see anything, it’s cleared.
This is the most important step in our detailed Glock cleaning guide. Like with all firearms, your priority while learning how to clean Glocks is safety. Never skip this step.
Step 3: Remove and disassemble the slide
With the chamber cleared, point the gun in a safe direction and pull the Glock’s trigger. Pull down on the two tabs that should be right above the trigger, then pull the slide forward to detach it from the frame. Remove the barrel and recoil spring from the slide, then set all four parts down on your work surface.
Step 4: Clean the barrel
The barrel is the dirtiest part of your Glock, so that’s where you should start. Put your bore brush on your cleaning rod and run it through the barrel from the breach side about 7-10 times, depending on how dirty it is.
Next, slide a patch through your bore jag. Soak it in a solvent, wring it out enough to prevent dripping, then run it through the barrel the same way you did with the bore brush. Give it a twist for more thorough cleaning. After that, run clean patches through the barrel with your jag until your patch comes out completely clean.
Get another patch, add a little solvent to it, and then use it to clean the outside of the barrel by hand. After you're done, wipe it down with your dry rag.
Congratulations. You’ve now learned how to clean Glock barrels!
Step 5: Clean the slide
Thoroughly scrub the entire inside of the Glock slide with a patch on your toothbrush head. Follow with a cotton swab to get in the crevices.
Note: Some Glocks have a copper strip with some lubrication. Avoid cleaning that.
Thoroughly clean the breach face and extractor with your bare toothbrush.
Step 6: Clean the guide rod
The next step of our detailed Glock cleaning guide is cleaning the guide rod. Thoroughly brush with your toothbrush, then wipe it down with your rag.
Step 7: Clean the frame
Scrub the inside of the frame with your toothbrush. Pay extra attention to the slide rails, locking block, and trigger bar.
If there’s a considerable amount of grime, you may use a patch with a dab of solvent to scrub it off. However, you need to make sure it is completely dry with your rag afterward, as these aren’t parts that should be lubricated. Ironically, part of learning how to clean Glocks is knowing what NOT to clean thoroughly.
Step 8: Clean the magazine
The magazine does not need to be cleaned regularly. However, if you do want to clean it, here’s how.
First, empty the magazine, then remove the base plate. Glock added two tabs to the bottom of the magazine and a small button that you’ll need to depress to remove the plate. This either requires a specialized tool or using leverage to slide the plate off. As you remove the plate, keep your thumb over the bottom of the magazine to prevent the compression spring and follower from flying out.
Scrub the body of the magazine, compression spring, base plate, and retaining plate with your toothbrush. Wipe down with a rag to remove the remaining debris, then reassemble the magazine.
And that’s how to clean Glock magazines!
Step 9: Add lubrication
As you’ve noticed, we’ve been careful when we suggest using solvents and lubrication in our detailed Glock cleaning guide. There are a lot of parts of a Glock that should never be lubricated for both safety and functionality.
Refer to Glock’s manual for your model to identify the specific parts of the gun that need lubrication. Then, carefully lubricate using a patch with only a few drops of lubricant added. Always follow with a dry patch.
To lubricate the barrel, attach your patches to your bore jag. For small nooks and crannies, you should use a cotton swab.
The only thing that needs to be done afterward is inspection of each part. However, that’s a little too much to cover here; this is your guide on how to clean Glocks, not inspect them.
Get Gun Parts at Wing Tactical
Need to replace some parts of your Glock? You can find them here at Wing Tactical, the veteran-founded company that’s been selling high-quality gun parts and accessories since 2013. In addition to providing detailed Glock cleaning guides, we offer everything from AR-15 parts to tactical gear.
Have questions about how to clean Glocks? Contact us — we’re always available to help!