About

THE TikTok Search “Window Cleaner”also known as #glasscleaner Or “BMW Window Cleaner,” refers to a series of graphic videos posted on TikTok in October 2024 using the hashtags #glasscleaner (window cleaner) and #BMW (BMW) which managed to pass TikTok censors. The videos did not directly show the obscene content, but rather showed vague glimpses of the explicit content passed through filters that, when viewed closely, became obvious. TikTokers noticed the videos in October 2024 and it quickly became a Don’t Google trending on the app. Many have compared the situation to that Search Results of Thirst Trap TikTok Phenomenon.

Origin

On October 24, 2024, TikToker @0.luv.4k posted a video with a text caption, reading in all caps: “BRO WHY WON’T TIKTOK DO ANY OF THIS?” In the video’s description, the TikToker warned people not to search for “window cleaner” on the app and further warned not to search for it in public. The video received approximately 4.2 million plays and 246,300 likes in four days (shown below).

The TikToker was referring to the #glasscleaner hashtag on TikTok where videos had been posted showing explicit material hidden by filters. Due to the filters, the content had apparently passed TikTok’s moderation.

Spread

In the following days, more people on the app posted videos about #glasscleaner and #BMW that were commonly associated with the former. For example, on October 26, 2024, TikToker @angirebolloso posted a video mentioning both hashtags, receiving over 835,400 plays and 3,300 likes in two days (shown below).

On October 27, TikToker @somethinglikethat893 posted a similar video on the subject, showing Sackboy from LittleBigPlanet turning around with his mouth open, gaining over 1.9 million listens and 3,500 likes in one day (shown below).

Non-viral posts about the TikTok search “Glass Cleaner” also surfaced on Twitter/X during the same period.

Various examples

Research interest

External references