It’s the holidays already! Whether you’re hanging up spooky Halloween window decals, fall leaves, or getting a head start on the holiday season, windows are often a popular place to hang holiday decorations. But could your holiday decals be ruining your windows? Here’s what to look out for. Plus, we walk you through what to do if décor from holidays past have left you in a sticky situation.
The dos and don’ts of window decals
Put the scotch tape down! Window decals should stick to your windows without needing adhesives. Vinyl decals or window clings that are “peel on” are best if you want to stick something to your windows. Beware though: Some window decorations may need to be scraped off after you’re done. With those, you may need a heat gun and/or a scraper in order to get them off. The latter could scratch your windows, making bigger damage more possible over time.
Back to tape: scotch tape, masking tape, and duct tape are criminally used right on windows. If you’ve been a homeowner for a while, you know not to put tape on the windows – at least not for prolonged periods of time. Clear scotch tape can get left behind, and masking, painter’s and duct tape (we can’t believe we have to include duct tape) leave residue that can be hard to remove.
There’s residue from holiday past! What do I do now?
If you have little pieces of scotch tape that were left behind from last year, or stubborn sticky residue, there are tons of options. wikiHow rightly reminds readers that your kitchen is a treasure trove of DIY cleaning products – looking at you, olive oil and white vinegar. The former needs to be cleaned off, but de-grimes your windows. The latter works well on scotch tape that’s been on your windows for a long, long time.
EHow points to glass cleaner and a sponge, and cautions you to use an old credit card or expired ID to remove the tape rather than a metal scraper. The plastic will go easier on your glass windows and won’t leave scratches.
There are also special glass-cleaning solutions you can purchase like this Max Strip Tape, Glue & Adhesive Remover. However, DIY solutions could save you a few bucks and do the job just as well.
While you’re cleaning, if you notice worse damage than stuck glue or small scratches like worn weather stripping or severe cracks, give us a call! We’ll take a look and let you know what you can do. Receive a free estimate before you call here!