Painting the trim of your windows is a great way to improve the aesthetic of the interior or exterior of your home. However, it is difficult to avoid getting paint on the glass of your windows, no worries we are here to give you some simple tips to remove any paint from glass! With these tactics, you can skip the extensive taping and difficult edging of window trims. Even professional painters will occasionally leave you with some paint left over on the glass, here’s some ways you remove paint from your glass or avoid it all together.
Here some tools and tips you will need for removing the paint:
Glass Scraper
This is the most important piece to making your glass look brand new! A great option for this is Unger’s Glass Scraper, 4 inches will do just fine for any average residential window. If you have larger panes of glass with tons of paint, feel free to buy a larger version. Glass scrapers can be found at your local hardware store, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc. Be careful with this tool, it is very sharp and can easily cut you if used incorrectly!
If you would like a safer option, there are plenty of plastic glass scraper options. Although safer, plastic scrapers tend to be less effective for scraping tough materials off window glass.
Lubricant/ Solution
NEVER SCRAPE YOUR GLASS WHEN IT’S DRY… Always make sure that you have some sort of lubricant on the glass prior to scraping off paint, silicone, stickers, etc. Dry scraping your window creates friction between the sharp blade and window glass, possibly leading to scratches.
Your solution can be as simple as dish soap mixed with water, or your choice of glass cleaner. At ViewCrew, we use Unger’s Easy Glide Professional Glass Cleaner. This cleaner is streak free and eco-friendly, simply mix a small amount into a bucket of water and get to work! Apply this soap with a sponge and scrub lightly, allow the cleaner to sit for a few seconds (do not let dry) before scraping the glass.
Using The Scraper
When scraping your windows, there are certain techniques to use to ensure the highest quality, as well as preventing damage.
1. Keep the blade at a 45 degree angle when on the glass. You must create an angle for the scraper to glide underneath the paint.
2. Don’t go back and forth on the window. Always make sure that you are taking the scraper off the glass before going back for another scrape, dragging the scraper up and down is ineffective.
3. Scrape away from the gasket of your window. Be very careful around the edges of your window as the blade is very sharp and could possibly damage your window seal. If you go easy and don’t use too much pressure, there should be nothing to worry about!
Now you have all the knowledge to go out and remove paint from your glass yourself! If you’re still a bit nervous, you can always watch tutorial videos on the internet or hire a professional window cleaning company. While not every company includes glass scraping in their service, ViewCrew will always make sure that your glass is perfectly clear before leaving. Take care of your windows, they’ll thank you!
Bonus Tip
Putting Vaseline on your window glass prior to painting the trim, allows you to easily wipe any excess paint off.
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