A few tricks on how to easily and simply remove the protective film from the windowsill
The plastic window sill is installed and, it would seem, you can begin to admire the updated window opening, but one small detail - the protective film on the plastic surface spoils the entire appearance.
Removing the protective tape so that the window sill retains its original appearance is not difficult if you study all the intricacies of the process in advance. We'll tell you in this article how to remove film from a windowsill.
Content
How to remove mechanically?
Cleaning the window sill begins by prying up the edge of the film with a scraper or knife, and then with a sharp movement tearing it off the plastic surface. Traces of glue and especially firmly glued particles of protective tape are removed in the following ways:
Brush
Active rubbing with a stiff nylon bristle brush will help get rid of dried film on a plastic window sill.
The protection is rubbed with a brush until it begins to peel off. As soon as the first areas appear that lag behind the plastic surface, the polymer layer is lifted by the edge and torn off.
For mechanical cleaning, do not use metal brushes, hard sponges with a metal grater. Such tools can remove not only the protective film, but also the top decorative layer of the plastic window sill.
Scraper
A plastic spatula with a rubber tip (scraper) helps Very quickly remove not only traces of glue, but also the remnants of film dried on the plastic. Use a scraper to pry up the edge of the polymer tape, after which the protection is torn off with a sharp movement. If the film is torn during the removal process, the remaining particles on the windowsill can also be cleaned with a scraper.
Folk remedies
The following folk remedies, which can easily be found in every home, can speed up the process of mechanical cleaning of the window sill.
Laundry soap
As long as the protective tape retains its plasticity, You can remove it with a strong solution of laundry soap.
Afterwards, carefully prying up the edge of the protective layer, the tape is easily removed from the plastic in one piece.
School eraser
Contaminated areas are rubbed with a white office eraser., after which the window sill is wiped with a clean damp cloth. You cannot clean plastic with colored school erasers (they leave indelible marks on the white windowsill).
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil will help clean the plastic window sill from the remnants of the protective layer and glue.
To do this, the contaminated areas are generously lubricated with oil and left for five to ten minutes. Afterwards, the dissolved glue along with the film is removed with a rag or damp sponge.
After cleaning, be sure to wipe off any remaining oil with a cloth.soaked in soapy water. Otherwise, dirty sticky stains will form on the surface.
Stationery tape
Pieces of tape will help remove traces of tightly adhered film from the plastic surface of the window sill.The steps are simple: a piece of wide (at least 50 mm) stationery tape is glued to the area of the dried protective tape.
The tape needs to be pressed firmly onto the surface.so that you can tear it off the plastic window sill with one sharp movement along with the adhered protection.
This method is effective only if you use stationery tape. Masking tape or double-sided construction tape are not sticky enough to remove the protection from the plastic.
Chemicals
When mechanical and traditional methods do not help remove the protective layer from the window sill, more aggressive chemicals will come to the rescue. They will quickly dissolve the glue under the polymer material without affecting the decorative top layer of the plastic window sill.
White spirit (any acetone-based compositions)
To quickly remove film from plastic with acetone, you must adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
- Using a scraper or knife, carefully undermine the edge of the protective tape.
- Use a brush or sponge moistened with white spirit to treat the space under the film.
- After five minutes, the protection is torn off the plastic (very strongly adhered areas are trimmed with a scraper).
- The cleaned surface is wiped with a soft sponge soaked in soapy water.
HG Sticker Remover
One of the most popular, effective tools that can clean a window sill from old protective film that has become stuck in a matter of minutes is HG Sticker Remover.
It's easy to work with: film treat with HG Sticker Remover, leave for five minutes, after which you can easily remove the protection from the plastic surface. If necessary, glue residues on the window sill are re-treated with HG Sticker Remover.
A film and sticker remover is sold in a 300 ml glass bottle, the average cost is 450 rubles.
Technical or medical alcohol
You can quickly clean the window sill not only from film, but also from glue residues using alcohol (technical or medical). Using a spray bottle or sponge, the problem area is thoroughly treated with alcohol.
The treatment is repeated five times at intervals of two to three minutes.. After such actions, it is easy to clean off the film with a plastic scraper, and remove any remaining glue with a paper towel.
Heat
High temperature is a good helper in the fight against protective film stuck to plastic. The source of hot air can be a steam generator or a hair dryer.
Steam generator
A universal assistant with old, complex contaminants - a steam generator - will help you quickly and carefully remove film that has firmly adhered to plastic. Under the influence of hot steam, the glue dissolves, and all that remains is to simply remove the loose strip of protective film from the plastic.
Algorithm of actions:
- turn on the steam generator to the network, wait until the water temperature reaches the set level;
- Carefully spray the film that has dried on the window sill with a stream of hot air;
- Lift the edge of the film with a scraper and remove it from the plastic surface.
During the cleaning process, you must ensure that hot steam does not get on the glass unit.Sudden temperature changes can cause glass to crack.
Construction hair dryer
If you don’t have a steam generator at hand, a hair dryer will replace it. The polymer material is heated with a stream of hot air, after which they carefully pry the edge and tear off the protection from the plastic window sill.
You need to work quickly with a hair dryer. Overheated film is very difficult to remove from plastic. It stretches, tears and tightly sticks in pieces to the plastic surface.
How to remove film from a windowsill using a hairdryer, video instructions:
Adviсe
Practical advice from experienced professionals will help speed up the cleaning process:
- If it is winter outside, frost can be a good helper in the process of removing the protective adhesive tape from the plastic window sill. It is enough to open the window for three to four hours and when the film on the plastic hardens thoroughly, just tear it off.
- When using a hairdryer to clean the window sill, it is better to direct the stream of hot air not at the film being torn off, but under it, as it is being torn off. Such actions will protect your hands from burns.
As a result, it is very difficult (and in some cases impossible) to completely clean the window sill from the protective layer.
Conclusion
Polymer film on plastic window sills is needed exactly until the window structure is installed. As soon as installation is completed, the protection must be removed immediately.
A variety of folk methods and chemicals will help you carry out the work quickly and without damaging the appearance of the plastic window sill.
