How to remove construction marks from new windows
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011Your dream home has just been finished, you’ve got the keys and moved in. Next morning you wake up, open your curtains to find a large mark left on your new window from the cleaners.
It is not always necessary to get them back and pay them to remove something they missed.
I’m going to explain the basics of removing any construction debris from your windows.
The most important factors is having the correct equipment. Without it you might as well not bother.
You will need to have a squeegee, depending on the size of your window it can be anywhere from 6 inches to 22. Any squeegee bigger and you might have some trouble using it correctly. I recommend either a 10″, 14″ or an 18″ as the easiest and most flexible choice.
The squeegee will take the water off the glass, but to wet the window you will need a washer. Some people use a sponge, cloth or rag, but these are not as effective as a washer. You can find them near the squeegees and other cleaning equipment in your local hardware. Again, 10″, 14″ or 18″ is the best size.
Low grade steel wool (0000), this is the most effective method for removing glue residue and other large adhesives. Be careful to not use any rusty pieces or get anything abrasive stuck in the wool.
A 1 inch scraper with a new blade.
Finally a few things that your should have around the house. A bucket, any bucket will do as long as it holds enough water to wet the window. Detergent, any dish washing liquid will do. Some cleans cloth or newspaper.
The first step is to put your detergent and water in the bucket and mix it in. Then place your washer in it until it is sufficiently wet. Use your washer to wet the entire window making sure to not miss any corners.
Depending on what is on your window you will need to use either steel wool or your scraper blade. For glue, silicon etc, steel wool will work best. For stickers, render or anything large then a scraper is the best option. These tools aren’t mutually exclusive though. When using your scraper, make sure you only scrape in one direction and don’t not get any debris stuck. Dragging stuff across the glass will scratch the window.
Once you have removed the mark, use your washer again to wet your window a second time. This time using your squeegee, pull it either vertically or horizontally until all the water is off the window. Then use your cloth to touch up any missed bits and wipe the frames.
If your windows have any sort of tint, laminate or low-e coating on them or you are unsure it is best to consult a professional window cleaner. These types of glass damage easily.
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