How to remove the film on plastic windows. Protective glass on the phone

When I myself had the opportunity to take up the removal of the film from a window installed 3-4 years ago, I tried many methods, and from personal experience I was convinced that there is no ideal and quick remedy, in any case, you will have to tinker a lot and be patient. So, here are my own writings with reviews:

1 Remove the film with something sharp

This is the easiest and most affordable way to find a razor blade or a clerical knife, or any other sharp object, including even nail cleaners, and pick the edges of the film with this object, slowly tearing it off the plastic.

The work, I'll tell you, requires a lot of patience, as it comes off in pieces, which also stick back to another place, some kind of direct restoration. Too long and tedious, and when you lose patience and try to speed up the process, you start scratching the plastic.

The best sticks to use are:

There is even a professional tool, although it was developed not for removing the film from the window, but for cleaning glass ceramics:

I did not have to work with them, but most likely it will not be so useful in oval and hard-to-reach places.

2 Hot air from a hair dryer

First tried with a hair dryer, but it doesn't give such a powerful flow and overheats quickly, so I had to ask for a professional hair dryer with a tip. The action is simple, you need to warm up the remaining film, and then tear it off.

Things went faster when they began to use sticks and a hair dryer at the same time, the film actually, when warmed up, it was easier to remove, but here's the inconvenience - it burns your hands.

The hair dryer is good when you remove the film from a new window and in large pieces to pull the edge and warm the place that has not yet been removed.

3 Solvent liquid

You just need to apply the solvent to the film and wait until it softens, then use either a rag or a sponge, or all the same sticks or blades.

It can be used as ordinary solvents, such as white spirit, 646 and others, but first you need to try on a hidden piece of the window so as not to dissolve the plastic. Or use a professional solvent, like this industrial one:

The use of a conventional solvent is such a stink that even an open window does not help, but it does not dissolve the film, but only makes it softer and only along the edges it leaves well.

A professional solvent with a smell (we had an orange), so it doesn’t really stink, but the dissolution products still have to be inhaled, and it dissolves the film not much better than usual, despite the fact that its price per bottle is about 1000 rubles.

5 Eraser - an elastic band for erasing a pencil.

Absolutely useless thing, unless you need to remove the film no larger than a fingernail.

6 Soap solution using a stiff brush

I also tested this method, it cuts off only the edges of the film, and the main part holds. But it removes the glue itself well when the film is torn off.

Today there are several types of film, each of which is designed to reliably protect the home from the scorching sun. With proper use, such material can reduce the summer temperature in rooms by five to ten degrees.

Such a protective agent has only one serious drawback - the difficulty of removing it from windows. The composition of each film includes an adhesive substance with which it is fixed on the glass. And in many cases, when removed, it can leave visible marks on the window, which will negatively affect its appearance.

Sun protection film on the window

All existing types of film are made from materials that reflect light, and many of them contain aluminum, which can also leave ugly stains on glass. It is quite difficult to remove them without causing any harm to the glass surface. But if you use a number of chemicals designed to clean difficult dirt, you can try to remove traces of the use of a protective film with minimal damage to the glass.

All modern materials that are designed to protect rooms from excessively high temperatures contain aluminum and other substances that make it so difficult to remove them from surfaces. In order not to leave ugly streaks and noticeable spots on the glass, the removal of such protective equipment should be approached as carefully and responsibly as possible. There are several of the most common ways to be careful, each of which can lead to success.

Steaming

If you peel the sun protection material from the windows without prior preparation, then the likelihood of stains and noticeable traces from the adhesive is huge.

The ideal way to prepare the film for removal is to use a modern steamer.

The procedure for cleaning windows from material using a steamer is carried out in several stages:

A small area is heated with hot steam from a steamer. It is very important that the steam is directed to a specific place on the window.
About five minutes after steaming, you should pick up a piece of film and gently pull it towards you, separating it from the window.
The new section of the window is reheated until the material begins to move away from the glass.

The section of the film is heated with a steamer
After five minutes, it separates from the window

This is the most gentle and easy way to remove the sun protection film. In this case, the minimum amount of traces remains on the window, which can be easily removed with a simple soapy solution. This is just one of the simple answers to the question of how to remove the film from the window glass without visible marks.

Detergents and cleaners

Other effective methods include the use of powerful ones designed for cleaning glass surfaces. They allow you to remove stains and traces of the film from the window without much effort, but when using them, you should follow safety precautions, which consist of the following rules:

when treating surfaces with chemicals, the prescribed protective equipment must be used. These include gloves, closed clothing and a respirator;
compliance with the dosage indicated by the manufacturer on the detergent container;
compliance with the manufacturer's recommendations to avoid contact of the substance with some materials that are sensitive to the components of the cleaning agent.

Use protective equipment
Learn Dosage

You can clean windows with the help of such effective means as:

Domax. This substance is intended for gentle care of glass ceramics and does not contain abrasive substances;
Cosmofen;
Shumanite;
Fenosol.

Shumanit is an effective remedy

However, even modern powerful preparations designed for cleaning surfaces cannot always cope with the consequences of the presence of a protective film material on window glass. In this case, stains and other marks will have to be removed with a harder scraper, which is designed for cleaning glass ceramics. The remaining traces are then removed with a modern Fenosol cleaner. After that, the glass is washed first with soapy water, and then with warm clean water.

All the methods described above, which tell how to remove the sun-protection film from glass, are suitable for cleaning wooden windows and for modern PVC and metal-plastic profiles. Compliance with safety precautions and the dosage of cleaning agents will allow you to rid your windows of the remnants of the protective material without much harm to the glass and without harm to health.

Scraper for cleaning glass ceramics

other methods

There are other ways by which you can try to remove the film from the window. One is to use a utility knife or other sharp object such as scissors. During the procedure, you need to gently pry the edge of the film with a knife to separate it from the glass, and then pull it towards you. It is recommended to roll the already peeled off sections with a tube so that they do not stick to the window again.

You can also remove some types of film with newspapers and soapy water. The procedure is carried out in several stages:

Ordinary newspapers are placed on the entire glass area.
Newspapers are sprayed with soapy water until they begin to stick to the surface.
Leave for an hour, regularly wetting the paper.
Newspapers and film are removed, which will come off much easier after the procedure.

Newspapers are placed on all glass
They are sprayed with soapy water
Leave for an hour constantly wetting
Easily remove newspapers and film

Precautions for removing film stains from glass

When cleaning windows from traces of solar film, the recommended precautions should be observed. Some of the chemical cleaners can have a negative effect on the skin and respiratory tract of a person, and when using sharp objects, you can get hurt. Therefore, when removing stains from the film, you must adhere to the following rules:

carry out all work related to chemical cleaning agents only with strong impervious gloves;
when wiping marks, do not press hard on the glass, as this may violate its integrity;
when working with sharp objects (knife, scissors, scraper), you should act as carefully as possible so as not to get hurt or damage the window;
avoid contact of chemicals with unprotected skin, eyes or inhalation;
keep materials and tools intended for removing traces from glass surfaces out of the reach of children.

Glad to see everyone on my blog!

After installing plastic windows, not everyone immediately removes the film from them. But in vain!

More than once I have seen in a house recently built nearby how the tenants rub it with wet rags and try to scrape it off with a scraper, because they did not immediately realize that it had to be removed immediately after the purchase.

What can I say, because many people buy apartments after the film has had time to dry tightly.

Therefore, be vigilant, read useful tips on effective cleaning methods and immediately check them in practice.

On the protective films of profiles, manufacturers write that it is necessary to remove the film from metal-plastic window structures immediately after carrying out work on their installation. But, for a number of reasons, this requirement is often neglected.

The protective coating protects the structure from contamination that inevitably occurs during repair or construction.

For example, the film may be useful in the design of slopes, external insulation of housing, and decorative work.

In such cases, the film adhesive remains on the frames longer and hardens over time. This complicates the process of peeling off the film, and the glue itself sticks to the windows in the form of unaesthetic black spots.

How then to remove the film from plastic windows?

Helpful advice!

This problem can be solved in two stages, successively applying mechanical and chemical methods.

The first will allow you to remove the film itself, while the second will deal directly with the glue.

Accordingly, to achieve the best effect, it is advisable to go through both stages. It is this approach that will allow you to effectively get rid of the problem and avoid scratches on the windows.

So, the protective coating can be safely removed with three tools:

scraper for cleaning glass-ceramic stoves;
industrial hair dryer (it is also acceptable to use household high power);
school eraser.

In the first case, carefully separate the film with the sharp edge of the scraper. Due to the fact that this device is designed for glass-ceramic, the likelihood of scratches on windows is quite low. But you still need to be careful while working.

The second option is considered safer and more reliable. Hot air must be used to heat the glued surface.

It is important not to overdo it so that the film does not melt and stick to the structure tightly. While still warm, the coating is removed in one confident movement. If necessary, the edge can be pry off with any sharp object.

Removing the film with an eraser, at first glance, seems to be quite an exotic method. In practice, this method will require a lot of effort from you, but the PVC profile will certainly remain intact.

But in order to remove the film from plastic windows, the use of one mechanical method is not enough.

After the physical separation of the film, an adhesive remains on the window frames, which is firmly bonded to the structure. If the composition did not have time to dry well, you can do with an ordinary household rag and soapy water.

A well-dampened cloth should vigorously rub the contaminated areas. However, in some cases you will need more powerful tools. So, chemicals COSMOFEN 10 or FENOSOL showed themselves well. They are good because in addition to persistent dirt, they can also remove minor scratches.

You can also use "Nanoflex P-12" - an equipment cleaner. It is worth mentioning that the listed methods for removing the protective coating are suitable for all elements of window structures. The adhesive composition in them, as a rule, is used the same, which allows the use of the same tools for working with frames, double-glazed windows, window sills, and fittings.

In conclusion, we note that before removing the film from plastic windows, it is necessary to complete all construction work in the opening area. So you can keep the attractive appearance of the structures for a long time.

Naturally, with the exception of those works after which it will not be possible to physically remove the film.

source: veka.ua

Do we remove the film if we didn’t do it right away?

The frames of metal-plastic windows are protected with a special film in order to protect them from dirt, scratches and other damage during transportation and installation.

Removing the film from metal-plastic windows is extremely simple, if done in a timely manner, i.e. immediately after the windows have been installed.

If for some reason you tightened up with this, then removing the film can be a big problem. According to the instructions, the film must be removed within 10 days after the installation of metal-plastic windows.

If you increase this period to a month or two, then, most likely, nothing terrible will happen. When the film remains on the frames for 3 or more months, it will take a lot of effort to remove it.

Why does such an inconsistency arise? It turns out that the protective film consists of 2 layers and is glued to the frames with a special adhesive. Under the influence of heat and solar radiation, a thin inner layer of the film decomposes and tightly adheres to the plastic.

To separate the surface layer of the film is not as difficult as the inner one.

Reasons that increase the adhesion of the film to the frame:

The action of ultraviolet rays. While the film on the windows located on the shady side of the building can be removed after a few months, on the sunny side it will begin to soak into the frame in just a few days.
Glue quality. The lower the quality of the adhesive that holds the film, the more difficult it will become to tear it off. In the case of installing inexpensive metal-plastic windows, the possibility of encountering bad glue is higher.
Heat action. If the windows are installed in the winter, the film will begin to dry to the frame later. In the summer, this happens extremely quickly.

Finally, consider how to remove the film from metal-plastic windows if it was not removed in a timely manner.

Use a building hair dryer. This is the best film remover. The main thing is to direct it to the frame, but not to the glass package, otherwise it has the ability to burst from the temperature difference. The film is heated with hot air, dissolves and is easily removed. The only problem is finding a building hair dryer. Some try to use ordinary, in turbo mode. This can be crowned with triumph only when the film is not quite firmly stuck.
Contact a cleaning company. The bulk of such firms do a similar service, while they have the devices required for this: a building hair dryer, special scrapers and cleaners. And skill in solving similar difficulties.
Using a professional scraper for cleaning glass-ceramic hobs. Such a scraper will not spoil the plastic.
Slowly, piece by piece, picking up the edge of the film with a thin knife, blade or scraper, and then tearing it off with your hands. Cutting devices should be used as little as possible, trying to separate the film with your fingers.
Adhesive residues can be washed off with the rough side of a sponge and bathroom detergent.
weak solvent. When using a solvent, be extremely careful and test in an inconspicuous area first. The solvent has the ability to change the color of the plastic frames.
Eraser. An ordinary school pencil eraser can help remove the remnants of the film.
Rough, though not with a metal brush and soapy water. The method is suitable for film on the shady side.
white spirit. Although it should not be applied on top, on pieces of film, but between film and plastic. To achieve the desired result, it is necessary to pry off the edge of the film, pour white spirit into this place, wait a little and separate the film.
"Cosmophen". In companies that install metal-plastic windows, you can purchase a special plastic cleaning agent - Cosmofen. Based on the degree of activity of the active drug, Cosmofen No. 5, Cosmofen No. 10 and Cosmofen No. 20 are distinguished. No. 5 is the most powerful solvent, it dissolves plastic, as a result of this, it must be used with great care. In general, let's say 2 others. These are potent and unsafe means for a person's well-being.

Often the film is not removed because the repair is delayed and you want to protect the window frames from paint, whitewash and other contaminants. This is the wrong approach, which will give rise to even more dilemmas. It is much better to remove the protective film, and if necessary, stick masking tape on the frames. It won't be hard to take it off.

source: stroiportal-dnepr.com

Removing the protective film from PVC windows

We often hear questions like this:

“A year ago, plastic windows were installed in the company ****. All this time, the apartment was being renovated, and my husband and I lived with relatives.

Now, after the repair was completed, they found that the protective film that is glued to the plastic does not tear off. That is, the film that was inside the apartment came off normally, but from the side of the street it is held tightly.

How can I try to remove the film from the window? Is there any remedy?"

I have to disappoint you, I do not know of such means that can help you with 100% probability. After installing the window, the protective film must be removed immediately, otherwise it is destroyed in the sun under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and fuses into the plastic.

Note!

The protective film must be removed immediately, otherwise it is destroyed in the sun and melted into the plastic.

Manufacturers of plastic windows even write warnings on this film, but usually in a foreign language. In our practice, there was a case when we installed windows for the whole house for customers, and the profile from which the windows were welded lay for a long time on the street under the sun.

We were not able to remove the film from these windows, and the problem arose, of course, after all the windows were installed. As a result, we had to completely replace all the windows with new ones.

But sometimes, special cleaners can help to remove the film. We have Cosmofen plastic cleaner for sale. A very serious thing to say. Distributed specifically for window companies.

There are 3 brands of Kosmofen: Kosmofen No. 5, Kosmofen No. 10 and Kosmofen No. 20, they differ in the degree of dissolution of PVC plastic.

So Kosmofen No. 20 does not dissolve plastic at all, Kosmofen No. 10 is a weak solvent for PVC and Kosmofen No. 5 is the strongest solvent.

I think that if Cosmofen does not help you, then nothing will help you. The only way out is either to change the windows, or to spit and forget, thank God the film is on the street and is not visible from the apartment.

source: www.okna-lider.com

How to remove film from windows after installing them

When installing plastic windows, always remember that it is necessary to remove the protective film that trims the profile for safety purposes immediately after the windows are in place and all finishing work is completed.

However, real situations indicate that consumers often order PVC windows from one company of such well-known brands as KBE, PROPLEX, Veka or the eminent Rehau, and they are installed independently or with the help of other contractor companies.

In such situations, everyone completely forgets to remove the notorious protective film on the profile, which, under the influence of sunlight, sticks to the window so strongly that it is almost impossible to remove it.

In which case, it will be possible to make claims about the quality of the work performed, and its employees will be required to take care of removing the film from the outside of the profile.

On the windows, the film prevents scratches, both during their installation and during installation. Experts in this field recommend getting rid of such a harmful film within 10 days after the windows have been exposed to the sun.

If time is lost and the protective layer has not been removed, do not be self-willed, but listen to useful tips that have been tested by time and practice. Many make a gross mistake when trying to remove the film with a solvent. So the film will remain on the windows, and the profile can be hopelessly damaged.

Proceed with extreme caution, because the entire profile can be damaged from strong heating.

An equally effective tool for removing the film from the window will be the use of a special scraper used when cleaning cooking surfaces and ceramic tiles.

You can safely work with a scraper, because it does not damage the plastic surface.

Try very carefully to pick up the edges of the adhered film with a scraper and remove it piece by piece from the window. If possible, work only with your fingers, as even a safe scraper can leave scratches on the PVC profile.

When finished, thoroughly wipe off the remaining adhesive with warm soapy water. If the glue cannot be cleaned with soapy water, then use the special Cosmofen 10 cleaner.

It is important that it not only removes adhesive residue from the film, but also largely masks the resulting small cracks. From improvised means, an ordinary eraser from the school desk helps well, it perfectly rolls up the remnants of glue, helps to achieve the desired results.

All of the above tips are time-tested and give positive results with careful handling of all devices.

But if you conclude a contract for the production, supply and installation of plastic windows with one organization (which is the best option), then make sure that they take care of removing the film from the window as well.

Enterprises producing metal-plastic windows supply their products with a protective film. Its role is to protect the frames from dust, dirt and scratches during storage, transportation and installation of window units. After that, it becomes completely useless and needs to be removed. Let's figure out how to do it.

When do you need to remove the protective film from plastic windows?

Ideally, the protective coating is removed immediately after the windows are installed or within a couple of days after that. However, if repair work is still ongoing in the room and the risk of damaging or staining the frames is large, this period can be extended. But not to infinity: after 1-2 months, especially in hot weather, it will be difficult to remove the film. If it is so necessary to protect the frames, instead of the factory coating, they can be pasted over with masking tape - there will be much less problems with its removal.

Why the film sticks and does not peel off well

The strength of the connection between the film and the frame is influenced by several factors at once:

Adhesive coating. The worse in quality and cheaper the glue used, the faster it will stick tightly to the frame.
Room temperature. Under the influence of heat, both the glue itself and the film begin to slowly melt and literally eat into the plastic of the frames.
UV exposure. As in the case of heat, the sun's rays change the structure of the adhesive and the film, as a result, they stick to the window very quickly.

How to remove film from plastic windows: all possible ways

Even the old film is sometimes removed relatively easily, it turns out to be difficult only to pick up its edge. In such a situation, any thin and sharp object will come to the rescue: a knife, nail scissors, a needle, or something similar. But you need to work with them carefully so as not to injure yourself and not scratch the plastic of the frame. If that doesn't work, it's time to move on to more radical options.

Whichever method is chosen from those described below, it is very important not to damage the hydro- and vapor barrier coatings located at the junctions of the frames with walls and roofs during the removal of the film.

hair dryer

The hair dryer is brought as close as possible and a jet of hot air is directed onto the frames. Under the influence of heating, the dried glue and the film soften, and after fresh traces, the protective coating becomes really pry and remove. Practice shows that it is more efficient to blow not under the film, but at an angle from above along the course of tearing off the film.

The higher the temperature provided by the device, the more efficient the method becomes. The best option is to use not a weak enough technique for drying hair, but a powerful hair dryer. An alternative to a hair dryer can be a heater, if its mechanism of action is also based on blowing hot air, or a clothes steamer.

Solvents

Chemicals for diluting or dissolving paints, varnishes and other building fluids will most likely help remove the film from a plastic window. Acetone (and even acetone-based nail polish remover), mineral spirits and other kerosene-based liquids, car chemicals for tar removal, special decal removers, and more can work. The effectiveness of such funds in each case may be different, so it is better to check them empirically.

Procedure:

Pry off the tip of the film at least a little. If this does not work out in any way, then at least cut or otherwise violate the integrity of the film, otherwise the solvent will be ineffective or useless at all.
Apply the product - carefully pour, smear with a brush or rag.
Wait 2-3 minutes.
Pull the edge of the film and try to remove it from the treated area.
If there is no result, add solvent and hold for some more time.
At the end of the work, wipe the frames with a damp cloth, you can add detergent.

It is important to observe safety precautions - if the instructions for the tool recommend working with gloves and well ventilating the room, this should not be neglected. Otherwise, you can earn intoxication of the body and a chemical burn of the skin.

Scotch

This method is most effective if you need to remove individual small pieces of protective film from plastic windows. It is necessary to cut off a piece of wide adhesive tape at least 4-5 cm long (a smaller size will be inconvenient to hold in your hands). It is glued to the sections of the frame with the film, carefully smoothed, and then pulled very sharply. Ideally, the entire protective coating should remain on the tape strip.

Use only stationery tape (transparent or colored - it does not matter). Masking and double-sided adhesive tapes on a fabric and paper basis are covered with a less sticky adhesive composition.

Cold

The effectiveness of this method is based on the property of many polymeric materials to become rigid and brittle under the influence of low temperatures. In the case of a protective film, the glue will simply harden and stop adhering it so tightly to the frame.

If in winter in your region frosts reach at least -10 ° C, just wait for the cold weather and let the frames cool down well by opening the windows in the room for a couple of hours. If not, you can try to cool problem areas artificially by applying frozen bottled water to them and immediately trying to peel off the film following fresh tracks. But the effectiveness of this option is much lower.

Scraper

If the film has stuck so strongly that even intense rubbing with a brush does not help, it remains to use a sharp object. A knife is not suitable for this purpose - it will take a very long time to pick off the film with a tip, and it is inconvenient to hold a narrow blade flat. You can use a construction spatula, but a scraper for a glass-ceramic coating of electric stoves is even better. It is even more difficult for them to scratch the plastic of the frames.

Hard brush

In this case, you will need a stiff, but preferably non-metallic brush. She actively rubs the surface of the film until it is removed. An alternative to a brush is a metal sponge for dishes. Made from thin strips of metal, it cuts the film like a knife or a scraper, but unlike them, it does it more delicately, i.e. with less risk of scratching the frame plastic.

Vegetable oils

If the film itself was somehow removed from the plastic window, but a sticky layer of adhesive composition remained on the frames, vegetable oils will help here. They are abundantly lubricated with contaminated areas, left for several minutes so that they are saturated with liquid, and then removed with a cloth, sponge or brush. You can use absolutely any vegetable oils or drying oil.

The oil itself must also be removed from the frames, otherwise it will harden over time and form dark and sticky stains, to which dust will quickly adhere. Remaining oil can be removed with soap, dishwashing detergent, acetone or alcohol.

Oil alternatives:

hard sponge with soapy water;
weak solvent;
ordinary stationery eraser. It is advisable to choose an elastic grater in the color of the frames (so that it does not stain them). From friction with an eraser, the remnants of glue and film will roll into large lumps that will fall off on their own or be easily removed with fingers or a damp cloth.

Video how to clean a plastic window from an old film

See also the video instruction for removing the protective film from plastic window frames that was not removed in time:

Contacting a cleaning company

If it was not possible to clean the film from plastic windows on your own, you should contact those for whom such tasks are the main activity. Cleaning company employees have a variety of tools and substances to remove dirt, and, no less important, experience.

How to remove the film from the plastic window sill

For a window sill, all the same methods are applicable as described above for window frames: heating with a hairdryer, solvents, sharp scrapers, a stiff brush, etc. But if the window sill is not perfectly smooth, but has a rough texture, then in addition to them, you can try abrasive substances - powdered detergents or ordinary baking soda. For a smooth surface, it is better not to use them, the risk of leaving scratches on it is too great. Read more about pollution, because this is not uncommon during repairs.

The protective film on the frames of plastic windows is designed only for their short-term protection against dirt and scratches. After installation, this coating should be disposed of as soon as possible, otherwise it will be quite difficult to remove it later, although it is realistic.

Many users, faced with the problem of a window film firmly “soldered” with a PVC profile, are in a hurry to experiment, which does not always end well. Especially in the case of colored windows, there is a risk of destroying them. How to effectively and without disastrous consequences remove the old protective film from plastic windows, the WINDOWS MEDIA portal will tell.

All plastic windows come on the market with frames protected by the manufacturer with a self-adhesive film. By law, the protective film should be removed as soon as possible after the installation of the windows is completed - especially when the PVC window is exposed to direct sunlight.

Why is it so difficult to remove the old protective film from PVC windows?

Unfortunately, it happens quite often that due to the negligence of the installers or the user himself, the protective film on the PVC profile can remain even for several years. In this case, when the hands reach the point of putting the new plastic windows in order, the user will be in for an unpleasant surprise - it is almost impossible to remove the protective coating.

It is difficult to remove the old window film from the profile of a plastic window, because it consists of two layers. The outer layer (transparent film) begins to peel off under the influence of ultraviolet rays and is relatively easy to clean. But at the bottom there is a second layer of white plastic with markings - it is he who adheres so strongly to the substrate.

The presence of an old film looks especially bad in the case of a tree-like profile, because usually a protective coating is used in white. Under the influence of UV rays, the film undergoes vulcanization and adheres very firmly to the surface of the PVC window. At the same time, it becomes less durable and breaks easily.

Some try to wash off the protective layer with gasoline, acetone or other solvents - this helps a little, but at the same time you can remove the wood texture that is applied to the frame lamination (white PVC windows are, of course, insured against this). Experts do not recommend exposing the surface of a colored PVC profile to too much mechanical stress (scraping or sanding), because it is very easy to damage the lamination layer.

Eureka: there is a way to get rid of the old protective film!

Fortunately, there are several ways to get rid of the protective film, we suggest considering one of them. This method is simple, effective and, most importantly, will not destroy the plastic window. However, the procedure will take quite a long time and will require the use of a device with a steam cleaning function.

Such a device can be bought without problems, they are often sold in supermarkets. Please note that the package includes a special hose that allows you to fix the nozzle. Versions of this device often appear on the market, in which steam exits directly from the tank through a nozzle. In this case, you will have to constantly hold the heater in your hands during cleaning, but it will soon become clear that heating the film in the lower part of the frame is impossible in this case (the window sill interferes).

Work begins with filling the purifier with water and connecting it to the mains. After a few minutes, you can start heating a small area of the protective film with a steam jet (hold the nozzle directly over the film or even touch it). Heat up a small piece of 1-2 cm across the entire width. If the window film is already too old and not peeling off, you will need to reheat it (after it has cooled down). At this time, you can heat the protective coating of the window from the other end.

To remove the protective film with steam, shortly after heating a small area, you should try to separate the film from the substrate with your fingernail. This must be done carefully and slowly, across the entire width of the tape. This is the most important point. It is necessary to make sure that a small piece of the film is peeled off across the entire width. Then you can grab the end and slowly (!) tear off the film with parallel heating with steam from above and below (at the points of contact with the substrate).

If the protective film begins to tear and its fragment does not come off, you need to use a fingernail in this place and lead to a situation where it will peel off again over the entire width. After removing a sufficiently long fragment, cut it off with scissors, leaving 2-3 cm so that there is something to catch on to continue further cleaning the PVC profile.

After removing the protective layer, a white coating remains on the surface of the window frame, which is quite difficult to wash off. And here there is a proven way - you can use a glass cleaner for this purpose (for example, Mr. Muscle).

When buying new plastic windows, do not ignore the advice of the window company, which is clearly stated in the instruction manual, when it is worth removing the protective film from the PVC profile. This will save you both time and money, and save your nerves. In general, compliance with the manufacturer's recommendations, not only in this paragraph, but also in all others, is the key to the impeccable appearance and durability of your plastic windows.

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