When it comes to painting and decorating, a steady hand is vital to make sure that paint doesn’t stray into the wrong places. But, even when you try to be as careful as possible, the odd painting mishap can easily happen.
In particular, painting around areas such as windows is never an easy task. Even with the aid of masking tape, it’s not uncommon to find the odd splodge of paint finding its way onto the glass.
Although it can be disheartening to see that paint has ended up on your windows, knowing how to remedy the situation is useful, and often a straightforward procedure. The important thing is to act as soon as the paint lands on the glass, rather than leaving it to dry, which could make it harder to remove.
Wipe away
A clean cloth and warm soapy water may be all that is needed to wipe fresh paint spots away from your windows, but if this doesn’t do the trick, then most of the ingredients you’ll need to resolve the situation can usually be found in the kitchen or bathroom cupboard.
Vinegar solution
Distilled white vinegar can be a godsend when it comes to removing paint stains from glass, and even if this doesn’t remove the paint entirely, it can help to soften the splodges making them easier to shift using other methods.
Simply warm a cup’s worth of white vinegar in a microwave, for approximately a minute. With gloved hands, dip a clean soft sponge or cloth into the vinegar and apply to the paint marks, using circular motions.
The important thing is to avoid scratching the surface of the glass, so don’t use any cloths or sponges made from harsh or abrasive materials.
This might be all that is required to remove the paint, especially if it only covers a small area, but if some spots do remain, you should be able to shift these by rubbing the area with warm soapy water. This method works most effectively if you apply it before the vinegar solution has had time to dry.
Razor method
Stubborn paint splats on windows might not always respond to the above methods, so, if this is the case, your next step is to raid the bathroom cabinet for a new razor. Obstinate paint stains can be successfully banished by gently scraping them away, using the edge of a razor held at a 45-degree angle.
In order to prevent the razor scratching the glass, always make sure the surface of the window area is moistened with soapy water. Scrape very carefully and gently, moving the razor in the same direction only.
Final clean
Once the paint splodges have finally been removed – and you can breathe a sigh of relief – it’s time to give your windows a finishing clean to get rid of any remaining residues. Use a standard glass cleaner to give windows a once over, followed by a wipe with some newspaper or a paper towel to dry them off. Now that your windows are sparkling and clean, you can sit back and enjoy your decorating endeavours.
However, next time you need some painting and decorating work carried out, why not opt for the services of professional painters, to keep those nuisance painting mishaps at bay?
