There is a romance with glass windows. They look luxurious and elegant. Homeowners just love them. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows, in particular, provide a great panoramic view of the garden or the landscape outside the home. They not only allow natural light in but also are a good insulator.
Like office windows, home glass windows also need to be maintained with residential window film. These are installed separately as an additional layer of protection against the harmful UV rays.
Maintaining Window Film
The concept behind window films is like cling wrap. They are self-attaching plastic films that have a thin layer of adhesive on one side.
Cleaning and caring for glass windows is an exercise in maintaining the window film. The window film would be cloudy or translucent after application. During this time, the adhesive goes through a curing process and will clear up within 30 days after application.
The installation process would probably leave behind some air bubbles trapped under the film. Do not pop these bubbles. Popping these bubbles may damage the integrity of the film and its adhesive, and eventually, this will lead to the film peeling off the window.
Care should be taken to ensure that the film does not peel off. Special attention should be given to the edge of the film or the splice. If the edge is lifted, the adhesive will be exposed and start to breakdown. This will lead to the film peeling from the window.
As a plastic, the film can be cleaned with a foam window cleaner or dishwashing soap and water. Do not use cleaning products that contain alcohol, ammonia or vinegar. These would react with the film and might soften, thin or otherwise degrade the plastic. For the same reason, do not use cleaning products with abrasive properties like baking soda.
Cleaning the Window
The window would have one side with the film, usually the inside, while the other side would have no film on. Clean the film side differently from the untreated side. The untreated side can be cleaned in the normal way. With the treated side, you are no longer cleaning the glass but the plastic film.
The best time to clean the film is during the early morning of late afternoon, while the window is cool. Use soft cloths or sponges on spots, and a rubber squeegee to clean off excess water and cleaning fluids.
Unlike glass, do not use paper towels to dry off the film. There is no need to apply pressure when cleaning the film. This can loosen the adhesive and cause peeling. You can use a different cloth on the windowsill.
The windows are cleaned one at a time. After cleaning one windowsill, do not use the same cloth on the next window. Dirt and grit from the windowsill may cling to the cloth, and this can damage the film.
Window film on glass is low maintenance. However, it still requires cleaning, and this requires care and a soft touch to ensure that the film is not damaged and peel.
