Regular washing of plastic windows can significantly spoil the mood of the housewife.
Washing plastic, and even white plastic, is sometimes a thankless task, because with maximum effort you may not get any results at all. And vice versa - by following the simple recommendations of experienced housewives and window craftsmen, you can get an excellent result at a minimum of cost. Your windows will shine clean!
What is the cause of yellowness
Housewives often take excellent care of their windows: they regularly wash the window sills and frames, and polish the glass until it shines. But the plastic still turns yellow. The cause of the problem most likely lies in the poor quality material from which the structures are made. Unscrupulous manufacturers use polymers that can deteriorate over time.
High-quality materials contain specialized stabilizers that protect plastic from exposure to sunlight. Due to this, the structures remain snow-white for a long time, and with proper care they practically do not darken or turn yellow.
Kitchen windows are often the ones that get damaged. This is due to the impact of temperature changes on the surface of the frames, the adhesion of fat and soot. It is not difficult to wash plastic from dirt and grease; it is only important to use gentle compounds, without abrasive particles.
If the housewife cleans plastic structures with a hard brush, powder, using acetone or other solvents, the surface layer of the frame is damaged and scratches appear. This inevitably leads to darkening of the plastic and its deterioration.
How and with what to clean the white plastic on the windows from construction, double-sided, ordinary tape?
It is worth noting that double-sided tape sticks due to the presence of adhesive mass on its surface. Therefore, your task is to dissolve the glue. This can be done using an organic solvent.
Ways to remove residual adhesive from tape from plastic:
- Oil. In this case, sunflower oil is used. They moisten a cotton pad with it and wipe away dirt. After this, the oily sheen is washed off with warm water and soap.
- White spirit. This is a solvent that is often used to remove paint. It is necessary to moisten the cloth with it and wipe off the dirt.
- Hair dryer. It is necessary to heat the glue with hot air and gently wipe it with the hard part of a kitchen sponge.
- Eraser. Take regular grout and wipe off any remaining glue.
How and with what to clean the white plastic on the windows from construction, double-sided, ordinary tape?
What products should not be used
There are products and tools that absolutely cannot be used when washing plastic frames. Among them:
- Hard metal brushes and sponges.
- Scrapers.
- Products containing abrasives are high-hardness cleaning powders.
- Solvents.
- Melamine sponge.
- Strong acids. Like solvents, they will corrode the surface and destroy the glossy finish of the frames.
Otherwise, there are no limits to perfection. You can use cheap improvised means that will preserve the whiteness of plastic structures for a long time.
Dentifrice
Tooth powder for whitening window slopes was used back in the USSR, but even now this method has not lost its relevance. The powder contains various components, which lead to whitening and cleaning of the surface.
The powder should be diluted a little with water, and then spread in a thin layer over the slopes and wait until the composition dries completely. Next, the mass is removed with a damp cloth or rag. By the way, to increase friction, many people add crumbled school chalk to the paste.
dentifrice
What do manufacturers offer?
Factory products work well against yellowing on frames. It all depends on the source of this yellowness. If this is a kitchen window, stronger products such as “Mr. Muscle” and “Proper” are suitable. They contain alcohols. They perfectly dissolve yellow fatty deposits.
However, it is worth remembering that after using the products, you must thoroughly rinse off these compounds with water and wipe the frames dry.
In addition, you can use Domestos. It contains chlorine. It not only removes dirt, but also disinfects surfaces well. And in this case, the product will need to be thoroughly rinsed with water.
Washing powder
Any washing powder works well for whitening windows. It's not just the chemical composition of the product, but also the many abrasive particles. However, it is better not to use a lot of powder, otherwise, due to the abundance of foam, unsightly stains and a specific smell may remain on the slopes. It is best to use gentle powders (for example, for baby clothes or hypoallergenic) that claim to be whitening.
Traditional methods for combating yellowness on plastic frames
Experts recommend using ordinary soap or its liquid version when washing window structures. A small piece of soap must be grated or cut and poured with a glass of boiling water. Let it brew and stir. The composition must be applied to plastic frames, left for 30-40 minutes, then rub the yellow spots with a soft sponge. Next, rinse off the product with water.
It is important to remember that when working with even the most gentle compounds, you should use gloves and respiratory protection.
Toothpaste or powder
This product only fights fresh yellowness. If the stains are old, toothpaste will not help. So, you need to squeeze a little paste onto a soft sponge or flannel cloth, rub the stains, leave for an hour and then rinse thoroughly with water.
- You can use tooth powder. It does not contain large abrasive particles and whitens plastic perfectly.
- The powder must be mixed in equal proportions with crushed chalk and diluted with water to form a thick mass.
- Afterwards, you need to apply this composition to the yellow spots and leave for half an hour.
- During this time, the product will dry and can be easily removed. The powder will absorb the yellowness.
- If you fail to clean the frames the first time, you should reapply the product.
Soda
This is a universal remedy that fights grease stains, soot or even soot. Soda also has a bleaching effect and works great on yellowing that appears on plastic structures.
- Soda should be combined with other detergents.
- It enhances their effect in eradicating yellow spots on plastic.
- You need to dilute a little powder in warm water, add soda, stir, rinse the frames and window sill with this solution and do not wash off the composition for 24 hours.
- Afterwards wash and wipe dry.
Vinegar, citric acid
The action of these products is considered gentle; vinegar does not corrode plastic. Granular acid must be dissolved in water in a ratio of 1 part powder to 10 parts water.
Any of these products must be applied carefully, testing the effect on a small area of the plastic surface. At the end of the procedures for removing yellowness, frames and window sills must be rinsed with water and wiped dry.
Liquid bleach
You can use the powder version.
- Mix bleach powder with liquid citric acid or vinegar, add 50 ml of water, apply to stains, rinse after 40 minutes.
- This remedy works for sure. Bleach whitens surfaces and helps get rid of stains of any complexity.
Hydrogen peroxide
A three percent solution is needed. This liquid is sold without a prescription at any pharmacy.
- You need to soak a foam sponge in peroxide and rub it on plastic surfaces, including the window sill.
- Wait until the stains lighten and rinse off the composition with water.
- You can use hydrogen peroxide to clean plastic structures as often as you like. The product does not damage plastic.
Removing aggressive stains
Often, after repairs, aggressive marks remain on PVC windows, which cannot always be removed with store and home remedies. They can also be removed at home.
Scotch tape marks
After removing the tape, sticky marks remain on the plastic. They cannot be removed with a dry cloth. Folk remedies will help here:
- Glue a piece of fresh tape onto the remaining mark and tear it off with a sharp jerk. The process continues until a positive result is achieved;
- Lubricate the sticky spot with any vegetable oil. After 10 minutes, the dirt is wiped off with a paper napkin;
- the sticky trace is erased with cotton wool or gauze soaked in ammonia or ordinary alcohol.
Alcohol-containing compounds
There is no need to use forty proof vodka. You will need medical ethyl alcohol. Of course, it is not advisable to dilute it with water, otherwise the temperature will decrease to the same vodka.
Such a remedy will have little effect. So, you need to apply a little alcohol to a cotton pad or foam sponge and wipe the plastic surfaces.
You can try ammonia. If it doesn't work, you should mix it with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. This composition has excellent bleaching properties and does not corrode plastic.
Hydrogen peroxide
This product has long been famous for its whitening properties. Most often, 3% peroxide is used - it is safe for children and animals. It is best to distribute peroxide onto slopes using a spray bottle, but on especially dark or yellowed areas the composition can be poured locally, from a bottle. The liquid should be left on the slopes for 2-3 minutes, and then wiped off with a napkin or paper towel. For a more noticeable effect, if the yellowness is strong, you should bleach the slopes with peroxide in combination with soda (mix to the consistency of a liquid slurry).
Photo instructions on how to remove yellowness from plastic windows
How and with what to wash white plastic on windows from rust deposits?
For this it is better to use special tools:
- Universal Proper
- Cillit Bang
- Sanita for the kitchen
- Pemolux
- Cosmofen 10
How and with what to wash white plastic on windows from rust deposits?
Bonus answer for our readers
People often ask on the Internet: how to remove film from plastic windows? “COSMOFEN” and technical alcohol will help you quickly and safely remove the film. It can also be removed without leaving a trace using an eraser and white spirit.
Another solution for removing film from a plastic window is the specialized product “Shumanit”. It will greatly facilitate this task and save you time.
Every housewife strives for perfect cleanliness in her home. Windows cannot be ignored either. The most important dirt on window sills is dust from the street and traces of pots. You can spend a lot of time cleaning stubborn stains, especially bleaching yellow stains, to give your window sill a beautiful look.
Removing the primer
After completing the repair work, you noticed that there were stains of deep penetration primer on the windowsill or window. At first you weren’t particularly upset, but when you couldn’t wash it off, you had a global question: “How can I remove the primer from a plastic window sill?”
The primer is very difficult to remove from surfaces for which it is not intended, so it is best to protect these areas with thick film before starting repairs; the joints are taped.
But, if something bad happens and the primer gets on a plastic window sill, let’s look at the most common methods for removing it. It is best to remove it immediately with a damp cloth, since the primer dries in almost 25 minutes, and after two weeks it gains maximum strength
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So, let's look at the most effective methods for removing primer from a plastic window sill:
Do not forget that it is better to prevent a problem from occurring than to fight it, so before starting repair work, it is better to carefully protect all surfaces that may become dirty with primer.
Washing plastic surfaces
The technology for properly cleaning plastic windows is quite simple. First, wash the surface of the frame with a cloth, then clean the windows and finally the window sill.
Wash the frame with a sponge soaked in a cleaning solution, and then use a clean damp cloth to remove any remaining dirt. At the same time as cleaning the glass unit, you need to carry out maintenance of the parts responsible for the comfort and coziness in your home:
- Clean the drainage hole of the profile at the bottom of the frame from dust and dirt that accumulates there.
- Apply a glycerin-based product or a special lubricant recommended by the window profile manufacturer, for example, Fenoflex, to the seals. This will protect the product from microcracks and extend its service life.
- Lubricate the moving parts of the fittings with oil that does not contain acids or resins (machine oil, technical petroleum jelly, Fenosol). It will protect the elements from corrosion. There is no need to disassemble the mechanism; you just need to pour the product into special holes or treat the outside of the part.
Features of washing PVC windows
Cleaning plastic windows after renovation in a new building cannot be done in a hurry, rushing to finish the process as quickly as possible. Although the procedure is much faster and simpler than washing wooden frames, it is still important to follow certain rules.
There are several recommendations that allow you to properly clean your window without scratches, cracks, stains, or streaks:
- Before work, you need to take a soft, lint-free cloth, which often remains on the surface during washing. You will also need microfiber cloths and newspapers to clean windows.
- At the first stage, it is important to clean the outside of the window, then the inside. After washing the glass surface, proceed to washing the frame, fittings and only then the window sill.
- You should plan your work on a cloudy day, in the morning or evening.
- It is prohibited to use alkalis or abrasive powders.
- When using solvents, do not forget about protective equipment (goggles, gloves, mask).
Attention! Before washing windows, sweep away dust and debris with a rag or vacuum cleaner.
Cleaning the window sill after renovation
Anyone who begins to do repairs protects all surfaces in advance by laying out or gluing special materials. This must be done to protect all household appliances, plumbing fixtures and other interior details. But unfortunately, after completing all the repair work, we often discover various contaminants that are difficult to remove, and we were unable to prevent them.
How to whiten a plastic window sill in this case? First you need to decide what kind of pollution you are dealing with. If we are talking about a primer, then wash it quickly. You can also remove the primer from a plastic product with a regular damp cloth. The main thing is to do this on time, since the drying period of the building mixture is on average 25 minutes. If you do not have time to remove it within the specified period, cleaning the product will be much more difficult. Then you will have to go to the store for special detergents.
So, how to wash the primer:
