apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My advice would be to use a liquid paint stripper. Paint it on and then use a wet cloth & nailbrush or toothbrush to remove it once the paint starts to peel. Wear gloves, make sure there is lots of ventilation, and rinse it well with clean water when you are finished. Great windows!

If it's a glass window you can carefully use a paint stripper and wipe the paint right off with a rag and a brush to get in all the grooves. I suggest something water soluble and low fume, maybe SoyGel by Franmar Chemical.

I wish I had something postive to contribute but I had that (much smaller paint drip) on a window and absolutely nothing I tried got it off. We tried thinners, vinegar, heat (hair dryer) and even nail polish remover and nothing worked. We sold the house with it there but if we had not sold I was going to replace the glass because it bothered me so much to look at it.

I haven't used it on textured glass, but I bet SoyGel would do the trick. Hasn't disappointed me yet! (But use two layers of blue painter's tape on the areas you want to keep the paint on - with one layer it can warp if you leave the SoyGel on too long)

If it's latex paint, steel wool or an SOS pad and patience.

I still find it mind blowing that anyone would have painted this sloppily and thought it was OK.

I go along with the others in suggesting a water based stripper, and plan to (carefully) repaint the entire window.

I like Goof Off! Easy-peasy.

I'd go with heat - though you'll need something that gets hotter than a hair dryer. I have a heat stripper I bought years ago that works like magic - the paint bubbles right up and can be peeled up.

Chemicals might work - but yuck.

There's always if the x-acto route if all else fails (for a few small areas only).

Sparkle glass cleaner and a tooth brush...I don't know whats in Sparkle but it gets latex paint off everything. I know I sound like the father in that "Greek Wedding" film but really it works!

If it's an acrylic based paint, 100% pure acetone nail polish remover will remove it. Target usually carries it, and pick up some Q-tips too. The only pain is that you have to re-cap every time you wet the cotton swabs, or it will quickly evaporate.

I'd try a product called "goof off." You'd have to let it soak in a bit. And appy with a small brush -- don't spray.

Magic eraser - which I heard about onan AT post

Citrus stripper! non toxic, decent smelling and can be used indoors no problem. That, a toothbrush and some old towel and paper towels will do the trick. I just used it on a 4 ft square window that we'd removed that had 5-6 layers of exterior paint that had dripped behind the (failing) quarter round. I did it in the house, worked great on a combo of oil and latex and it was about 50 years worth. took about a half hour.

good luck!

I'm a New Orleans resident and this is something we all face at one point or another in an apartment here. In the past, nail polish remover has worked for me, followed by wiping down the glass with a wet cloth to remove the residue. Repeat if necessary. On the subject, are the windows completely painted shut? About 75% of the windows in my Uptown apartment will NEVER be opened because my silly landlord has had this place painted over and over and over, and the windows were never protected.

Mid City resident here. We have the exact same situation and feel that we just have to replace the glass. New glazing is really going to make it look fresh. I hope it's done before JazzFest.

It makes me CRAZY when people do stuff like this! What is the point of painting in the first place if you're going to do a crappy job of it? And what is going on in someone's mind to think this is ok??? I'm....just....baffled.

DO NOT USE HEAT ON THE GLASS!

Your best best is a liquid paint stripper and elbow grease.

Circa 1850 makes a decent, non toxic stripper.

I agree with the Mr.Clean Magic Eraser. It's a thing of magic.

Don't use heat - Michael Bailey is right. It could cause old glass like that to crack.

If you do use a heat gun be very careful, the heat will crack the glass in no time, seconds if left in one one spot too long, I know all too well, use a small fine wire brush or steel wool on the frosted/textured glass you'll never see any small scratches that may occur this will loosen and remove some of the paint , then go with a gel stripper so it will stay in place, unless you take the door off the hinges and lay it down and strip that way.

magic eraser will haze clear glass.

nail polish remover worked for me, along with some elbow grease and a toothbrush.

thanks for this post! The paint's been driving me nuts for two years, was afraid I'd have to get curtains, which are otherwise totally unnecessary!