Heart of glass

How to remove epoxy from glass with no fuss

Got some excess epoxy glue on your window? Don’t let it irritate you, read on to find out how to remove epoxy from glass – so your view of the garden will be crystal clear again.

How to remove epoxy from glass—softly does it

When you first see some dried epoxy glue the first thing you want to do is reach for a knife or razor and start scraping it off. But this usually results in a lot of scratches. So, next time you need to remove epoxy from glass without leaving a trace the key is to soften the epoxy first. Here’s how to do it.

How to remove epoxy from glass again and again

If you’re making a lot of repairs with epoxy glue, it’s useful to know how to remove epoxy from glass and other materials. There are two ways to do this, but you will always need the following things:

  • Kitchen roll
  • Acetone or nail varnish remover
  • A heat gun or hairdryer
  • A razor blade or scalpel
  • Glass cleaner

Using solvent:

  1. Clear the area and gather the things you need.
  2. Soak a piece of kitchen roll in some nail varnish remover or acetone.
  3. Put the soaked piece of kitchen roll on top of the epoxy you want to remove.
  4. Leave it to soak in for 15 minutes.
  5. Take the kitchen roll off and rub the surrounding area.
  6. Then, take your razor blade or scalpel and gently scrape of the softened glue.
  7. If the glue won’t budge, repeat steps 3 and 4 before you use the knife.
  8. Use some glass cleaner to clean any nail varnish remover off the glass.
  9. If you don’t have any glass cleaner, you can use a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.
  10.  Repeat the entire process until you’ve removed the epoxy completely.

Using heat:

Applying heat is another way to soften epoxy glue before you remove it. If you opt for this method, all you have to do is get your hands on a hairdryer and apply heat to the epoxy for around 1 minute – or until it has softened. You should then be able to take your razor blade or scalpel and carefully scrape off the epoxy glue. Once you’ve managed to remove most of the epoxy, use the above method to get rid of any last traces.

The trick to not leaving any scratches is to ensure that your razor blade or scalpel is really sharp. Blunt razors or scalpels will have jagged edges which can scratch the glass surface. You should also try to lay the blade as close to the surface as possible and use it to lever the glue off as opposed to scraping it.

Ready to get some other DIY projects ticked off?

Unibond has the glue for you, check out the full range of epoxies and more on the website.