Making your home Spooktacular – Decorating tips to keep your windows safe

As Halloween creeps closer, around 23% of UK homeowners are preparing to spook up their homes with eerie ornaments and ghoulish décor. But before hanging cobwebs and carving pumpkins, a little pre-Halloween TLC can help avoid a real fright – long lasting damage to your windows and doors.

In previous years, many households have faced real-life Halloween horrors once the decorations came down: scratched glass, peeling paint, warped frames and damaged seals – all easily prevented with a few simple steps.

To help homeowners avoid any post-Halloween nightmares, premium window and door designer The Residence Collection has shared expert advice on how to create a seasonal showstopper without scaring your home’s surfaces.

A clean window keeps the cobwebs away

When it comes to dressing your windows for Halloween, it’s important to dust away the cobwebs and get rid of any dirt or smudges on your windows before adding anything to them – as they become more noticeable once decorated, especially with lights or bright ornaments, which will make the imperfections stand out even more. It is recommended that you create a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water, before damping a microfibre cloth and wiping down your windows with this. This will keep your windows streak free and ghoul-proof before the trick or treaters arrive.

Beware of the sticky spell – as your windows won’t forgive

It is important to be careful with materials so you don’t get a sticky fright. It is not advised to put glue on your windows, as people have previously shared horror stories of glue bonding to the glass and causing long term problems. You should use window safe adhesives or tape instead to reduce the risk of damage. Before sticking your adhesives up, beware of the dust, grease or residue lingering on your windows already that could cause tape and adhesives to bond unevenly, making them harder to remove later or potentially leaving a sticky residue. Make sure to wipe away the dirt first and then stick your adhesives up. Additionally, wipe down your door surface, too as decorations may trap oils or dirt leaving uneven marks or paint discolouration once removed.

Fixings are for function, not frights

When securing decorations, we strongly advise you to avoid hanging anything from window latches, handles, or locks themselves. These parts are designed for function, not fun – and forcing decorations into fittings can cause cracks or alignment issues. If you’re hanging heavier items, we instead recommend that you use dedicated hooks or suction cups designed for glass surfaces to keep both your decorations and fixtures safe.
Comment from Jo Trotman Marketing manager at The Residence Collection: “Halloween decorations are a brilliant way to catch the eye of visitors, neighbours and trick or treaters, but it is important to keep your windows and doors protected during the process. With minimal effort and a handful of budget-friendly materials, you can create a standout display without causing any lasting damage to your windows and doors. A bit of preparation goes a long way in keeping your home looking its best long after the spooky season has passed.”