Remove the Frost from Frosted Glass Window

You might have applied a coat of frosting to your window to create a frosted glass window. It might be for a winter decoration that's visible from the outside, or simply to stop people seeing into your house. Eventually, frosting will start to look old or out of step with the seasons. When that time comes, you will need to remove the frosting and either leave the window clear, or apply some more.

It will take some time and effort to remove all the frosting from the frosted glass window, especially if you’ve frosted several panes. However, if the frosting no longer looks good, removing it will improve the appearance of the room and the whole house.

Step 1 - Using the Knife

Using the knife and the metal ruler as a guide, make a cut downward through the frosting. Be sure that you cut all the way through the frosting to the glass. This will give you an area to work on. Run the blade of the knife under the cut edge and try to pry up the frosting. When you have a corner peeled back, use your fingers to pull off areas of the frosting and let them fall on to the drop cloth to clean up later.

Repeat with several cuts on the window and remove as much of the frosting as possible. You won’t remove it all, but you should be able to take off large swathes of the frosting from the frosted glass window.

Step 2 - Using the Razor Blade

Place the razor blade in a holder and put on safety gloves. If you’re using a single edge razor blade, gloves are especially important. Holding the blade, scrape downward in order to remove more of the frosting from the frosted glass window. Scrape very gently without too much pressure on the glass to avoid cracking or breaking it. Push the bade into the edges and corners of the window to remove the frosting. Discard the frosting onto the drop cloth. You might need to change the blade several times as it starts to dull.

Step 3 - Using Steel Wool

The razor blade should be able to remove virtually all the frosting from the window. If a little remains, rub it lightly with very fine steel wool. It’s important to put very little pressure on the glass to avoid scratching it. When you have the surface of the frosting roughened up, try using the razor blade once more. You should take the safety precaution of wearing gloves again. Scrape downward as before and repeat the procedures until all the frosting has gone.

Step 4 - Cleaning the Glass

Once the frosting has been removed from the frosted glass window, you will still need to clean it up. Use a commercial glass cleaner (you can also use vinegar) and a clean, dry cloth on the glass. It might take several applications to clean off all the residue and have the glass sparkling again.

Empty the frosting from the drop cloth into a garbage can.