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My landlord used WD-40 to free the UPVC windows and now when opened slightly the wind then catches them and blows them wide open (a real pain when woken at 4am with rain blowing through the room). How can I counteract this?

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3 Answers

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You can remove the oil film with a rag or paper towel soaked in some organic solvent like isopropyl alcohol.

Don't these windows have any stop so they can be left ajar without blowing open? It might be good to install something like that instead. A long hook and eyelet would be the simplest.

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Either wipe it off, or just leave it. WD40 attracts dirt so it will get sticky in no time.

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WD-40 is also corrosive and will tend to make things worse, another reason to wipe it off! – GdD Nov 23 '12 at 17:34
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You could use some warm water with dishsoap to remove the oil from the wd40. Since its UPVC you don't want to use cleaners that could damage it. If the parts to be cleaned were metal, I would use brake parts cleaner from an automotive store.

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If applying soap, remember to apply it first to the site and then wash it off with water. Soap has a oil-loving side and a water-loving side, so there's no sense in aligning all of those oil-loving sides into protective pockets by putting the soap in water. The same goes for removing grease from hands, soap first, scrub, then water will get your hands much cleaner than water, soap, and a lot of time. – Edwin Buck Nov 26 '12 at 22:26

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