Sun Catcher Help
WHAT IS A SUN CATCHER?
Sun catchers are like stickers but better! You stick them in your window and when they’re hit with direct sunlight they reflect rainbow-coloured bursts which can bring some colour and joy to your space. There’s nothing like having beautiful coloured light rays in your home.
HOW DO I USE MY NEW SUN CATCHER?
- Find a sunny spot on your window and clean the surface to make sure there is no dust.
- Then spray clean water onto the glass. Peel the backing away from the sun catcher (on the smooth side).
- Place the sun catcher on the wet window. You can slide it around to your preferred position while it’s still wet.
- Gently smooth out any bubbles with your fingers. The sun catcher should be flush against the glass.
- Carefully wipe away the excess water and then you’re ready to enjoy the rainbows!
Pro Tip: Apply sun catchers while the sun is out so you can instantly see where the rainbows will appear.
Take a look at this video to see what the rainbow rays look like!
HOW DO I REMOVE THE SUN CATCHER? WILL IT LEAVE MARKS ON THE WINDOW?
To remove a sun catcher gently peel it away from the glass. Out sun catchers do not contain any adhesives so you won't get any sticky residue or permanent marks left on your window. It’s normal to see dust/water lines around the area. This can easily be wiped away with a standard glass cleaner or even plain water.
Always remove sun catchers before washing the window to ensure the longest life. Sun catchers can be reused multiple times! If you need to store them away just place them flat on a plastic sheet. Display folders with plastic pockets work great for this.
HOW LONG DO THE SUN CATCHERS LAST?
Our sun catchers are designed to last years! They are made from a durable PVC material that clings easily to the window. There's no adhesive which means you can easily peel away the sun catcher and re-stick it as many times as you like! We've had ours stuck in the window for just over 3 years and they are still making beautiful rainbows every time the sun shines!
HOW DO YOU GET THE BACKING OFF?
The backing is there to protect the sun catchers from collecting dust which will prevent them from sticking nicely to your glass surface. Some of the backing material is opaque and some is completely transparent depending on our supplied material. This can sometimes make it difficult to remove so a helpful trick is to use some masking tape. Stick it to the backing and use it as a handle to help peel away the backing. If you're not sure if the backing has already been removed or has fallen away, an easy test to to try and stick it to the window. If it clings then there is no backing. If it falls straight down then the backing is still there.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY RAINBOWS, WHAT'S GOING WRONG?
Sometimes it’s hard to catch the sun! Here’s some tips to help you make the most of your sun catchers;
Light Source
Make sure your sun catcher is in the path of full sun. Unnatural lights like a torch and filtered sunlight (e.g. through clouds) won’t create any rainbows unfortunately. The best spot for the sun catcher can change with the seasons as the sun moves to different positions. The time of day that the rainbows show will also change and results will depend on the direction your window faces. Please remember that rainbows will not show up all day long. You can usually expect to get about 3-4 hours of rainbows in summer months and only about 1-2 hours a day with the winter sun (dependant on good weather, some days there's no rainbows if it's rainy and overcast). We recommend moving the sun catchers to different positions through each season to catch the sun better.
Display
It's important to note that our sun catcher bundles are designed to be displayed in a cluster close together. If you split them between different windows it can result in less vibrant rainbows or none at all. This is especially true for the bundles containing smaller sun catchers like the butterflies or love hearts. The smaller pieces will struggle to create rainbow rays on their own and should be kept close to the others in their set to get the full effect. The more sun catchers in the window the more vibrant and far spread the rainbows will be! If your purchased a sun catcher that only contains only 1 piece like the Rainbow Arch or one with a Black Vinyl Design on it, rest assured we have tested it to make sure it's big enough to make rainbows by itself.
Position
If you have plenty of sun coming in your window but no rainbows are showing you might need to reposition your sun catcher until you find the best spot. It can be tricky to find the right spot to catch the sun, especially on days where the sun isn’t shining or there are plenty of clouds. It can take some time to try out different spots on your window, even moving your sun catcher over by a couple of CM can make all the difference. I definitely would recommend finding a bright sun patch first and then placing the sun catcher in its path. This way you can find where the sun hits just right to create the best rainbows. The best rainbows tend to appear during golden hours when the sun is about a 45 degree angle from the sun catcher.
Surface
Rainbows show up best on white/light un-patterned surfaces but need some shadows to really make them shine. Make sure the sun is actually shining on the surface you want. A light coloured wall or white furniture is ideal. Rainbows will not show up as well on dark or busy surfaces. Sometimes they are there but you can’t see them because of the conflicting background. If there’s lots of colours or dark walls/furniture where the sunlight hits then the rainbows become pretty hard to see. This also includes busy areas - like patterned wallpaper or colourful bed sheets or even a shelf full of books/knick knacks.
More common questions
Do sun catchers work on tinted windows?
While we have not been able to test this yet, we have received multiple reviews from beautiful people who say our sun catchers created rainbows on their tinted windows. If you try it on your tinted windows let us know how it goes!
Can I put sun catchers in my car window?
Yes! We have a lot of beautiful customers who put them in their car. However, safety must always come first!
Important safety notes: If you plan to use your sun catchers in the car make sure to place them where they will not impact your vision while driving.
We also recommend that you do not place sun catchers on any window that rolls down, just in case they peel off or get stuck.
The best place is in the little triangle window at the back because it doesn't roll down and will not impact your vision.
Do the different designs throw different shaped rainbows?
No, all of our sun catchers will create the same burst of rainbow rays no matter which shape you choose. The different shapes are only a matter of preference for what you would like to see in your windows.
Can I put sun catchers on my mirror?
Yes, sun catchers will stick to any glass surface. However they are much less likely to throw rainbows when stuck to your mirror since they need sunlight to shine through them. It's not impossible though, if you get sun hitting your mirror it may reflect back out and create rainbows on the opposite wall.
Does the black design affect how the sun catcher makes rainbows?
Not at all! All of our designs are made with maximising the rainbows in mind. Each design leaves plenty of the sun catcher film for the sunlight to hit and create all the beautiful rainbows you could want!
My sun catchers are peeling up at the edges, what do I do?
The edges of the sun catchers can roll up because the material is stored in a roll before it's cut. So it has a sort of memory of being curled and is trying to revert to that original shape. Over time it's normal for them to curl at the edges. It just means it's time to reapply them.
Here's our foolproof tips to help stop the curl:
1. Follow the instructions on the packaging
- Clean your windows! I know it's tempting to skip this but any little dust or other particles on the window or sun catcher can cause them to peel up later. Removing these bits is key!
- Use water to apply. Our sun catchers to tend to stick to the window without the water however it doesn't last as long and will begin peel up at the edges with a couple of days. Simply wet the glass and apply the sun catcher directly to the water. You can then push out any air bubbles with your fingers, especially around the edges where it's peeling up. You can slide the sun catcher from side to side over the water to help get rid of the air too. We like to let it air dry so we don't move the sun catcher but you can also gently wipe up the excess water.
2. Add some heat
- Heat can help stop the curl so we recommend placing the sun catcher between your hands and rubbing them together. The friction will create heat which helps them to flatten out. It also creates static which is a bonus to help it stick even more. This is usually enough to fix the problem.
- If you find that it's still peeling after a while you can use a hair dryer to heat the sun catchers even more. Use a medium heat setting being careful as they get hot very quickly and burns are no fun. Once it's heated place it inside a heavy book or something to keep it flat while it cools down. This should remove the "curl memory" from the material from when it was stored on a roll. It should form a new memory of being flat so once it's completely cooled down it should stay flat in your windows.
I STILL NEED HELP!
Don't worry, we're here to help! If you have more questions about our sun catchers please send us a message and we'll happily do our best to help.