How to insulate windows with bubble wrap?

Carole Embley
by Carole Embley

We live in an apartment. The window in the bedroom is single pane and in cold weather the cold permeates the room. Does anyone know how to insulate windows with bubble wrap? I remember seeing this hack a while back on Hometalk.


  17 answers
  • Recreated Designs Recreated Designs on Nov 10, 2019

    Hi Carole, I have done this and it is really easy. Cut your bubble wrap into sections that you can manage while hanging. Fill a spray bottle with water and spritz the window. Once the glass is spritzed with water, lay your bubble wrap over it. Let it dry and it will stay in place. It is easy peasy :)

  • Mogie Mogie on Nov 12, 2018

    • Cut the bubble wrap to the size of the window pane with scissors.icon


    • Spray a film of water on the window using a spray bottle.
    • Apply the bubble wrap while the window is still wet and press it into place.
    • The bubble side goes toward the glass.
    • To remove the bubble wrap, just pull it off starting from a corner. You can save it and use it for several years. It does not leave a mess or stains on the window glass.


  • Joan Stanley Joan Stanley on Nov 10, 2019
    You can add double-sided tape around the frame to seal it more securely as well.
  • Ken Ken on Jan 07, 2015
    I am using the bubble wrap on my sliding glass patio doors and one window. I used the double-sided tape that is like Scotch tape, but is sticky on both sides. Clean the glass very well and be careful not to get any dust or oily material in contact with the areas you are going to put the tape on either the glass or the bubble wrap. I have not had it long enough to tell much, but it already feels better when you stand in front of the glass and it offers a little privacy by blurring the optical quality of the window or door. You could apply 2 layers of bubble wrap in severe cold weather if you wanted to, but I suggest lapping the sections by starting with 1/2 sheet width so that the seams do not line up on top of each other, or applying them at right angles to the first layer. Good luck ! I have also used clear silicone as an adhesive to hold it in place on a window, because I ran out of tape. It works fine and will scrape off the glass next spring easily. Ken
  • Lynne Lynne on Jan 07, 2015
    I have used it on a bathroom window,just sellotaped it to the window frame. It worked that well we just left it on until we could afford double glazing .
  • Jmari Jmari on Jan 07, 2015
    I used it in several windows. Cut it to fit panes. Sprayed window with fine mist of water. Placed regular sized bubble wrap on pane and squeezed all the air out with my hand. Stayed on all last winter until spring when the corners started to lift off. Easy to put on and take off.
  • Karen608 Karen608 on Jan 07, 2015

    If you buy greenhouse bubble wrap, it will last for more years.


    Greenhouse bubblewrap is a plant nursery supply item, a bit heavier, that greenhouses use to insulate their glass, which should last longer. Also some installers use some Dawn dish soap or glycerin (office supply) mixed with the water to help bubblewrap stick to the glass. If not tape is fine.

    • Jessie Jessie on Jan 11, 2015
      Greenhouse bubble warp you will get in the garden section. It is the small bubblrwarp & it will last for years & years. And it works you can feel the difference to the room straight away. A good test is touch the window before you put the bubblrwarp on & feel it afterwards.(much warmer) 😉
  • SUSAN SUSAN on Jan 07, 2015
    I used the large bubble wrap this year (bubble is about 1 inch). It has worked well for me. Be sure to wet the window glass and position wrap with the bubble directly on the glass. I have had no trouble with it sticking. It will not stop drafts if your window frames need to be caulked. It will block the view, so I chose a few pane to leave uncovered.
  • Myra Jane White Myra Jane White on Jan 08, 2015

    I personally have used it for years. I live in Phoenix and use it in the summer to repel the hot, hot western sun that we get here in the summer. It really makes a difference. I use the Dawn/water mixture lightly sprayed on the window to hold the bubble wrap in place while I use packing tape or duct tape to tape it into place then cover it with a layer of black plastic trash bags and a layer of foil. Granted you can't see out of the windows while this is in place but the difference it makes in my air conditioning bill is worth it. I've used the giant bubbles and the small bubbles, I'm not picky they both work well. Look elsewhere on this site for more information on this topic

  • DesertRose DesertRose on Nov 15, 2018

    We put bubble wrap on our windows to prevent loss of heat, however we leave a horizontal or vertical side about 6 inches or wider to see out too. The rest of the big windows , the spare room windows, hall windows etc we cover completely. The front room, sitting room, and kitchen have the six inch wide part left off. We simply used packing tape in the window frame and put it right against the glass of the window. It really cut down on the drafts! You can use it double or single. Either way it helps. Where we sit in winter we did double it. We have a well insulated home and this cut off all cold drafts for us.

  • DesertRose DesertRose on Feb 18, 2018

    We put bubble wrap on our windows in the winter to prevent loss of heat. We buy the large rolls at Walmart and cut the lengths the same as the width of the window. We leave a space at the top to be able to look out most the windows (not the hallway or bathrooms or bedroom except our front bedroom we leave a gap of 6 inches to look out. Use packing tape for the best result of it staying on even with dampness on the sill of the window. Just cover the glass, not the metal or wood of the window. It cut our heat bill way down. We have a well insulated home but I always felt a cold draft. Now we never feel a cold draft at all. It was the warm air being cooled by the window pane. It lets in the light but keeps out the cold. If you need to leave a whole window free from bubble wrap be sure it is not a window near where you relax. Hope this helps.

  • Dfm Dfm on Feb 18, 2018

    larger bubbles on the wrap seem to hold better to the window. You cut the wrap to fit the glass, mist the glass with water, position bubbles on window. Mine are still frozen to the glass. Some will add a drop of dish soap to the mister.

  • Dianne Bowers Turner Dianne Bowers Turner on Feb 19, 2019

    I have done this and yes you put the flat side on the window. We lived in an old house with single pane windows that let in a lot of cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I misted the window with water that had a few drops of dish soap in it. Pressed the bubble wrap on the window and it stayed. When we moved it was still on the windows after about 10 years. It helped a lot. Good luck.

  • Gwen Gwen on Feb 19, 2019

    Works good, and the bubbles go on the outside. It stops the cold feeling from seeping into the room. Just spray water on window and lay bubble wrap on flat. If it starts to release at corners, just spray in that spot and and restick.

  • Shoshana Shoshana on Nov 21, 2017

    Great way to save on the heating bills this winter :) Mist some water onto your window. Push the bubble side of the wrap against the window. The water will hold the bubble wrap to the window all winter. You will need no tape or glue. Use an exacto knife to cut away any excess.

  • Darci Darci on Jan 30, 2019

    simply cut the bubble wrap to fit the window spray window with water then press the flat side against the glass. you can still open the windows while the wrap is on, & if you want to take it off for a day np just respray the window & reapplyicon

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Nov 01, 2019
    I have used this many times on our patio doors, just moisten the clean glass and put up your bubble wrap. If it comes loose, Remoisten and put back in place.