# Do You Leave The Clear Plastic Protective Strip On? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 27, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800 "2011-02-27T15:42:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/1 "2011-02-27T15:42:44Z")
Your watch, computer screen, appliance console, etc.? I do-is hate to see scratches and damage. Is there a similar product that you can place over your car? Something to keep the paint from scratching and weathering? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/2 "2011-02-27T15:58:38Z")
I usually take it off the toilet. If I don’t, stuff bounces back. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/3 "2011-02-27T17:29:30Z")
I take mine off. I hate to see those little bubbles of air that get trapped underneath. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/4 "2011-02-27T17:50:14Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Your watch, computer screen, appliance console, etc.? > I do-is hate to see scratches and damage. Is there a similar product that you can place over your car? Something to keep the paint from scratching and weathering? clearmask or 3M paint protection film. ---
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/5 "2011-02-27T17:53:14Z")
Those white plastic ‘church’ tables sometimes have the film on them. I discovered if you don’t peel it off fairly soon, it pretty much permanently fuses with the table surface. Had some 10 year old Plexiglas develop the same problem. I still have the film on my cellphone (2 months old now) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/6 "2011-02-27T17:54:20Z")
I leave them on some screens if I can see through them and they don’t have bubbles. Eventually, they’ll get scratched up and I’ll take them off. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/7 "2011-02-27T21:20:21Z")
I always peel them off. And in my line of work, I tend to get a new cell phone to do something with every few weeks. For those of you who do leave them on your phones…note that, at best, it’s going to lower your perceived image quality slightly. If you leave the one on your camera, it can really screw with the results. 🙂 -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Pops1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@Pops1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pops1963)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/8 "2011-02-27T22:50:10Z")
I install satellite tv and thr receivers have it across the front and I always leave it for the customers to remove. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/9 "2011-02-27T22:52:58Z")
I take it off. Always. Those things are awful. Utterly horrible. If I can’t be trusted to take care of my things without a disposable plastic liner, I can’t be trusted to have nice things. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/10 "2011-02-28T00:03:40Z")
I peel them off, and if I see them on other people’s stuff, I’ll peel those off too (but I always ask first). I have a thing about labels. I know the protective strip isn’t a label, but it still bugs me. Minor quirk, not worth my own reality TV show. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/11 "2011-02-28T01:59:33Z")
Take them off immediately. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/12 "2011-02-28T02:34:27Z")
Usually as I unbox stuff I think “oh I’ll leave the plastic on this time…” nut about 13 seconds on to using the item, the plastic comes off. Because it’s annoying and I’d sort of feel like a tool for leaving it on. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/13 "2011-02-28T02:40:49Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I do-is hate to see scratches and damage. Those bubbly pieces of plastic look like garbage. Why would you keep something on your screen that looks gaudy and horrible in order to prevent blemishes that are barely noticeable? ---
**Author:** ![Postariti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Postariti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Postariti)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/14 "2011-02-28T03:32:25Z")
I left the plastic film on my laptop, because it seems I’m Acid Girl, with the super ability of destroying any metal I lazily leave my hand on. People sometimes start to peel it off, then catch themselves at the last second and ask if it’s ok. It’s interesting, watching that moment of realization on their faces… “Oh, wait, this isn’t my decision.” ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/15 "2011-02-28T04:27:50Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I peel them off, and if I see them on other people’s stuff, I’ll peel those off too (but I always ask first). I have a thing about labels. I know the protective strip isn’t a label, but it still bugs me. Minor quirk, not worth my own reality TV show. Yes, thank you. I almost took it off the fancy control panel for the pedicure throne chair last week but I figured if they left it on that long… ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/16 "2011-02-28T04:42:37Z")
I usually leave it on my cell phone until it pretty much gets all curled up enough to fall off by itself. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/17 "2011-02-28T05:02:54Z")
I thought that was just a packaging thing. I didn’t realize manufacturers expected us to keep them on! I remove them immediately. Besides, when something gets too scratched up to use it anymore, it’s a great excuse to buy a new one! (Same with watch batteries…once it dies, I get a new watch. I always intend to buy new batteries, but there are so many gorgeous watches out there…!) ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/18 "2011-02-28T09:45:19Z")
I let the blue plastic film over the microwave I bought two years ago. I really should peel that off now that it doesn’t match with my kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-the-clear-plastic-protective-strip-on/572800/19 "2011-03-01T01:44:19Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > I thought that was just a packaging thing. I didn’t realize manufacturers expected us to keep them on! I remove them immediately. Besides, when something gets too scratched up to use it anymore, it’s a great excuse to buy a new one! > > (Same with watch batteries…once it dies, I get a new watch. I always intend to buy new batteries, but there are so many gorgeous watches out there…!) I can’t speak for either of the cell phone manufacturers that I’ve worked for, even as a factory liason..but I’m fairly certain the plastic strips are to help prevent smudges and fingerprints on your device during the manufacturing and packing process. At least, that would be my assumption. -D/a