# How to prevent people from looking into my window **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986 "2002-05-09T00:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/21 "2002-05-09T15:34:57Z")
At night you want it so people can’t look in? Why would you want to see out at night? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/22 "2002-05-09T16:23:53Z")
How about specialized window tinting films like [this](http://www.gilafilms.com/Residential/products/privacymirror.html) I did some windows in my house with it, costs about $10 for ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/23 "2002-05-09T16:25:14Z")
watch those tab keys kids… $10 for a 3’x4’ window ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/24 "2002-05-09T22:16:24Z")
I use window frosting, it comes in a spray can & it makes my bathroom windows so light comes in but completely private. One thing about it is that it stinks incredibly until it is dry. It also can be washed off. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/25 "2002-05-10T00:24:08Z")
How about the biggest display of window clings on the block? Seasonal, religious, Disney, Warner Brothers, the possibilities are endless… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/26 "2002-05-10T03:14:24Z")
Tall cedar hedge at the sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/27 "2002-05-10T04:16:38Z")
Come on, we know the real reason is because you’re actually Boo Radley. ---
**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/28 "2002-05-10T10:35:01Z")
Do you have screens on the outside of these windows? If you do, then paint the side of screen that faces the street white, and the side towards the house black (and make sure not to over do it and plug the openings in the screen.) It works like a one way mirror, but is a lot cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/29 "2002-05-10T10:41:36Z")
Do you have screens on the outside of these windows? If you do, then paint the side of screen that faces the street white, and the side towards the house black (and make sure not to over do it and plug the openings in the screen.) It works like a one way mirror, but is a lot cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/30 "2002-05-10T11:37:20Z")
Our city library has polarized glass for windows. In daylight, the glass is dark. At night, when the library is closed, one can see in (good for the cops). I’m fairly certain the reverse can be true, although I do not know the cost of the glass ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/31 "2002-05-10T14:25:10Z")
“Do you have screens on the outside of these windows? If you do, then paint the side of screen that faces the street white, and the side towards the house black” Mine do this without painting them. But the screens are rather old. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/32 "2002-05-10T14:29:08Z")
Also Fort, at night you can see clear through my screens, how about yours? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986/33 "2002-05-10T14:47:38Z")
Serves you right for hanging out nekkid in your “dinning” room. Like Handy mentioned, there’s a frosted glass spray you can use to increase the opacity of your panes. I used it (when he was away) to decrease to glare from my neighbor’s backyard lights. You could cover much of the perimeter butt leave a “visi-rectum” to peer through if, of course, you’re so inclined. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-people-from-looking-into-my-window/107986.md?page=1)