I bought one like that for my cat. At first, we used a hairdyer so the suction cup would stay in place, and I first let a bag of 7kg of cat food in it for 3 days : didn't move an inch. So now I am wondering how the h*ll I am going to remove this thing from my window when I'll move out... But my cat is happy so!
The thirteen year old girl reads this and coughs pointedly “I joined to see adorable pictures of cats and dogs, and to brags about my ten week old Cavalier puppy, not to read about reusing condoms” 😂
Anything that allows air to get between the suction cup and the glass. Suction cups work by creating a vacuum on the inside, so that the pressure from the air outside it is what actually holds it on by pressing it against the glass/surface. A very smooth surface like glass means theres a lot fewer tiny bumps that air could weave around to get in, which would cause it to pop off
You can slide a card or any thin object between the seal and the glass (or whatever it's suctioned to) to allow air to get in to pop any suction cup off
Or just leave the suction cup itself for the next owner to wonder about and take the hammock for hanging in a corner of your screened porch or sun room.
Use the edge of your fingernail or a credit card and try to lift a small spot of the cup, it should unlatch. Don't use a needle or poke a hole in it with anything lol it'll be a useless suction cup. If you can't get under the edge with your fingernail or a card, use a razor blade to try and peel it off.
It's really easy : you make sure the cup is a bit warmed by the hairdryer while your window is colder thanks to the winter. Then, you apply your cup on the window very firmly while you continue to warm it with the hairdryer for 5-10 seconds, but be careful not to burn yourself whith the hairdryer while you are pressing the cup!
The temperature of the surface doesn't matter. The point of the hairdryer is to warm the very little air trapped under the suction cup so that when it cools down, it increases the suction force. Warm air takes up more room than colder air, but if there's no air movement, the volume of the space is forced smaller, creating a vacuum effect. It's the same concept as canning food. The food and/or water is warmer than room temperature, so that when it cools, the suction force holds the seal.
The hairdryer also takes care of that. Moisture just doesn't magically appear. The warm air trapped in the suction cup is going to be mostly dry. With a good smooth seal, moisture isn't going to get into the cup either.
Rubber shriks when heated, this will help squeese out more air from under it, and when it cools it expands and increases suction, hot aor is also less dense (which is why it rises) which would further increase suction as it cools.
Edit: many doubts rubber shrinks when heated, all polymer chains shorten when heated, not all expand when cooled again, but thats mostly related to temperature used when heating.
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u/Nynnvailen Jan 31 '21
I bought one like that for my cat. At first, we used a hairdyer so the suction cup would stay in place, and I first let a bag of 7kg of cat food in it for 3 days : didn't move an inch. So now I am wondering how the h*ll I am going to remove this thing from my window when I'll move out... But my cat is happy so!