diff --git a/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h b/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
--- a/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
+++ b/autotests/mock_effectshandler.h
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@
         return false;
     }
     void defineCursor(Qt::CursorShape) override {}
-    void deleteRootProperty(long int) const override {}
     int desktopAbove(int, bool) const override {
         return 0;
     }
diff --git a/effects.h b/effects.h
--- a/effects.h
+++ b/effects.h
@@ -176,7 +176,6 @@
     void reconfigure() override;
     void registerPropertyType(long atom, bool reg) override;
     QByteArray readRootProperty(long atom, long type, int format) const override;
-    void deleteRootProperty(long atom) const override;
     xcb_atom_t announceSupportProperty(const QByteArray& propertyName, Effect* effect) override;
     void removeSupportProperty(const QByteArray& propertyName, Effect* effect) override;
 
diff --git a/effects.cpp b/effects.cpp
--- a/effects.cpp
+++ b/effects.cpp
@@ -830,11 +830,6 @@
     return readWindowProperty(rootWindow(), atom, type, format);
 }
 
-void EffectsHandlerImpl::deleteRootProperty(long atom) const
-{
-    deleteWindowProperty(rootWindow(), atom);
-}
-
 void EffectsHandlerImpl::activateWindow(EffectWindow* c)
 {
     if (AbstractClient* cl = dynamic_cast< AbstractClient* >(static_cast<EffectWindowImpl*>(c)->window()))
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
--- a/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
@@ -1064,7 +1064,6 @@
     */
     virtual void registerPropertyType(long atom, bool reg) = 0;
     virtual QByteArray readRootProperty(long atom, long type, int format) const = 0;
-    virtual void deleteRootProperty(long atom) const = 0;
     /**
      * @brief Announces support for the feature with the given name. If no other Effect
      * has announced support for this feature yet, an X11 property will be installed on