Glass is a naturally porous material. It attracts dirt and grime that leaves stains and gook that becomes embedded within the glass. If your windows are not cleaned regularly, both indoors and outdoors, then homeowners will soon experience costly replacements. Clean windows are also an attractive feature of a home and it also affects the health of everyone in the home.
You can get your window panes as clean as a professional using simple techniques and setting aside some period of time. Professional window cleaners use professional grade products that can include various sized squeegees, buckets, towels, cleaning chemicals, scrapers, gloves, steel/brass wool pads, shoe covering, extension poles, safety goggles, sponges, ladders, sometimes specialized water, and other miscellaneous items. As a DIY project, you can successfully clean your windows with a few simple tools.
As a professional window cleaning service, advanced information is necessary like the type of windows you have, are screens attached to your windows, how high are your windows, are you afraid to climb a ladder, or do you have the time it takes for a thorough cleaning. To clean windows like a pro also means to clean both sides of the window, the interior and the exterior of its frame. As instructed by Clearview window cleaning service, when working indoors to clean your windows, prepare to protect your rug, floors, or wall paintings or accessories.
How To Clean The Glass Properly
Place a drop cloth on the floor that you can buy from your local home improvement store very cheaply or you can simply use an old sheet. Now you are ready to fix your DIY solution for cleaning the windows which can be as simple as warm water and some dishwashing soap product. For each gallon of water, just use a couple of drops. Use a microfiber scrubbing cloth, any lint-free cloth or a sponge which is easier to use to clean windows because it holds lots of water to squeeze out as you wash the whole pane, including corners, crevices, hinges, sills, and tracks.
Next, use a squeegee with a short handle, a long handle, a short blade squeegee or a long blade squeegee depending on the type of windows you have like multi-panes. Dip it in a bucket of clean water to clear off the sudsy windows, followed by drying the windows with a clean towel or squeegee. Squeegees will become one of your favorite window cleaning tools because its rubber blade helps to keep the glass clear and streak free in a matter of seconds.
Many homeowners have questions like whether they should use water that is cold or hot, should they add the cleaning panacea – vinegar in the water, and should they use paper towels to dry the windows. All are acceptable because that is the thing about cleaning windows, you don’t have to worry about cleaning the windows because experts say there is no right way or wrong way. The end result should always reveal a clean, streak-free window.
Vinegar As A Cleaning Solution
However, if your windows are greasy, streaky, or exceptionally dirty, then adding vinegar to your cleaning solution is welcomed to easily clean off oily debris. Everyone knows that vinegar is beneficial to any surface that it is used, including the human body. It kills germs without any toxic odors and its ingredients quickly break-down all types of stains, leaving your surface very clean.
Now you have rinsed the windows with your squeegee. For large windows, clean your squeegee each time you make a cleaning stroke and use a small squeegee if your windows are small in size. There is a squeegee for all types of windows and it is a handy investment tool.
Use of a Squeegee
Okay, if you insist, I will give a quick squeegee cleaning tip. Place your squeegee in the upper corner of the windowpane. Bring the squeegee straight down. Wipe the squeegee off and go back to the top and repeat slightly overlapping your first downward stroke. Clean the glass like this a couple of time then finish by pulling the squeegee across the bottom of the window. Of course, you will need to dry off the window sill.
Okay, I know that we still must address the elephant in the room and that can I use a newspaper to dry my windows as my parents did? Okay, I remember seeing Uncles wipe their car windows dry using newspapers, but if you are familiar with the ink type used today to produce a newspaper, this may not be a good idea. Before you use newspaper to clean your windows, hold the newspaper in your hand and test to see if the ink comes off on your hands. If it does, the ink will leave streaks and black marks on your windows.
When To Clean Your Windows
When is the best time to clean your windows? How often should I clean my windows? Professional companies like the Clearview window cleaning service suggest cleaning your windows around two or three times a year. However, clean your windows on a less than sunny or cloudy day because a bright sunny day makes your work harder. A hot sunny day causes your window to dry quickly, both when you are attempting to wash them and when you are about to dry them. The only result of this process on a sunny day is that you will get streaks.
Tools For Cleaning Your Windows
Please note that you use this process for both the interior and exterior windows. With the exception of cleaning the outside of the windows, here are some tips for cleaning windows that have been affected by surrounding foliage, bug droppings, weathering issues or perhaps paint stains. You can remove debris like sap or paint with a utility scraper, an encased razor blade, or a nylon scrub pad. You may not be aware, but before you lightly scrape your windows, wet the panes first, then use your scraper or razor blade to remove the window pane debris carefully as not to scratch the glass.
Another key piece of information that professional window cleaners are aware of is the type of glass that windows are made of. For example, if your window panes are tempered, annealed (softest of window materials), heat-treated, coated, has a tint film, plexiglass, etc., then window cleaning will require professional services who will use customized tools and training.
