Cleaning Your Windows

How do you clean your windows effectively?

Yuk… washing your windows can be such a tedious job right! Even worse when you have to redo or go over your work, making your chore take even longer. However once the job is done there is no better feeling than having them all looking sparkling clean.

Did your Grandma swear by newspaper and metho to clean the windows? Sorry Grandma but they have now changed the ink due to environmental issues and the change in ink no longer makes this a way to get your windows clean.

There are a few do’s and don’t when cleaning windows and everyone has a different way of doing it but these simple steps will help you achieve a dazzling result.

Step 1. Clean your screen – If your screen is dirty, take it out and place flat on the ground and wet a dust pan brush and put a little detergent on it and lightly brush over the screen then hose it off and stand it up somewhere to dry

Step 2. Clean out the tracks (inside & out) – either use the brush in your vacuum cleaner and use an old toothbrush to loosen the grime so the vacuum can suck it up. Then use either a wet rag to get the rest out or a disposable multipurpose wipe

Step 3. Clean the outside frame (inside & outside) – The frame around your window needs cleaning also so you can use a wet rag or again a disposable multipurpose wipe, making sure you get not just the outside frame but the tracks around the sides and top

Step 4. Really dirty windows – If outside use a hose to wash off excess dirt then -Use a bucket with hot soapy water and use a cloth to wash the windows down this way they are getting a good clean

Step 5. Squeegee – Use a good quality squeegee and go from side to side (not up & down) to remove the excess water, wipe the blade after each stroke

Step 6. Use a dry good quality mirco fibre cloth to polish

Step 7. To clean the inside of your windows you generally won’t need water as the inside won’t get as dirty as the outside. You will have already completed Step 2 & 3 so it will just be the glass that needs cleaning and this can be done with a good quality dry micro fibre cloth and windex.

Do’s:

· An overcast day is always best to clean your windows as it will be easier to have them streak free

· Use your squeegee from side to side so the water runs down

· Wipe the rubber blade of the squeegee after each stroke

· Clean your tracks & outside frame first before using water

Don’t:

· Try to clean your windows on a blazing hot sunny day it will dry before you have a chance to wipe it off and then it will be very hard to remove the streaks.

· Going top to bottom with a squeegee will create water runs

· Let water get into the tracks before you’ve cleaned them

You only need to clean your windows about twice a year or more if you live by the ocean or have a lot of construction work going on around you.

Microfibre cloths are better than paper towels because they are super absorbent and leave the glass shiny and streak free. When doing the inside make sure you put a towel down in case of water spills. Using a squeegee gets your glass clear and streak free in a fraction of the time it takes with paper towels. Make sure your squeegee has no nicks, slices or rounded over rubber or you won’t get a good result and always go side to side, wiping the rubber blade after each stroke. Using dishwashing liquid in a bucket with hot water also gives amazing results.

If you have paint specks or stickers you can take them off with a plastic blade scraper to minimise any scratching. Wet the window first and push the blade across once. Rinse the blade and repeat on the next section to avoid trapping debris under the blade that could scratch the glass. Don't use a razor blade on tempered glass.