5 Steps to Making your Windows Spotlessly Clean

Cleaning windows is a challenging job. If you want your windows to look spotlessly clean, it’s better to avail professional window cleaning services. However, if you want to know how to carry out the job on your own, we’ve provided a step-by-step guide here to help you.

Before starting with cleaning your windows, it’s important to pre-clean them. The pre-cleaning work involves:

• Removing stubborn stains
• Removing decals and stickers
• Removing the screens and cleaning them
• Rinsing away grime and dirt from outside part of windows
• Dusting or vacuuming inside part of windows

After completing the pre-cleaning work, it’s time to start with the cleaning work.

Steps to Clean Windows

Step 1: Collect your Tools and Supplies

To carry out a basic cleaning of your windows, you will need a few things. These are listed below:

• Brush or sponge (or squeegee)
• Rubber squeegee
• Lint-free cloth or absorbent microfiber
• Clean rag or cloth
• Bucket of cleaning solution
• Large towel for protecting inside floors

Step 2: Prepare the Cleaning Solution

You can try various cleaners for windows, however, a basic mixture of dish soap and water is recommended by most experts. Using a newspaper or paper towel and spray bottle would just move around the cleaning solution and dirt, making the windows murky and streaky. For cleaning your windows better, mix:

• 6 liters of water with 6 ml (1 teaspoon) of dishwashing liquid.
• Equal parts of white vinegar and water.
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) each of vinegar and rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol, and 15 g (1 tablespoon) of cornstarch (for preventing streaks), and 480 ml (2 cups) of water.

Step 3: Clean your Windows

For windows having several small panes, consider using a sponge, and for the larger picture windows, use a squeegee. Dip the sponge into the cleaner bucket. Wring the excess water out and then, wipe down your whole window, making sure that you wipe all the corners too.

If you want to clean higher areas of the outside of your windows without using a ladder, fix a brush or squeegee to a broom handle or an extension pole. You can also go for using a special cleaner for windows that can spray up to your building’s second floor from the ground.

After cleaning a window, ensure that you dry it prior to starting with the next. In case your squeegee is squeaking a lot when drying or washing your windows, add some more soap amount to water.

Step 4: Wipe your Windows Dry

For windows with small panes, employ the squeegee’s rubber blade for wiping away the water in a vertical manner, working from the top to bottom. For picture windows, the strokes should be horizontal. Start working at the top of the window and work down to the bottom. Each stroke should be overlapped by a few centimeters. Between strokes, the blade should be wiped dry using a lint-free cloth.

Ensure that the rubber blade always stays in contact with your window.

To make sure that you leave windows streak-free, choose a squeegee of good quality with a sharp rubber blade in it. The rubber blade should be replaced when it becomes dull since it won’t seal properly, leaving behind streaks.

Step 5: Wipe Excess Water

If water spills drip, or runs down the window anywhere, wipe dry the area using a lint-free, absorbent cloth. This would prevent any streaks on windows.

For preventing any damage to a window frame, employ a separate rag or cloth for drying water from a window sill.

Following these steps would help you clean your windows well. However, if you want to make your windows spotlessly clean and shining, hire the services of a professional window cleaner or a window cleaning company.