Windows are part of your building envelope, and they serve a great purpose. Besides protecting you from harsh weather elements, they allow natural light into your home.
But because of how they’re positioned, they collect a lot of dirt on their surfaces over time. They might look clean at a glance. However, they’re actually filled with so much dust, especially if you haven’t cleaned them for a while.
Read on to learn about effective window cleaning techniques worth trying.
Table of Contents
Having The Right Cleaning Tools
When cleaning, windows require a little more care than other surfaces. Wrong handling, and they could break. Or cleaning them could be pointless. Hence, it’s important to have the right tools.
Consider buying a window cleaning solution from your local home store. Alternatively, you can prepare a homemade cleaning solution. You’ll need water, dish-cleaning soap, and white vinegar.
Mix one tablespoon of dish soap with a quarter cup of white vinegar and two cups of water. This solution will be as effective as a store-bought solution in getting rid of normal dirt, such as dust.
You can make other cleaning solutions. Just ensure that you don’t use any colored ingredients since they could stain your windows.
However, if your windows have mold or algae, you should go for professional services, such as window cleaning Rochester MN services. Experts would know how to handle this type of dirt.
After preparing solutions, gather your cleaning equipment. You’ll need a sponge, a squeegee, an extension pole, and a microfiber cloth. See to it that each of these is clean. You wouldn’t want to add dirt to your windows. The tools should have soft or smooth edges to prevent scratching your windows.
You can also consider using a pressure washer for the process. However, if you don’t have the skills to use a pressure washer, seek power washing services in Rochester or one in your locality. Improper use of the machine could bring all your windows down.
Dirty window close look
Working From Top To Bottom
The top to bottom window-cleaning technique is ideal for an effective process. Its aim is to avoid staining your already clean windows.
So, if you were to clean the bottom parts of your windows first, both the cleaning solution and dirt will streak the clean surface. This will only make the cleaning process time-consuming and frustrating since you’ll have to keep going back and forth.
Most homeowners adopt the bottom-top technique mainly when they can’t reach the top windows; they tend to save the top parts for later. In that case, you should make use of an extension pole. Fix your sponge on the pole, and you’ll have easy access to the top windows. Alternatively, use a ladder, but ensure it’s stable enough to avoid falls.
Choosing The Right Day To Clean
You might wonder how the weather affects window cleaning, but it’s something you should factor in before cleaning.
Some weather conditions can make the process quite challenging. For instance, a sunny day isn’t ideal because your cleaning solution will dry up faster before you’re done cleaning a glass pane. Plus, there’ll be a lot of back and forth and staining, which you’d want to avoid.
A windy day is also not advisable. Your window surfaces will likely get dirty as soon as you clean them. The wind will blow dust onto your windows, making cleaning futile.
Thus, it’s best to settle for a cloudy day. In this kind of weather, air movement would be consistent, not harsh, and temperatures are more or less steady, so you won’t have to worry about dust and dirt accumulating on your clean windows and the cleaning solution drying up quickly.
Taking Care Of Your Frames
Windows come in different types, from positions to frames. The aspect to focus on is the frames, which can be wooden, aluminum, PVC, UPVC, vinyl, and so on. Among these, some are water-resistant whereas others aren’t. Therefore, you need to be careful when cleaning your windows.
Frames made of aluminum, UPVC, PVC, and vinyl are water-resistant, so you can wipe them down with a microfiber cloth after cleaning your windows.
As for wooden frames, you must take more care since wood absorbs water. The wood can rot, warp, or expand on absorption, causing air leaks in your windows. So, to clean wooden frames, you need to clean the frame first by wiping it down with a damp cloth.
After wiping the surface down, consider covering these frames before cleaning your window panes. You can tape the surface so that any water that gets to the bottom goes over the tape, drips down, and stays away from the wooden frame. This way, your windows remain clean and the frames, intact.
Conclusion
Cleaning your windows is quite easy, but it can be challenging too if you take the wrong approach. Implementing these window cleaning techniques will not only make the process a breeze but also a success.
