How To Take The Suck Out Of Window Cleaning

Like a bear that’s just done roughing it in the colds of winter in hibernation, your household is waking up from the rough months of cold to a season where the nascent light of the sun is starting to send life throughout the world. The snow and frosty winds are no longer battering your windows, it’s a good time to open up your curtains to let the sun in.

One problem though. Even though the flowers may be blooming outside, you don’t get to see them clearly when you’re perched on the window sill with a book. The frosty months have left substantial grime on your windows. Your windows are in dire need of some TLC.

You do realize that this situation sucks but if you plan yourself accordingly, it can be easier, and much faster than you had imagined. But how can you go about this?

1. Mise en place.

Borrowed from chef speak, it simply means gathering everything you need before you begin your work. You will need two separate buckets, a good squeegee and two separate cloths; preferably lint free and chamois leather. The final piece of the puzzle is a cleaning solution.

To start off, get your curtains out of the way. This is an opportunity to launder them anyway. Take one of the buckets and proceed to give the windows a thorough clean. Proceed to apply the cleaning solution followed by a good wipe down from the squeegee.

From here, wipe the squeegee with one of the cloths. Take the other cloth and dip in the bucket with clean water. Give the window a wipe down and watch it gleam. If there are still some dirty spots, use the dry cloth to wipe them off.

2. Start from the structure.

Before cleaning the window, you will need to first clean the window frames. If there’s a bit of loose material on the windows, you can use a vacuum to suck them up and out of the way. If your frames are aluminum, you can give them a good shine with a spot of silicone car polish. If the sliders are a bit too dry, you can use the polish as a lubricant, or just use a light oil for the same effect.

For others, the frames could be of vinyl or other painted material. These need a different kind of TLC. Simply wipe them down with a sponge that’s been dipped in a solution of warm water and a detergent. You’ll then need to rinse them with clean warm water and pat them dry.

3. The panes.

A good rule of cleaning the panes is to do it when it is cloudy outside, or when the sun is not directly facing them. This is a good way to prevent streaks running down your windows. In general, how often the outside of windows will require cleaning is dependent on the area you live in. The inside though, these are mostly cleaned twice a year… unless you’re a stress cleaner. 

For a Free Orange County Window Cleaning Estimate Call (949)786-0816