How to Clean Windows
Wash your windows the fastest way with crystal clear, streak-free results. Try washing windows with a squeegee and you’ll never go back to a spray bottle and paper towels. Squeegees get your glass clear and streak free in a fraction of the time it takes with paper towels. Check out the basic window washing equipment you need and the simple steps to follow for fast, clear results when cleaning windows.
Basic window washing equipment is all you need
When cleaning windows, the same high-quality window washing tools the pros use are readily available at home centers and full-service hardware stores that you can use in this how to clean windows project that will make your windows look like the pros. The whole setup is inexpensive and will last many years. In addition to a 10- or 12-in. squeegee basic window washing equipment includes a scrubber, a bucket (a 5-gallon plastic bucket will work), hand dishwashing liquid and a few lint-free rags or small towels. Keep your squeegee fitted with a sharp, new rubber blade. Purchase two or three to have on hand. The pros we talked to change their squeegee blades as often as once a day. That’s because you just can’t do a good job if the edge of the blade becomes nicked, sliced or rounded over with use. If your squeegee leaves streaks or just isn’t performing like new, don’t hesitate to replace the blade. You can get a little more mileage out of blades that aren’t nicked or sliced by simply reversing them to expose a fresh edge. When you store the squeegee, make sure nothing touches the blade.
Our squeegee method is easy to master
The best homemade window cleaning solution is to just add a couple of gallons of water and about a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in your bucket, and you’re ready to go for window washing. Some people also opt to use vinegar and water to clean windows. In warm weather, you’ll get a little more working time by using cool water. If you’ve procrastinated so long that you’re washing windows in below-freezing temps, add wind shield washing solution until the water doesn’t freeze on the glass. Scrubber or sponge? It’s up to you. A scrubber works great and is worth buying if you have a lot of medium to large panes of glass. But a good-quality sponge is all you really need, especially if most of your windowpanes are small. Step one for cleaning windows: Dip the scrubber in the bucket and squeeze excess water from the scrubber. Will you need to use a ladder when you wash your windows? If so, consider using a ladder stabilizer.
Scrub the glass
The first step in the exterior window cleaning process is to scrub the glass, working at all angles to clean the edges. Make sure to cover every square inch of the glass. This technique allows you to get great results immediately. We’re moving the squeegee horizontally across the glass, but vertical strokes will work too. If you work vertically, angle the squeegee to direct excess water toward the uncleaned area.
Clean a starting strip
Tip the squeegee so that only the corner contacts the glass. Then, starting at the top corner of the glass, clean a narrow strip of glass from top to bottom on one side. This clean strip makes it easier to start the horizontal stokes
The best way to clean windows
Clean windows can brighten up your home like nothing else and the internet is inundated with tips and tricks for getting the shiniest results possible.
Newspapers
When your daily read through The Telegraph is done, put your paper to good use by using it to clean your windows. Experts say when scrunched into a ball shape, newspaper is more effective than using a paper towel to clean – especially when paired with an environmentally friendly window cleaner.
Vinegar
It’s an age old trick passed down from generation to generation; apparently, using vinegar to clean your windows is actually not as complete a solution as it might seem
Soap and water
If you do insist on making a homemade solution, experts recommend ditching the vinegar and using soap and water instead
Jeweller’s rouge
Scratches on your windows and mirrors don’t necessarily mean they’re doomed – they can be removed with the use of jeweller’s rouge and some good old elbow grease.
THE BEST WINDOW CLEANER EVER
For years and years, we battled trying to get the exterior of our windows clean. They just never looked crystal clear. A filmy residue and often chalky streaks would remain once the windows dried. We tried a variety of window cleaners from homemade to store bought concoctions, as well as using newspaper instead of paper towels with not much success.
We had been working on updating a bathroom and ordered some new mirrors. While the glass guys were here installing the mirror, my husband, Randy, got to chatting with them, as he usually does, about how their business was going. During their conversation he happened to ask them what they use for cleaning glass. Did they have any professional tips or tricks? Yes, they did!
They shared a simple recipe for what they have found to work. They swore by it. We had already tried just using a simple combination of vinegar and water, but they learned a trick from a commercial window cleaner: add a little dish detergent to the vinegar/water mixture. Really? That simple? It was new to us, and it sounded much too easy.
So we tried it (or should I say Randy tried it) right away. Randy set out just to test a few windows and the next thing I knew he had worked all the way around the house, and was already working on some of the upstairs windows as well. There was an immediate difference, and so much easier than what we had tried in the past.
The mixture below, is super simple and used with a soft bristle brush and hose. That’s it. No more piles of used paper towels, no ladders, just clarity. I’m planning on trying the same mixture on all kinds of things outside that need de-grungifying.
How to Choose a Window Cleaner
Find out how long they have been in business. Make sure that they have an established business, not one that was started last month. It doesn’t take much to start a window cleaning business, but it takes hard work and satisfied customers to stay in business for a long time
Make sure they wash windows all year long (when temperatures are above freezing) and are not washing windows just as a summer job or second job.
Before we leave, we check to make sure that everything is to your satisfaction. In the rare chance that you find something later, we will return at our expense to correct the problem. We care about you and want your home or business to look great, so we take the time to do a quality job the first time.
PROTECTION
Before you let any window washer on your property make sure that they are insured. In the unlikely chance of them damaging something or of someone getting injured, for example, from a falling ladder or a moving motor vehicle, you should have the peace of mind that they have the insurance to cover any damages. They should have liability insurance, not just auto insurance. Any professional window cleaning business will have insurance, if they don’t you should find someone else
Wilson Window Cleaning offers free estimates and has fair prices for the quality service we provide. We will work with you to meet your specific needs and budget. Our quotations are close to the actual cost, if there is any difference we will let you know before we start.
Window cleaning hacks to save time and do a better job
Do you love that feeling of looking out of freshly cleaned windows? Windows so clean it looks like they almost aren’t there? Most homeowners would agree there is something very satisfying, almost therapeutic, about having crystal clear windows. Having sparkling clean windows can make your rooms feel fresher and look lighter too.
However, window cleaning isn’t the easiest chore. As professional window cleaners, we speak to many clients who have called us to help them because they find it too difficult and time-consuming to clean their windows. With this in mind, let’s take a look at some easy and practical window cleaning hacks to save you time and to help you get better results.
Do yourself a favour and use a squeegee
Many homeowners or tenants find that spray-on window cleaning products often smear dirt and grease around rather than eliminating it. Others who wash their windows with a hose and tap water have found that over time the minerals in the water etch into the glass, damaging the window like an old shower screen
There’s a reason why professional window cleaners swear by squeegees – they do the best job. Rather than just moving the dirt and residue around, a good scrub and a squeegee eliminates the dirt and grime from the glass. Using a squeegee is faster than cleaning windows with a spray and wipe product. It takes a little bit to find your rhythm with the technique but play around and have some fun with it.
The ultimate window washing solution – dishwashing detergent
You may find this one of the most surprising tips in this article. The secret ingredient to making an effective window cleaning solution is a typical household dishwashing liquid. I think that Morning Fresh makes the best solution due to its highly concentrated formula.