Nothing can ruin the perfect view out your window like those milky streaks and drip marks. These marks can leave you wondering if you will ever find a way to completely clean your glass windows. Let’s take a look at some helpful tips for cleaning windows.
“Before You Start” Tips
First, make sure you have all your supplies handy. This will prevent the need to stop and look for something while your window drips dry.
- When you begin washing your windows, start at the top and work down to the bottom. This will prevent any dirty streaks or drips from developing on the parts you have already cleaned. There is nothing worse than having to “re-clean” something.
- You will need to wash windows on both sides, inside and out, to fully remove any marks and dirt. The trick is to remember which side you have cleaned first!
- Keep track of the sun. You should wait until the sun is off the window you plan to clean. The sun’s heat dries the window very quickly, and if you are using a solution it can dry before you have time to wipe it all off. If the solution dries before you wipe, it will leave streaks.
- Know your limits as well. Get professional window cleaning help for windows that are too big, too high, or too difficult to reach. You need to be safe, so you can enjoy your clean windows.
Professional window cleaning is also an option if you just don’t have time. There is no shame in calling a company to come; they will get the job done in little time.
Introducing the Squeegee
Try using a squeegee after washing and rinsing your windows. Squeegees take less than half the time to clean a window than paper towels and a spray bottle. It dries the window by removing all water and soap. You will need to use a quality squeegee, a scrubber, and a five-gallon bucket. Make sure you have replacement blades (and replace them often.) You can use any kind of dishwashing liquid and small, lint-free towels.
- First, move the squeegee horizontally along the top of the window from left to right, for one pass.
- Next, vertically move the squeegee from top to bottom.
- Follow this by doing a vertical pass left to right with overlapping strokes.
- To finish, do a horizontal stroke along the bottom of the window to collect drips.
- After each stroke, wipe the squeegee with a clean cloth to remove grime and soap build-up.
No Squeegee? No Worry
If you don’t have a squeegee, simply use lint-free rags or cloths. You will need to switch between clothes often, as when a cloth gets damp it will leave streaks.
A soft cloth or paper towel is handy to soak up drips, as you don’t want to wipe the excess water around.
Paper towels can also be used, but make sure they are non-linting. If the paper towels aren’t, they will leave little bits of paper on your window which can be just as bad as streaks or drips.
There you have it, some simple tips for window cleaning and getting rid of those streaks and drips for a perfect view.
