Try these few window cleaning tips and save yourself considerable time and frustration. By equipping yourself with a little knowledge and the right tools, you can take the dread out of this house-cleaning challenge.
10 Window Cleaning Tips
- Don’t wash windows when the sun is shining on them. The sun will dry your efforts before you’ve had time to wipe them properly. However, it is when the sun shines through them that you can tell if you’ve achieved streak-free window-cleaning bliss.
- Try to clean windows when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. Hot weather dries things too quickly, and if you wait until it’s freezing outside, you’re going to have real problems.
- Don’t use blue commercial window cleaning products, which can actually make streaking problems worse Instead use this homemade window cleaner recipe.
- Clean, wash and dry the window frames first. You don’t want to do it afterward and have dirty water dripping on your clean glass.
- Wash the insides of the window first. That way if you see a streak or spot that doesn’t come off when you go to clean the outside surface, you know you can easily remove it from the inside with a final touch-up. Who wants to go back outside, remove the screen, and do another wipe just to get rid of a streak?
- If you are washing the outside windows and you have screens, wash these at the same time. To wash screens, just use warm soapy water and a sponge. Rinse thoroughly with a fine spray from a hose (don’t pound them with water, as this can damage screens).
- Use a squeegee and the method described here: how to clean windows, or for the truly clever, learn the best way to clean windows.
- If you’re washing the outside of your windows, you may be confronted with a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. Here you need to begin by dry cleaning the windows. Use a soft (you don’t want to scratch the glass) whisk broom and get off all the grime you can before applying water.
- If your windows are really grimy, do two passes. Once to get the worst off, then once to perfect things with clean solutions and equipment.
- If you have second-story windows, cleaning the outside can be difficult. Depending on how they open, you may be able to reach around from the inside to clean. More likely you will need to work from the outside and use an extendable squeegee (use one with a sponge and a rubber side). For out-of-reach windows, getting crystal clear results will be difficult even with these window cleaning tips, so either accept imperfection or hire a professional.
