Top 10 Window Cleaning Tips

10 September 2014

Many people are put off by window cleaning, because getting a fabulous finish does seem like mission impossible, even if you manage to get the windows super sparkly you can bet your bottom dollar that they won’t be streak or smear free.Professional window cleaners, on the other hand, make it look incredibly easy, no streaking, no smearing, fresh and clean windows and best of all; they seem to do it so much quicker than anyone else. So, how can we clean our windows like a professional? For crystal clear glass that would office block and commercial building windows and run for their money, look no further! Follow our top 10 tips to success!Number 1, Tool kit tips!A window cleaner’s tool kit will include bucket, sponge, detergent, water, lint free cloth and squeegee. If you don’t use the right tools for the job, the job is not going to be easy!Number 2, Clean tools = better results!Starting the job with dirty tools is not going to offer great results, make sure that everything is fresh and clean, ready to go!Number 3, Sunshine or smear shine?Most people will wash their windows on a lovely sunny day, although this is fine it can be tricky, direct sunlight beaming onto the window pane can cause a streak battle, trying to defeat the battle is not exactly easy so you may wish to wait for the sun to go down slightly.Number 4, blade runner!Squeegees are great for window cleaning; they make it super easy but only when you use them correctly! Try moving across the glass horizontally and at a slight angle to encourage the water to run downwards. Start at the top and work your way down until you reach the bottom so that you do not ruin your hard work.Number 5, wipe away moisture!Wipe the squeegee rubber blade between strokes, most professional swill wipe their blades in between strokes to get a better finish, this is not priority but it will improve the overall finish if you choose to do so.Number 6, overlapping not redoing!Try not to overlap the strokes too much, you want move across in strokes with only a slight overlap to ensure all parts are cleaned but do not want to ruin the parts already done.Number 7, Scrape not scratch!Before you begin, wet the glass and use a scrubber which is not going to scratch the glass and gently scrape areas of stubborn debris, then wash the whole pane of glass using a sponge dipped into soapy water.Number 8, don’t forget the edges!After each window is cleaned, finish the job by wiping around the frame with a lint free cloth, this will wipe away any leftover residue caught into the frame, if left it could run down the glass and smear it.Number 9, Cheap and cheerful!You do not have to spend a fortune on window washing detergent to get a good result, plenty of cold water and little mix of regular washing up liquid will do the same job, if not a better job.Number 10, Start clean, finish even cleaner!The best results can only be achieved with the cleanest equipment at the start, you do not need to change water solution very often but you do not ensure that the tools you use are kept cleaned in between windows. Tools such as squeegees do tend to attract a lot of much and grime and you do not want to transfer that around, make sure that you wash your tools in a spare bucket of water, not the window washing bucket.