Almost all of us love a spot by the windows. For some, it’s always a pleasure to stay in a comfy reading nook by the windows to enjoy the natural sunshine. For morning people, every day’s a good day to take in the view of the outdoors as they sip in their morning coffee and savor the aroma of the pancakes cooking by the griddle. You may not consciously think about it, but crystal-clear windows make us happier. And whenever it’s not that clear, we are not satisfied because we know it’s not the way it should be. Keep your windows gleaming by following the tips below. And make sure to contact a trusted company to ensure a professional Residential Window Cleaning service. View here to learn more about high rise window cleaning.
1. Plan to clean your windows on a gloomy day
You may think that picking a bright and sunny day to clean your windows is ideal, but it isn’t. If you do so, the cleaning solution you would apply will dry quickly before you can even wipe it off, and that will leave hard-to-remove streaks. Otherwise, aim for a dry, gloomy day to tackle this task. If you’re really itching to clean in a sunny day, start with the windows on the shady side of the house where there is no direct sun on the windows.
2. Dust the screens, sills and sashes first
Start cleaning your windows with a little vacuuming. Take down any curtains or blinds first, and take this opportunity to clean them as well. Sweep away any dust or cobwebs around the corners and surfaces of the windowsills. Then, vacuum the window frame, sill and sash first before moving forward to cleaning the glass. Doing so will help keep any dust and debris from streaking the glass while you clean. You also may need to consider getting your gutters clean and hire a great option like Bax clean gutter cleaning services for help.
3. Use a squeegee
For a professional clean look on your windows, use a squeegee, instead of paper towels or rags. These can efficiently tidy up your windows while preventing puddles and drips from accumulating in your floors or window sills as you clean. Squeegees are available in different sizes, but you’ll do fine with using a 10- to 12-inch squeegee. You can also use this as a cleaning material for your glass shower door.
Don’t use the same squeegee for cleaning the inside and the outside windows – unless you’ll be cleaning the inside first and then you’d clean the squeegee thoroughly before using it on the outside sides. Using a different squeegee is ideal since you want to make sure that you don’t carry pollutants inside. For lesser drips, keep the squeegee blade from becoming too wet by shaking excess water/cleaner off the blade and resting it on a dry surface.
4. Prepare your own window cleaner
You can find a lot of glass cleaners in a cleaner aisle in a supermarket. All of them promises flawless, streak-free results, but a lot of them come with elbow grease. Also, you have to be careful with strong formulas so as to not damage any surrounding paintwork near the window.
You can simply create a non-abrasive solution by mixing up a few drops of liquid dish soap and warm water to tackle the dirt and grease. Take note, just use less dish soap and avoid creating too many soap suds, as these might only leave a soapy residue on the glass that causes dull and blurry windows.
5. Try using vinegar
Vinegar is an ultimate kitchen tool, and cleaning tool as well. It kills germs safely and cheaply as compared to commercial cleaning solutions (although it does not smell as good). Vinegar also removes the kind of film that usually accumulates on glass surfaces. Instead of the dish soap solution mentioned above, you can also use vinegar for effectively cleaning your windows. Mix one part vinegar and one part hot water, then dampen the squeegee with it and clean from the top down.
If the glass surface on the windows is very grimy, wash it first using a very soapy water and scrub with a sponge. Then, spray with the vinegar solution and leave for a few minutes before rinsing and drying. If there are any stubborn spots, scrub them hard using a cloth dipped in pure vinegar.
6. Dry with a soft cloth
After cleaning, reach for a microfiber cloth, chamois or any clean, soft cloth; or simply reuse a soft cloth from an old T-shirt to dry windows. These materials are absorbent and leave the glass shiny and streak-free. Using paper towels or other types of wiping material might leave lots of lint on the glass.