When it comes to completing home chores, it’s surprising how many people get some of them wrong. That is especially true with window cleaning. All too often, people go into window washing with the best intentions not knowing how to clean windows. They see the dust and grime that’s built up over the season and long for a crystal clear, streak-free window.
The result usually comes out somewhere in between clear and streaked or spotted windows. Today, we’re going to provide some tips on how to clean windows like a pro.
With these tips, you’ll never go back to the old way. We promise.
The Tools for the Trade
When you watch most people clean windows, you’ll see them pull out their roll of paper towels to do the job, but if you watch a pro in action, you’ll rarely see paper towels used as a cleaning tool.
If you want to have windows that look professionally cleaned, you need to use what the pros use. After all, that’s why they use them!
Now, you may think that the list of items you need to learn like the pros would be exhaustive and expensive. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
What’s even better is that most of these tools, if taken care of properly, should last you a few years. You can find most of the materials at any hardware store. If you want that professionally cleaned look, you need to use the tools of the trade.
Here is a list of items you’ll need to wash windows like a pro:
- A ten to twelve-inch squeegee
- A scrubber or a sponge
- A 5-gallon bucket
- Hand dishwashing liquid
- A few lint-free or microfiber rags or towels
With this list of five items, you’ll be well on your way to cleaning your windows like the pros.
How to Clean Windows Like a Pro
You’ll be happy to know that the steps on how to clean outside windows like a pro are pretty short, easy to master, and yield great results. Follow these seven easy steps for windows that look professionally cleaned.
1. Fill Your Bucket
For your professional window solution, all you’ll need is a couple of gallons of water and one teaspoon of hand dishwashing liquid. If you’re cleaning your windows in frigid temperatures, use enough window washing fluid, so the water doesn’t freeze on the window pane.
2. Scrub the Window
Dip your scrubber or your sponge into the bucket and squeeze out any excess water. Work from all angles to make sure you have scrubbed each part of the window. You want to make sure you get every square inch of the glass.
3. Create a Starting Strip
With a dry squeegee, tip your squeegee, so only the corner touches the glass. Start at the top corner of the glass and clean a narrow strip down the windowpane to the bottom of the glass. That should produce a thin vertical line to use as a starting point for your horizontal passes.
4. Squeegee Across the Top of the Window
Putting our squeegee up against the top of the window, make a horizontal pass. Make sure to concentrate on having the top of the squeegee contact the top of the windowpane.
5. Wipe Your Squeegee Clean
It is essential that after each pass with your squeegee that you wipe your squeegee clean with a lint-free or microfiber towel. Not doing so will create a window that is spotty or has streaks.
6. Work Down the Window
Begin again with a horizontal pass. Make sure your squeegee lines up on an angle, forcing water down and with a two-inch overlap from your last pass. By creating this two-inch overlap, you’ll make sure you have no streaks. Make sure to wipe your squeegee clean after each pass.
7. Wipe the Perimeter of the Window
With a clean and dry lint-free or microfiber towel, wipe around the edges of the window to remove any excess water that may be remaining. That will ensure that there are no streaks left behind.
First, wipe the bottom edge of the window, then with a clean spot, use your finger to create a fine line to remove any excess along the perimeter of the window.
How to Clean Window Screens
If washing window screens sounds tough, don’t worry. We’ll show you all the steps required to make your window screens look brand new again.
Here is what you’ll need:
- Warm water
- hand dishwashing soap
- Gentle bristle brush
With these three items, you can clean your window screens in five easy steps. Here’s all you’ll need to do to make your screens look professionally cleaned.
- Remove your screens from the window and lay them flat.
- Dip your soft bristle brush into the water.
- Gently scrub your screens with the soapy water and soft bristle brush.
- Rinse the window screens with warm water and allow it to dry.
- Put the window screens back in the window.
With these five steps, you’ll have window screens that allow you to see the views out your window without distraction.
Need More Help?
If all of this sounds like a lot of work, we don’t blame you. It can be challenging to clean all of your windows, especially if you don’t like hopping on ladders to reach a second or even third-floor window.
Considering that the average home has eight windows or more, this may be more than some families can handle. For instance, if you don’t know how to clean the window tracks, or don’t know how to clean window AC units, we can help.
Call the Pros
If you’re not interested in learning how to clean windows like a pro and would rather call them to do the work, that’s fine. If you’re looking for professional-grade window cleaning services in Chicago, trust the pros at My Window Washing.
Call us today at (800) 941-2790 to get started. If you’re looking for more ways to treat your home, check out our blog.