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Keen to Clean Tips – Window Cleaning

Keen to Clean Tips – Window Cleaning

Clean Window for Clear See Through
Window Cleaning (Glass)
General/Commercial Cleaning: Window Glass Cleaning
Windows are important to a property for both aesthetic and functional reasons. The most important element, arguably, are the glass panels that form the actual window. Prone to getting dirty they need to be cleaned frequently. Luckily, it is a relatively simple job.
Things you will Need:
Cleaning Solution:
There are two schools of thought when it comes to domestic window cleaning and what cleaning solutions you should use. Ultimately it comes down to preference more than anything, but it still pays to know what you are working with.
Detergents: Water mixed with a cleaning solution, even just generic detergents, can prove an efficient and cost effective way to clean windows. The span dirt cutting and breakup elements of the detergent make them perfect for windows that have a lot of buildups. The foaming aspect also helps the squeegee slide, making for the very conducive cleaning. The main drawback is that it is significantly messier to deal with then the spray and can involved getting wet. It is also integral you are thorough, as the detergent will pool in areas that are missed and the dirt will gather there.
Glass Cleaning Spray: A variation to the spray and wipe style surface sprays. These are useful as they can be sprayed on and wiped off, without the need of any elaborate tools or motions. They also tend to leave the surface of the glass with a nice shine. The cost of the solutions in general works out to be higher but the more significant drawback is that very dirty windows will often require a great deal of the element to get clean, making it the less viable choice. It is also harder to use a squeegee on it meaning it can make large areas of glass harder to clean.
Squeegee: The iconic window cleaning tool. Generally speaking any squeegee you get can’t be wider than any of the windows you will be cleaning, as that will mean you can’t get surface contact. That said, narrow squeegees will require multiple strokes to clean a window. Many people get multiple sizes for that reason and luckily many of them are relatively inexpensive. Always make sure your squeegee’s edge is straight and free of nicks, as you want the entire blade working for you. Sponges on the reverse side of the squeegee can be useful for applying cleaning solution to a window, but a separate sponge is sufficient also. Finally squeegees that come with a longarm/pole can be a godsend for large outside windows, especially ones behind garden displays that means you can avoid stepping on anything.
Bucket: A bucket for water and solution mixes. It is possible to get rectangular ones of varying widths to better facilitate the shapes of your squeegees, as round buckets will require more messing about.
Rubber gloves: Many people prefer to use gloves to avoid damaging the skin and nails on their hands. The detergents and sprays used on windows are not caustic though so it is ultimately at your discretion whether you bother or not.
Paper towels or rags: If using a spray or want to do a quick wipedown to ensure the windows are fully dry a clean rag or basic household paper towel are all that are necessary. Don’t use tissues or toilet paper, though, as they will leave remnants that are highly visible on a clean window .
Duster: A duster to remove cobwebs prior to cleaning is advised.
Mould Killer: If there is a mould buildup you may need to use a mould killing spray on the inner surfaces to kill it.
Things to Keep in Mind:
Windows are exposed to a lot of water, either internally in places like the bathroom or externally during the rain. As a result mould buildups are fairly common. It is worth periodically checking the windows and frames for mould and immediately spraying them with a mould killing spray as soon as possible. Window frames can be damaged and outright destroyed by heavy mould rotting the frame away, meaning you are left needing to replace the whole frame. Luckily metal frames are more common and don’t run this risk but are still prone to mould coverage so it is still worthwhile treating them.
Cleaning the Window Glass:
Start by making sure that all the glass panels you are cleaning are free of cobwebs. If cobwebs get water on them they become a lot harder to clean away and can leave web residue that is only visible once dry.
Similarly if there is a mould buildup, which may manifest in several colours, be sure to do a mould treatment and then manually scrub the mould away with a sponge or the like before continuing.
This is the point where you decide what sort of cleaning your windows need.
If the windows are relatively clean, or you are indoors, it may be preferable to use a spray on window cleaner and a small squeegee or paper towel to clean the glass. The advantage is that it is less likely to drip everywhere and you don’t need a bucket. Note though that this is not an effective method if the windows are dirty, in fact that might make the mess worse sometimes.
If you are outside or need a heavy duty clean then detergent in water is advised. Effective mixture levels will vary from product to product so there is an art to work it out. Too little and the water will not cut through dirt properly. Too much and the solution will produce too many bubbles and you’ll have a mess on your hands dealing with that. The advantage of dedicated window detergents is they tend to provide you with instructions for optimum mixture levels, but otherwise there is debate as to whether you need branded or specialised products.
With your solution use a sponge, either on the squeegee or a separate one, to spread the cleaning solution on the glass. Areas that are obviously dirty you can directly scrub to remove the build ups but in general you want a healthy coverage of the area.
Make sure the blade of your squeegee is moistened and fully clean. There are two techniques people seem fond of. The downward vertical strokes, that go from the top of the window to the bottom several times to assure vertical streaks are removed and the Z zig zag method that we tend to suggest, which involves horizontal strokes before going diagonally down and making another horizontal stroke like a Z. Ultimately what method you use is up to you, just try to be thorough and have strokes overlap if possible.
If you have the time or inclanation a combination of bucket and squeegee cleaning followed by a spray on glass cleaner can lead to good results, especially if the spray on cleaner also polishes in the process.
If your windows are in a dusty area then using a clean rag or paper towel to dry them down may help reduce the likelihood of them becoming immediately dirty again.
How Often Should it be Done?
It depends on how prone your windows are to getting dirty, how visible they are and how inclined you are to be concerned by that. While visible windows or windows that you frequently use as a light source should be cleaned periodically there is little motivation to do the same externally for windows that aren’t used or can’t be seen easily.
Windows are popular spring and Autumn cleaning tasks, so we would advise you take those opportunities to clean them.
You can be sure that when the Keen To Clean staff visits your home, you will get 100% satisfaction from our office cleaning and commercial cleaning service in all Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide suburbs. To book a cleaning day, please feel free to drop us a line at 1300-737978, 0425-758379 for 24/7 emergency cleaning, or email us at enquiry@keentoclean.com.au. We are open from Mondays to Saturdays, 8AM till 6:30 PM, in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.