A Guide to Proper Window Cleaning: Tips for Crystal Clear Panes
Windows are one of the most prominent features of any home or office, and maintaining their cleanliness can significantly enhance the overall appearance of your space. Clean windows not only let in more natural light but also offer a clearer view of the outside world. Yet, many struggle with streaks, smudges, or dirt that just won’t seem to go away. In this blog post, we'll dive into the essentials of proper window cleaning, so you can enjoy spotless, streak-free windows every time.
# 1. Choose the Right Time and Conditions
The timing of your window cleaning plays a key role in achieving the best results. While it may be tempting to clean on a bright, sunny day, direct sunlight can cause the cleaning solution to dry too quickly, leaving streaks behind and making the window extremely difficult to squeegee properly. Overcast days or cleaning in the early morning or late afternoon is the most ideal.
# 2. Have the Proper Tools
To clean your windows effectively, it’s crucial to have the right equipment. The basic tools you’ll need include:
- A professional’s squeegee: A must-have for a streak-free finish. This tool and proper technique are where the true magic comes from.
- A professional’s mop: The best tool for balancing great scrubbing power with good surface area coverage. I specifically like this model because of the brillow pad on the back side. You can often avoid using steel wool at all.
- A bucket: Large enough to hold your cleaning solution and properly rinse the mop between cleaning windows. As long as your mop can fit in the bucket vertically, any bucket will do, even a 5-gallon. If you want something fancy, here is another option: Unger Window Cleaning Bucket
- Microfiber cloths and/or cotton towels: For wiping the edges of the glass and wiping/drying sills.
- 0000 Steel Wool: To remove stubborn dirt or spots. USE CAUTION: If there is a single speck of sand on your window, the wool can pick it up and scratch your window.
- Dawn Platinum dish soap: This eco-friendly solution effectively cuts through grime, grease, and dust while leaving your windows sparkling.
These tools will help you achieve a professional-level clean.
# 3. Prepare Your Cleaning Solution
While there are plenty of expensive commercial window cleaning products available, like Glass Gleam 4, I get great results with Dawn Platinum. I use approximately one tablespoon per gallon. This stuff is very concentrated and a little goes a long way. You do not want your solution too soapy.
# 4. Start by Cleaning the Frames and Tracks
Before focusing on the glass, clean the window frames, sills, and tracks. If there is a lot of debris, it’s good to take care of that first. I call this “dry work".” Use something like this brush attachment with your vacuum to get as much out as you can. This step prevents dirt from being transferred onto the glass during mopping and makes the wipe-up afterwards much easier.
# 5. Getting To the Glass
Dip your mop into the cleaning solution and scrub the window to loosen dirt.
# 6. Use the Squeegee for a Streak-Free Finish: The “Crux” of Perfectly Clean Windows
This is the most intimidating and challenging step in the process. I’m going to give two different methods, you will have to choose which one bests suits you:
Professional Technique: This takes hours and hours of practice to perfect. It involves a fluid motion with no stops until the window has no more cleaning solution on it except for the edges. There is no better option for a streak-free finish, but it is easy to make frustrating mistakes with nearly every motion. The key is to never move the squeegee backwards; Basically, you always want to be “pulling” the cleaning solution, one wrong twist of the wrist can cause the squeegee to move backwards and leave moisture on the glass.
Start by taking your cotton cloth and wiping the top edge of the glass. This prevents water from dripping down the window after the squeegee pulls.
With your squeegee upside down (pulling towards the top) place your squeegee 2/3 of the way up on the left side of the window frame.
Pull the squeegee upward toward the top left corner while turning your wrist so that as you hit the top left corner your squeegee blade is at a 90-degree angle to the top of the window frame.
Pull the squeegee across the top of the frame. Then, again, as you approach the top right corner, turn your wrist so that your squeegee blade is at a 90-degree angle to the right side of the window frame
Pull down along the right side of the window approximately half-way. (Keep in mind never to lift the squeegee off of the glass.)
Pull the squeegee around and towards the left side of the window overlapping the dry top of the window with about 1-2 inches of the squeegee rubber so that most of the squeegee is still in the cleaning solution.
Now you are “cutting down the mountain” of cleaning solution in the middle of the glass back and forth.
When you are close enough to the bottom to wipe all of the cleaning solution off with one squeegee pull, angle your wrist like you did for the top two corners to hit the bottom of the frame at a 90-degree angle with your squeegee blade.
Then, pull the squeegee across the entire bottom of the glass.
Pat yourself on the back, you’re one window closer to being a pro.
Amateur Technique: You will often see national chains like Fish Window Cleaning - who pay their employees low wages to keep costs down - use this. If they can do it, you can do it. This technique involves only straight pulls of the squeegee. There is less room for error, but if you don’t keep the squeegee straight drips and streaks will be hard to stop from happening.
Start by taking your cotton cloth and wiping the top edge of the glass. This prevents water from dripping down the window after the squeegee pulls.
Starting from the top, drag the squeegee across the window in either horizontal or vertical pulls.
After each pull, wipe the blade with a clean cotton cloth to prevent streaking. For large windows, overlap your strokes slightly to avoid leaving any marks behind.
# 7. Dry and Buff the Edges
Once you've used the squeegee, dry the edges of the window with a microfiber cloth. Buffing the edges ensures no drips or streaks are left behind. For a final touch, use a dry cotton cloth to polish any remaining spots.
# 8. Don’t Forget the Inside
While cleaning the outside of your windows is essential, the inside panes need attention too. The process is largely the same, but since indoor windows can accumulate more dust, fingerprints, grease (if you cook or fry a lot), and vape or smoke residue (if you partake indoors,) so they may need to be cleaned more often.
# 9. Handle Tough Spots and Hard Water Stains
My favorite option is the steel wool I listed above, but this method should only be attempted after the window has been cleaned and all dirt and sand are removed first. If your windows have stubborn spots like hard water stains, a more intensive method may be required. Try applying a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to the affected area and letting it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing gently. You can also use commercial hard water stain removers for more persistent spots, this could include different types of acids depending on what is on the glass.
