Let the sunshine in! Home improvement can be as easy as a comprehensive cleaning. Not all of us have lovely large windows and doors, but that doesn’t mean that we get out of the despised chore of cleaning them. It’s getting to the perfect time of year to do a good detailed job before the weather gets too hot to work outside comfortably. Clean windows and doors can also help you find any damage that might need fixing before it becomes too much to handle.
To prepare you for your own sparkling windows, we collected this list of tips, tricks, and advice to get your windows streak-free.
Window Cleaning Tips
Our Favorite tip: Sunshine causes streaks, as the windows will dry too quickly, so do this chore on a cloudy day. Chances are you’re gonna be inside anyway so let’s be productive.
First Things First: Wash indoors first! You might think this is common sense as the outdoor job will be much filthier and you’ll go through your supplies faster, but we feel it can’t hurt to put it at the top of our list.
Window Cleaner: Although Windex works great, you might have little ones at home that put their mouths all over your windows, thus the reason for frequent cleaning. For a natural indoor cleaner-Mix equal parts white vinegar with warm water. Outdoor suggestion-one teaspoon of biodegradable dishwashing liquid to several gallons of water.
The Basic How-To:
- Brush exterior surface to remove dirt. Vacuum the interior area with brush attachment.
- Squeegee the window in a (horizontal or vertical, up to you) swipe, starting at the top or one side, wipe the blade, do a second swipe with a two inch overlap of the first swipe, wipe the blade. Repeat.
- Trick for Spotting Streaks: Wipe one side of the glass with horizontal strokes only. Wipe the other side with vertical strokes. If you get a streak you know right where to go to remove them with a soft, dry cloth.
- Use a clean, dry cloth to touch up the edges and any drips.
- Clean and dry the frame.
How to Remove Window Decals: Kids playing with stickers? Place mayonnaise around the border and scrape it off with an old credit card. The oils in the mayo soften the sticky backing, and the card won’t hurt the glass.
For more information on the types of damage to look for, head over to our Knowledge Center. Still have questions, or ready to get started on your repairs? Don’t hesitate to give us a call!
