Regular window cleaning and maintenance will not only help safeguard the quality of the air inside your home and maintain your home’s energy efficiency, but keeping them clean will also help you avoid window damage. It will help keep them looking wonderful for many years to come. For the highest level of efficiency, we advise cleaning windows every one to two months.
To get a head start on cleaning your windows safely, there are some pros and cons that must become second nature to you. This article is set to discuss them. But let’s first get you familiarized with the materials and tools you will need.
- Squeegee, 10 or 12 inches
- A sponge or scrubber
- A bucket (a plastic 5-gallon bucket would do).
- Dish soap and cleaning solutions
- Lint-free napkins or little towels
- Ladder and a stabilizer for ladders
Why Keep Your Windows Clean Always?
1. They Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
Did you know that keeping windows clean with proper care can help keep Low-E coatings (translucent, incredibly thin coatings applied to a window’s glass panes) functioning as intended? Dirt particles that build up on your windows may lower your home’s heating efficiency, so the dirtier your windows are, the less sunlight is able to penetrate and warm your home.
2. They Let Light In
It sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But it might surprise you how much you underestimate the effect of light on yourself. Lighting in a room can impact your mood and productivity. A well-lit house will make you and your visitors feel relaxed, and the amount of light that enters your home depends directly on how clean the windows are. Less light will enter the room if the window glass is not clean, giving the house a gloomy, dingy appearance.
Maintaining clean windows will let the most light into your home and brighten what’s inside. So remove hard water, smoke film buildup, and dirt particles from your glass regularly.
3. Maintenance of Windows in Advance
Your windows will function effectively if you keep the sliding window tracks clear of debris and the window hinges free of grit and grime. Cleaning your windows on a regular basis also gives you a chance to take stock of anything that may have changed with your windows. This gives you the chance to spot a little issue and take care of any required repairs before they get out of hand.
The Do’s
1. Wash Your Windows In Sections
This will stop streaks brought on by soap drying before being washed away. One at a time, wash, rinse, and dry small parts of your windows.
2. Start With The Clean Areas Around Your Windows
By starting with the clean areas, you can make sure dirt stays in the areas that are mostly dirty anyway. Otherwise, you could feel like you’ve been scrubbing for hours on end without making any progress.
3. Use Non-ammoniated Cleaners Or Less Harmful Chemicals
While washing your window, this will guarantee your safety. Here are some typical green window cleaning solutions you can make use of:
- Vinegar Solution
Cleaning your windows with a vinegar solution is an excellent natural cleaning method. To make this solution, put equal amounts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Then you’re good to go, provided you have your scrubber and new wiper at hand to complete the job.
- Solution Of Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a natural acid that may be used to clean windows of dirt and grime. Simply add one tablespoon of the juice to one liter of warm water to prepare it.
- Solution Of Baking Soda
This is a multipurpose cleaning product that will give you a clean and sparkling window. And it is safe for the glass. Mix 2 teaspoons of baking soda with 1 gallon of warm water to make this.
These solutions are great for streak-free windows. We recommend them if you don’t have the bucks for some Windex.
4. Use A Microfiber Cloth
The towels won’t harbor bacteria because they don’t absorb much fluid. Microfiber will use 95% less water and chemicals than normal clothes. Cleaning jobs greatly benefit from the use of this microfiber. And they are strong compared to other materials and can survive numerous washings.
The Don’ts
1. Don’t Use Tap Water
You shouldn’t clean your windows with regular tap water since it will be difficult to get the perfect finish you want. Tap water includes minerals like mercury, lead, copper, chromium, cadmium, and aluminum, as well as dissolved solid particles. These particles will always leave their traces behind when what you really want is clear glass. In some cases, a water spot (a white chalky deposit on your glass surface) will form after the water dries. Therefore, when cleaning windows, it is advisable to use distilled water.
2. Don’t Clean Glass On Hot, Sunny Days
Isn’t it a great idea to say, “Ah, the sun is bright; let’s get to washing the glasses so they will dry quickly?” No, that’s a bad idea. The rate of evaporation is a significant issue here. On a warm, sunny day when you’re cleaning your windows, the liquid portion of the solution is quick to evaporate and causes streaks and exhaustion.
Don’t clean the windows when there’s direct sunlight on the surface of the glass. Even if you do succeed in washing the glass, you can still end up with a streaky window if you don’t completely remove the liquid. Hence a squeegee.
3. Don’t Use Paper Towels
Paper towels are great for wiping up wet accidents, but they are terrible for cleaning glass. They leave a layer of lint and fuzz on your otherwise clean windows because they are formed of small paper fibers. You don’t want to spend time washing your windows only to end up with a lint-covered mess anyway.
4. Abrasives Are a No-No
You may be faced with some stubborn dirt and be tempted to scrub it something stronger. Resist it! This will leave you with scratches on your window screens. Instead, employ professionals to do the job.
Contact A Professional
With our window cleaning service, you’ll never want to close the blinds or curtains again! We are Arizona Window Washers.
We are professionals in window washing services for office buildings, commercial properties, shopping plazas, and retail stores.
Our prices are 5% less than what you’ll get somewhere else in Arizona. We also offer free quotes for your apartment. Contact us immediately and enjoy the opportunity for a professional quote.
