Let the Sun Shine In – 6 Cleaning Tips for Windows!
Are you a window cleaning ninja? Or, do you find it just a little intimidating? After all, there seems to be a never-ending stream of sources to conspire against a crisp view out our windows: fingerprints from kiddos, nose bumps from Fido, and grime from cooking. You care a lot about the presentation of your windows, so much so that you invested in elegant Folding Arm Awnings for the exterior of your house. But does that mean you should be hiring services such as NICK’S Window Cleaning every week?
Never fear! The Cleaning Crew’s got your back. Here are 6 time-tested window-cleaning tips to get those windows sparkling and streak-free, not to mention moving you closer to Window Cleaning Ninja status!
1. Clean Those Window Sills & Tracks!
Knowing how to clean window frames and sills properly will not only keep them looking great but will also keep them in better working condition to extend the life of your windows.
Use your vacuum’s soft bristle brush to vacuum the window’s interior track. While you’re at it, you may as well vacuum the whole interior frame. Use a dry, soft bristled paint brush to sweep dirt out of any hard to reach crevices.- Dip the another paint brush into soapy water and use this to swish any stubborn dirt out of the crevices. Follow up with a quick rinse with the damp, clean rag.
- The good news: Regular dusting will help prevent dirt from collecting.
- The bad news: Windows are natural dust magnets. Eventually you will have to repeat the process.
3. Create Your Own Window Cleaner
Windows get dirty, but you don’t need to reach for chemical cleaners to return them to a sparkling shine. Here at The Cleaning Crew, we’ve been 
using natural, nontoxic ingredients for decades. For windows, we recommend the following vinegar solution!
Using a 32 oz spray bottle,
Add the following ingredients:
- 1/8 cup rubbing alcohol (70% or higher isoprophyl content)
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 3 to 10 drops of essential oil (we like mint), depending on how much fragrance you want.
Fill the rest of the way with water, shake well.
We use either all cotton rags or a microfiber cloth to wipe windows clean with this recipe.
4. When You Clean Windows Makes a Difference
The best time to wash windows is on a cloudy or overcast day. Although you might be thinking you can work on your tan, cleaning windows on a sunny day dries cleaning solution more quickly and can cause streaking.
Your best bet is to choose a cloudy day or work when the temperature isn’t above 70°F outside. However, if you’re wanting to hone your window cleaning skills, try cleaning in the direct sun, when the glass is hot and your solution is evaporating fast on glass! Treat it as a competition and you’ll to sharpen your window washing skills! You might try using the super swirl squeegee technique to dry glass immediately after you’ve finished scrubbing window and you’ll end up with a brilliant streak-free shine.
5. Mind Your Window Woodwork
Over time, excess water and cleaners can cause damage to the framed wood areas of our mirrors and windows. What to do?
- Avoid spraying too much cleaner at once. Instead spray the window in small sections working from the top down to the bottom of the glass. Try to avoid allowing the solution to pool at the bottom of the window.
- Use a spare rag or microfiber cloth to remove any excess water or solution.
6. How to Achieve Professional Streak-Free Window Cleaning Status
Want to get serious about your window cleaning? Then take a few tip from the pros.
Equipment:
- Microfiber window scrubber like this one from Amazon. You can add a pole if needed.
- Next you’ll need a squeegee.
- Or, you can grab a combo like this.
- While any 5-gallon bucket will do, a 3-gallon wide format works best. Just a few drops of Mrs. Meyers All Natural Dish Soap will make a perfect window cleaning solution.
- Lint-free microfiber cloth or lint-free cotton rags
Now, get out there and let the sun shine in!
Remember, we’re committed to helping our neighbors achieve amazing results cleaning their own homes. But, if you need the help of a professional, we’ve been providing superlative window cleaning for more than 27 years!
For the month of May we’re offering a Window Cleaning Special.
Get $25 off minimum $100 job.
~ The Cleaning Crew
PS. Have any window cleaning questions? Or, have a few window cleaning tips of your own? Leave a comment below!
I like that you mentioned that it is a good idea to clean window screens so that dust and grime don’t build upon them. There are a couple of windows on the second story of my home that has dirt that needs to removed, but I am worried that if I were to climb up a ladder I would fall off it. I could probably save myself from getting injured if I hired a professional company to come and do the cleaning for me.
I thought it was interesting that you mentioned that the best time to clean windows is on a day that is cloudy. There are a few windows on my house that are too high for me to reach and clean. I’ll probably just hire a cleaning service to clean all of the windows.
Thank you so much for these window cleaning tips. My brother-in-law’s business’s windows are looking a little rough. He’s thinking of hiring a commercial cleaner.
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Most people have misconception cleaning window is only about cleaning off the glass. But you should also clean the base from where the glass is moved and their tracks. By doing so, movement of opening and closing will easy. Also use the soft cleaning tools to avoid inflicting any kind of scratches.
Normally I do not read post on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very pressured me to check out and do it! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thank you, very great post.
You have to be sure that you do not use ammonia or ammonia included soaps because they are too strong for your tinted windows and can even destroy the tint to a certain extent with prolonged use.
Thank you for the window cleaning tips you provided. Your window streaking tip is a similar technique that we use in my business and its very effective.
Thanks for the tip to mind your wood and not spray too much solution at one time. I am worried I might ruin the paint we just put on our wood window frames, so maybe I’ll just call a professional to do it for me. They would probably have the proper tools to cover the wood, as well, which would be an added bonus. I want to keep my wood frames looking nice as long as possible.
This is some really good information about what to do to get your windows really clean. It might also be a good idea to hire a professional window cleaning service if you can’t get to your higher up windows.
My mom wants to make sure that our home is spotlessly clean because our relatives will be coming over this weekend. It was explained here that we can use soapy water and brush. Moreover, it’s advisable to hire professionals for quality window cleaning services.
Awesome steps to cleaning your own windows, super handy tool for any homeowner to use. Great job!
This is some really good information about house cleaning. It does seem like it would be smart to get a squeegee. That does seem like a good way to get rid of streaks. That does seem like a good thing to be aware of if you want to keep your windows clean.
Thanks for going over these tips for cleaning windows. I actually didn’t know that you could clean the window screen by using a solution of white vinegar and lukewarm water. You mentioned that, after you clean it, you should make sure the screen is completely dry before you put it back in, and I wonder if you should also clean it on a sunny day so that it dries faster.
I like that you mention that cleaning windows while it’s sunny can cause streaking. That’s something that I never really thought about, but it makes sense and I’ll have to keep it in mind. Though in my home, I run into the problem of not having enough time to wash my windows and some of them are really large. It can become quite a chore to take the time to clean. It may be more beneficial for me to have a professional cleaning business come in and do the job.
Good work! Thanks for sharing window cleaning tips and services.I really like your blog.Keep it up admin.
Very Interesting. Thank you for providing great insight into window cleaning.
I have never made my own cleaning solution before when cleaning windows, but I am very interested in doing that. However, I would never have thought to add both rubbing alcohol and vinegar to the mixture. Do you think that it would be okay to leave out the alcohol? I’m just curious, because I have young children who I would rather not be exposed to certain cleaning ingredients.
I love the windows in my home because of all the light they bring in. Sometimes it is hard to clean them because they are so big. I did not know that the best time to clean them would be on a cloudy day because I thought the light would help but, it is infact the opposite.