Walk into any room of your home and there’s one thing they all have in common; windows. If the second thing they have in common is that they’re all dirty, you’ve got some cleaning to do. What good is all that home cleaning you’ve done if your windows are left stained and dusty?
Though often ignored, windows are the part of our homes that is most prone to filth and germs because it comes in direct contact with the outdoors. That’s probably one reason why we neglect them when cleaning because we feel like the dirt is on the outside. But take a closer look; you’ll find dust, finger prints and stains on the inside panes as well.
Just imagine how ugly and unpleasant it looks to visitors or passersby from the outside. No, dirty windows are not the way to keep peeping toms from looking in; we have blinds and curtains for that.
It may seem like a handful task to clean your windows but it’s a lot easier than most people think. It does require a little more cleaning time than other areas of your home but it’s a necessity. Here’s a guide for window cleaning made easy and 100% thorough.
Things you’ll need:
- Bucket
- Squeegee (with removal blades is advised)
- Sponge
- Chamois cloth (microfibre cloth is a secondary option)
- Window cleaning solution
- Dusting rags
Now we begin the cleaning:
- Use a clean, dry dusting rag to wipe your windows from top to bottom, inside and outside. Don’t leave out the edges and corners of the window frame, or the window sill either. This is where dust generally collects and gets transferred into our homes with a strong gust of wind. If you skip to the next step without wiping away the dust, the dirt will just get smeared all over the panes and make it harder to clean.
- The cleaning solution should be made in accordance to the stubbornness of the stains on your windows. For dried up stains like insect droppings and mud splashes, make the solution stronger. For regular cleaning, 3 tablespoons in half a bucket of lukewarm water will do the trick. Room temperature water can also be used; however, warm water is advised to remove hard stains. Dip the sponge in the solution (squeeze out some of the excess water) and start washing the window panes. Don’t worry about scrubbing away stains; that’s the squeegee’s job. The sponge wash is just needed to wipe off dirt on the surface and to get the windows wet and soapy for the next step.
- Manoeuvre the squeegee around the windows in an S-pattern to clean. For small window panes, vertical or horizontal motions work just find and are required to clean corners. Wet the window with the sponge again and repeat the process if stubborn stains don’t come out in the first go. Use a clean rag to wipe the squeegee blades clean every now and then to avoid the spreading of dirt. The reason why we advise a squeegee with changeable blades is because a few nicks or roundness of the blade (after many uses) will not clean as efficiently as a new blade.
- Dip the chamois cloth or microfibre cloth in the cleaning solution (or plain water if the solution is too dirty) and wring it out properly so that it is merely damp. Then begin wiping the window panes dry, not leaving out corners. Finally, wipe between the window sills to dry up any water that may have collected there using the dusting rag.
Tips to complete our thorough windows cleaning guide:
- Pick a cloudy day or early evenings to clean your windows. It will be bright enough to see through the glass, but not hot enough for the sun to constantly dry up your windows while cleaning.
- To avoid streaks or cloudiness on the glass, go over the same spot at least twice.
- You can use homemade cleaning solutions for windows by adding 3 tablespoons of vinegar to half a bucket of lukewarm water.
- For very greasy windows, take 2 tablespoons of household ammonia mixed with one gallon of water and sponge-wash the windows before wiping them off with a vinegar and water solution.
- Newspaper makes for a great window pane buffer. Simply crumple up some old newspaper and buff the just cleaned, dry windows. The ink from the paper is what helps to make the glass shinier.
For an exceptional household cleaning, call the most trusted family cleaning service, Simply Maid.We’ll have your home looking sparkling clean in no time! If you are looking for a cleaning service in Madison, be sure to check out our friends at Eco Clean Madison.
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