Window Cleaning Tips

With the holidays just around the corner there will most likely be parties, family and friends and lots of activity in your home. The last thing you want to be worrying about is your guests trying to look through your dirty windows, it can be so embarrassing.

So you don’t have to be embarrassed, I have put together a few tips that will help you get your windows and their surrounding area clean and ready for the festivities.

Tips to make your life easier and your windows shinier:

(If you don’t have time for some of these before the holiday, these tips can help all year round)

1. Do you have blinds on your windows? It probably feels like after you have spent a lot of time cleaning your blinds that they pile up with dust almost immediately. Right after you have cleaned them, spray them with anti-static spray, there are several brands on the market. This will help keep them dust free longer.
2. No matter how hard you try, do you still leave streaks on your windows after you wash them? There are a few things you can try to help avoid the dreaded streak: Avoid washing your windows when the sun is shining directly on them. The sunlight will cause them to dry too quickly which is a major cause of streaking. When choosing your squeegee, choose one with a soft rubber edge. Then when you are ready to remove the water from your window, dry a small area at the top of the window and start your squeegee there. Believe it or not, starting on dry glass will help avoid streaking.
3. Cigarette smoke can be more difficult to remove from your windows. The film left by nicotine is more easily removed by using an ammonia solution of 1 cup ammonia and about 2 1/2 gallons of water. I would suggest you use a scented ammonia so the odor is not harsh.
4. Do you have mold or mildew around your window frames? Make a solution of 1 quart water, 2 oz. of bleach and 1 oz. of liquid laundry detergent. Be sure you’re wearing rubber gloves, and apply the solution to your window frames. Allow it to sit about 10 minutes before thoroughly rinsing. It’s important to note that if you have metal window frames, it’s easier to remove the mold, but if your frames are wooden, mold and mildew will attach itself into the wood and begin destroying it, so it’s important not too let that situation go on too long.
5. Outdoor window sills, we all have them, and because they are constantly exposed to the weather, they are also constantly dirty. Try applying a coat of clear floor wax to not only protect them, but help repel the dirt.
6. Does it seem that the inside of your windows get coated with a film way too soon after cleaning them? It could be that your furnace filters need to be replaced…if they’re clogged and dirty, they aren’t able to do what they are supposed to do, which is to collect the dirt and film that is accumulating on your windows.
7. Want your windows to sparkle? Try using this solution: Combine and whisk together…(don’t panic if your windows appear to have a chalky look to them, just a little more buffing will reveal the sparkle.)
   1. juice from 1/2 a lemon
   2. 1 cup water
   3. 1/2 cup white vinegar
   4. 1 Tablespoon of  cornstarch

If you need your windows cleaned for the holidays and just don’t have the time to do them yourself (or you would rather not do them yourself)…Contact me for a Complimentary Quote, I know how to make your windows shine!