Any time the HouseLINE Cleaning & Home Services team cleans windows, the homeowners tell us, “Oh wow it’s so much brighter in here! I didn’t even realize how dirty those windows were.” It’s easy to get used to the dust and spots and buildup on windows not notice as they get worse and worse. Especially as the seasons change in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls area. Cleaning windows can be a big job, so here are our expert tips to make the process more manageable.
Avoid Doing them All At Once: Unless you’re a window-cleaning pro, the idea of cleaning every window in your house at one time is daunting! Set realistic expectations for yourself and recognize that it’s a tall order to do the whole house, interior and exterior, in one day. Our suggestion? Start with the one above the sink, any in your main living and dining spaces, and your sliding doors. Any time you’re at the sink, sitting down to eat or spend time with your family, or entering and exiting the home, you’ll get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Understand how your windows work: Are they picture windows? Casement? Double Hung? Take a few moments to learn how to open and access all parts of your window. If you know the manufacturer, search online for videos from their brand. If not, just references the window style in your searches and you’ll see all sorts of results. All the brands have some pretty common methods such as pins to keep the screens in and flipping the window “inside out” using the tracks.
Clean the Screen! Even if you can’t see the dust and dirt buildup on your window screens, I promise you its there! Remove the window screen entirely and use a small horshair brush vacuum attachment to vacuum both sides of the screen. Use the bristles in a circular motion to lift the dust from every part of the screen. Then dunk in a hot water, Tide and bleach mixture and ring it out thoroughly. Wipe along the screen, rinsing frequently as your rag gets dirty. Then turn the screen around and repeat on the other side. If your screens are really bad, you can line them up in the bathtub and use a shower attachment to spray them down. Consider putting a towel down on the tub floor to avoid scratches from the metal frames.
- Clean and Polish, inside and out: There are two steps to caring for any shiny surface: clean and polish. If the window is really dirty (especially outside) something like Windex and a paper towel may not be enough. Use your trusty all purpose cleaner with a rag and wash away all that dirt. Yes, you’ll probably leave a lot of lint behind, but that’s what the Polishing step is for. After the window is fully washed and mostly dry, use your polishing cloth with firm pressure to wipe away any streaks and lint left behind. Repeat this process on the exterior of the window as well. Before you start to reassemble things and put the screen back in, be sure to inspect the window from multiple angles, inside and out, in order to remove smudges from both sides.