Keeping your windows clean all year round might seem like a daunting task. That’s why many people say you should wash your windows only twice a year. But you know well that dust and grime can diminish the appearance of your home and may leave the impression of negligence. For that reason, we’ve collected some useful tips from the most experienced window cleaners on how to maintain your windows in every season.
How to Clean Dirty Windows During the Warm Seasons
Let’s start with something familiar like cleaning the glass panes during spring, summer and autumn. Here’s a list of all the tools and supplies you should have and the steps you need to follow:
What Supplies You Will Need
- Old brush, soft broom/cloth or vacuum cleaner;
- Scraper or scrubbing sponge;
- Plastic drop cloth or used/old large towels;
- Wash Bucket;
- Stepladder;
- Sponge ;
- Squeegee;
- Telescopic Pole (for high and out of reach windows);
- Window cleaning detergent or homemade window cleaning solution;
- Microfibre Cleaning Cloth;
- Soft cotton towel.
Extra tip!
How to Prepare for Window Cleaning
- Clear the areas around all interior and exterior windows. This can take some time, but as the saying goes “well prepared is half done”. Removing any obstacles that might be in your way will also decrease the risk of accidentally stumbling and falling. Also, pay attention to the maintenance of your home’s exterior as well. For example, if the painting or the plaster are peeling off the wall your window cleaning efforts might go in vain.
- Dust the Blinds. Start the process by removing your blinds and wiping off the accumulated dust with a microfiber cleaning cloth. To protect them and to prevent dust from gathering too quickly, spray them with an anti-static spray. If you have curtains in the rooms, remove them to be washed later. It will freshen their look and it will greatly contribute to the spruce up of your home.
- Clean the Screens. Their main purpose is to prevent bugs and unwanted dirt from entering. But over time, the screens gather dust which taints the panes even more and becomes an eyesore. You should remove and scrub them with a non-abrasive brush and rinse with a hose. If you don’t have a garden or an outside space where you can wash them, do it in your bathroom using the showerhead.
And if that’s not enough here’s some additional remarks for each warm season that will help you maintain clean windows:
Washing Windows During the Spring
The best time to clean dirty windows is during the spring when they are at their nastiest condition after the bitter winter period.
The recipe for great looking and shining windows includes a cloudy day. Why’s that? If you choose a sunny one, the sunlight’s accumulated heat on the windows poses a risk for the cleaning solution to dry out too fast. Meaning, the dirty streaks will remain and you have to do it all over.
Given the fact that spring is your perfect timing, should you disregard cleaning windows during the rest of the year? Let’s check some seasonal characteristics.
Washing Windows During Summertime
Summer is the ideal time to rid your windows of the spring pollen and muddy rainfall streaks. The only inconvenience is that the sun is high in the sky and shines straight into the windows. This will hide the dirt or any imperfections which have to be washed away. Also, the sun heating the glass will be more problematic, as the weather will be warmer in the morning and the cloudy days will be less. Therefore, watch the forecast for an overcast day if you do need to clean the windows during summertime.
That being said, sunshine is far from bad for your windows. The warm weather allows you to leave them wide open during the day and they will dry faster. This is also a great opportunity to let fresh air into the rooms.
Washing Windows During The Autumn
Autumn usually comes with rainfall.
Nevertheless, in big, populated and polluted areas the rain is not necessarily purifying because it brings down impurities and particles present in the atmosphere.
In case you notice your windows look dirty after a rainfall, most of the time the reason is that they were already dirty, and the water has just smeared all the adhered dust on the glass surface.
Despite that, the mild weather during autumn allows for the windows to dry without streaks. It isn’t too hot for the cleaning solution to dry up fast and leave behind some unwanted smears. Moreover, the temperature outside won’t be that cold for your hands to freeze during the cleaning process.
How to Wash Windows in the Winter
Winter is a tough season to maintain clean windows. In case you've put them on your winter cleaning checklist, remember to use the right products, tools, and methods to preserve the quality of the glass and avoid cracks or other types of damage.
The cleaning process is very similar to the window washing during the warm seasons. The only significant difference you must take into consideration is the low temperatures outside and how the cold glass will resonate with the cleaning solution.
Refer to some of the pro tips below:
- Use antifreeze (windshield washer fluid) with the window cleaning solution. When you’re preparing a homemade window cleaner, use a spray bottle instead of a bucket and fill it with 2 parts antifreeze and 1 part water. If you use a ready-made cleaning solution, just add a little antifreeze to the solution and mix it well.
- Use cold water. Using hot water on cold windows is a bad idea. The drastic change in temperature will cause the glass to shatter which is an issue you want to avoid. However, if the windows are frozen and you want to melt the ice before cleaning them, you can spray some lukewarm water on them.
- Caution when using a ladder. If you need to use a ladder to reach higher windows, make sure it is not standing on a sheet of ice. It’ll be best if a friend or a family member can help you with this job and support you while you’re on the ladder.
- Use proper winter gear. Wear waterproof gloves to protect your hands from the cold weather and water. Also, another tip is to wear winter boots with good grips while climbing the ladder.
In the end, cleaning windows all year round is not an impossible task when you know the right way to do it.
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