Shop Talk

Washing Windows, What a Pane?

  Oh No! Is it time for washing windows again? Yes, that time is here, you have been looking through your windows all winter and watching them get dirtier and dirtier with each passing month. I don’t believe there is a person out there that doesn’t enjoy looking through a nice clean window, so why is washing windows one of the most disliked chores of owning a home? I remember one fine day, with a bottle of my favorite window cleaner in one hand and a roll of paper towels in the other I set out to clean the outside of my windows. Now after a couple of hours of spraying and wiping each of our windows, I was satisfied with the job I had completed so I patted myself on the back and went inside to relax after working so hard. Then it happened! I bet you can guess how the rest of the story goes. The sun began to set and the streaks and smears started appearing on the windows and I wanted to scream!  I realized right there that I had thrown two hours of work right out the window.

What Is The Solution To Washing Windows?

  That was the last time I washed my windows using a spray bottle of window cleaner and paper towels. I learned that all that rubbing with towels is not a good idea because all I was doing was moving the dirt around on the window and also rubbing the window puts a static charge on the glass, which attracts more dust and dirt to it. The best way to wash windows with streak free results is with a squeegee.

 Here Is What You Need To See Your Windows Sparkle!

  There are only a few supplies you will need for streak free windows and they are:

• Bucket
• Sponge or strip applicator
• Plastic scraper
• Good quality squeegee
• Some dishwashing soap and a few lint-free rags

 That is all you need and the most expensive investment will be with the squeegee where you can expect to pay between $10.00 to $20.00 depending on the size you need(I own three different sizes). You can buy window washing solution at your local home center and I found that dishwashing soap such as Dawn works great. The key is to add just a small amount of soap to the bucket of lukewarm water because the fewer suds, the better.

  Here Are The Steps To Washing Your Windows

1.   The first thing I do is clean the cobwebs and loose dirt off from around the windows. A broom works great for this.
2.   Get your sponge or strip applicator wet,  squeeze out the excess soap solution and wash the window in a circular motion. You can use the plastic scraper to remove the difficult spots such as bird droppings.
3.    I take a dry and clean lint-free rag and wipe a 1″ strip along the top of the window and then down the left side. This gives me a dry edge to work from.
4.   I take my squeegee and  I wipe the edge to make sure it is dry and then starting in the top left corner I wipe horizontally to the right. I wipe the squeegee dry after every pass to ensure streak free results. As I work my way down I am sure to overlap my lines, again to prevent streaks, and when I get to the bottom I wipe the bottom edge of the window dry using a rag. You can use your squeegee with a vertical motion as well, just be sure to to hold the squeegee at a slight angle as you bring it down.

  If you watch professional window washers you will notice thet are very fast with their squeegees and they drag them across the windows in a “S” pattern. This technique takes much experience and the method I have provided will give you excellent results with little effort.

Slawek Polinski, Home Sense

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Slawek Home Improvement Home Maintenance, washing windows