I'm incredibly house proud but if there’s one job I always leave to the last it’s window cleaning. I’d be more than happy to hoover, mop and dust every day of the week if it meant that I didn’t have to get up a ladder on my weekend and squeegee my windows, but it’s just one of those jobs that have to be done.
One of the main reasons I dislike cleaning my windows is because I constantly have to go over them due to all the streaks I don’t notice until I take a step back! Quite frustrating as for some reason I can always see it most obviously on double glazing windows. In my opinion, if you’re going to do a job you may as well do it right though, so after much research and bending my mum’s ear off on the phone last weekend, I’ve come up with some hints and tips for cleaning windows without leaving streaks and watermarks:
Buy the Right Supplies
I’m somewhat of a bargain hunter in every sense of the word, so I’m loath to spend more than I have to on anything. When it comes to cleaning products you really shouldn’t go for the cheapest ones available though, since they’ll rarely offer you good value for money in terms of effectiveness. Buy some good-quality window cleaner, and, if you’re determined to get the good stuff, do some research online first.
Next, get yourself a squeegee. I didn’t think I needed one, but they definitely reduce the streak-count if you use one. If you’ve got big windows consider buying one with a long handle so you don’t have to reach into the corners when you’re up a ladder. Getting one with a built-in sponge will also help – you can use it to properly scrub the window clean.
You’ll also need to buy a microfiber cloth or a lint-free towel, so you can give everything a final polish without leaving any remnants on the window. Finally, get yourself a good sized bucket.
Use the Right Technique
Really, this is the most important part – it doesn’t matter how good your window cleaning equipment is if you aren’t washing your windows properly in the first place. The first thing to remember is that you shouldn’t clean windows in direct sunlight; otherwise your cleaning solution will dry before you get a chance to squeegee it off. Instead, do it when there’s cloud cover.
One of my biggest issues with window cleaning is that I can never tell which side of the window pane the streaks are on. To stop this confusion, clean one side of the glass with horizontal strokes and the other with vertical.
When you’re ready to start squeegeeing your windows make sure you put pressure behind your strokes – this is one of the main causes for streaks. Also, wipe excess water from the squeegee on every other stroke.
To avoid watermarks around the edges of the window, wipe the entire pane clean with your cloth or towel after squeegeeing. Never leave water drops on the window, otherwise they’ll cause marks and you’ll just have to start all over again!
Comment on this article or submit your tip to CreativeHomemaking.com.
Click here for a printer friendly version of this page.
Follow me on
Pinterest.
Receive new article links via
Twitter!
Follow Creative Homemaking on
Facebook!
Recommend this article to a friend!
Search our article archives.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
