Manufacturer of Janitorial Supplies
Ideally, windows should be washed twice a year, but it's a task most people don't look forward to. Part of what makes DIY window cleaning such a chore is that homeowners insist on doing it with wadded-up paper towels or newspaper, spray cleaner, and a ton of elbow grease.
"All that rubbing isn't a good idea," says Brent Weingard, owner of Expert Window Cleaners in New York City. "You're just moving dirt around from one spot to another and putting a static charge on the glass, which attracts dust and dirt. As soon as you finish, the window looks dirty again."
As Weingard demonstrates, it's easier and more effective to clean windows like the pros do: with a squeegee and a few other readily available tools. The techniques aren't complicated, he says, and the results may surprise you.
"I don't know of anything that can transform living spaces so well. You don't know what you're missing until you do the windows," says Weingard. Here are two 3-step methods for how to get streak free windows at home; one for picture windows and another for multipane windows. Got stubborn spots? Step 7 will help you with those.
Picture windows call for large tools. The long cloth head of a strip applicator soaks up a lot of soapy water and knocks dirt loose without scratching the glass. For a cleaning solution, Weingard uses
just a squirt of dishwashing liquid in a bucket of warm water—the less suds, the better.
Starting at the top left, pull the squeegee over the soapy pane in a reverse-S pattern (left-handers would start at the top right). At the end of each stroke, wipe the squeegee's blade clean with a lint-free rag. Cloth diapers or old linen napkins are perfect for this task.
Remove any water remaining on the edges of the glass with a damp, wrung-dry chamois, which soaks up wetness without leaving streaks. Dry the windowsill with a rag.
To clean a divided-light window, you need a squeegee that fits the panes. Weingard uses a hacksaw to cut one to size. He trims the metal channel ¼ inch narrower than the window pane, then files the cut edges smooth. With a utility knife, he cuts the rubber blade to the pane's full width and fits it into the channel so that it projects 1/8 inch at each end.
(Multipane)
A handheld sponge or hog-bristle brush works best on multipane windows. Weingard prefers natural sponges. "They're firmer and more absorbent than synthetics," he says. Using the same solution of a
squirt of liquid soap in water, he rubs each pane from left to right, top to bottom, working the sponge edges or brush bristles into the corners to loosen dirt.
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