Windows are meant to allow light in the room, for ventilation, and give us a view outside. Like the other parts of the house, windows and doors need to be taken care of by cleaning them regularly. It will be of no use to have a beautiful view outside, but all you see is water spots, dirt, and stains when you look through the window.
Cleaning windows sounds like an easy task, but many people struggle to leave a streak-free finish after cleaning. If you have been wondering how your neighbor’s windows and doors always look sparkling clean, here are some tips to guide you.
- Clean The Windows On A Cloudy Day
Many people do not know that cleaning windows and doors in cloudy weather is a trick. Most of them think that cleaning them on a sunny day works better because they will dry faster. However, when you wash them on a sunny day, the cleaning solution will dry faster on the window, giving you a hard time repeating the process. If you clean them on a cloudy day, the sun is not too hot to dry the cleaning solution quickly. You will have enough time to wash and rinse your windows.
- Vacuum All The Spider Webs And Dust
Before wiping the windows with a wet cloth, vacuum the dust and remove all the spider webs. When you start washing with a dump immediately, you will have a hard time wiping off the mud formed by water and dust, and this might not leave your windows clean. Always go in with a dry rug before pouring water on the dirty windows.
- Use Distilled Water To Dilute Glass Cleaner
Using hard water might add unwanted minerals, and these are deposited into your glass when cleaning. That is why you find that most glass doors and windows are left with streaks after cleaning. Using distilled water ensures you will not have any minerals left behind.
- Use Vinegar
Using vinegar to clean your windows and doors always leaves you with a perfect result—mix a 50/50 ratio of vinegar and water. You can put it in a bucket and use a clean cloth to dip and wipe. You can alternatively use a spray bottle to spray and wipe. If you are unsure about the fumes, avoid using vinegar for inner windows and use only on the windows outside. If the smell of vinegar is not friendly to you, add some drops of essential oils.
- Use Ammonia
Ammonia has a very strong smell, so you have to leave the windows open afterward. Add a few tablespoons of ammonia to a bucket of warm water. A mixture of ammonia and vinegar also gives more cleaning power.
- Be Careful With The Amount Of Soap
When your doors and windows look too dirty, you might be tempted to use a lot of soap on them. It is not the amount of soap used that cleans the windows best, so be easy with the amount you add. A lot of soap will be hard to wash away, and it will also have a thicker mixture that leaves residue behind. Add a tiny amount of liquid cleaner to water, and you will be good to go.
- Use A Strip Applicator
Commercial cleaners mostly use a strip applicator to put the detergent on the windows. This cleans water spots, dirt, and grime perfectly and removes any other messes. You need a soft brush or a piece of cloth to scrub the stubborn spots.
- Avoid Using Paper Towels
Although they are widely preferred, cheap, and do the job perfectly, paper towels are why you have lint streaks across your window panes. You can buy a microfiber cloth or use a newspaper to dry your windows. This leaves no streak behind.
- Wash One Pane At A Time
You are probably in a hurry to get the job done, but if you want perfect results, clean one pane at a time. Spraying many of them at once will make the cleaner dry on the glass, and you will have to go back many times.
- Buff The Dry Glass
Sometimes you won’t make it to prevent streaks from building on the windows. If you notice this, use a microfiber cloth to buff it out.