The festive season is upon us, and you must be gearing up for the celebrations. It’s an exciting time, and you obviously want your home to be at its beautiful best, and impress friends and family. This is the occasion that you want to deep clean your home and want everything to shine and sparkle. Your windows are an important element of your home, and clean glass windows raise the aesthetic appeal significantly.
Sparkling clean windows do a lot more than make your home look beautiful. They can help improve indoor air quality, promoting better health for your family and visitors. Here’s how: glass windows can accumulate dirt, grime, dust, dander, and other pollutants over time if not cleaned properly. These air pollutants may float around inside your home and you may end up inhaling them. Accumulated grime can cause the growth of disease-causing bacteria, a further health hazard. Cleaning your windows regularly will keep them looking bright and beautiful, extending their life.
Let’s take a look at how to get your windows looking like new. You need to do a little prep in advance so that you don’t have to pause your work.
You will need squeegees, microfiber cloth, a soft brush, a blower, spray bottle, and newspaper. Paper towels are best avoided as they tend to leave lint on the glass. A soft cloth like microfiber material is preferred as it won’t scratch the surface. Similarly, squeegees can help you to clean windows without streaks. You can also keep cotton swabs handy to get into tiny crevices like the window tracks. Finally, make sure you have a pair of rubber gloves to wear so that you don’t get your hands too dirty. If you can get one, robotic window cleaners are also available to do the job today.
All you need is water, mild soap that doesn’t foam too much, and maybe a little vinegar for those stubborn stains. Now we recommend that you use filtered or RO purified water to clean your windows, as tap water could contain mineral sediments, which can leave streaks on the glass. Adding a couple of drops of mild liquid detergent to purified water is a great streak-free window cleaner that you can make at home.
First, organize your cleaning materials and equipment so that they are easy to reach. Next, prep your windows. If you see any stubborn buildup of dirt, dust it off with a soft brush, or use a blower or vacuum cleaner to dislodge it and wipe down frames and handles with a soft cloth. This will ensure that you don’t drag the grime all over the glass.
Scan your window to spot any tough stains or grime. Apply a cleaning solution of warm purified or distilled water and vinegar, the best glass cleaner streak-free, and let it sit for a couple of minutes, and then wipe it off.
Start with the edges and corners, as they tend to accumulate more grime. Spray your cleaning solution of warm soapy water from top to bottom. Wipe in zigzag motions instead of circular, vertical, or horizontal lines. This will let you cover the glass evenly and also not leave any streaks. The solution gets properly distributed, and you will have better control over the cleaning. You will actually clean much better, rather than push the grime from one part of the glass to the other. This is one of the most important streak-free glass tips you need to follow.
Squeegees are perfect for the main area of the glass window; microfiber towels work wonders with corners and frames, while brushes are ideal for the tracks, especially if you have sliding windows.
In the end, buff off your windows with a very soft cloth. If you don’t have a microfiber towel, an old T-shirt made of hosiery material will also suffice.
Glass windows are your windows to the outside world. Saint-Gobain has a wide range of glass that not only gives an aesthetic appearance to your windows but is energy-efficient too. Whether you want casement, fixed, or sliding windows in your home, Saint-Gobain glass can be customized as per your requirements.
Understanding the type of glass you have for your windows is a big step towards knowing how to care for, and keep it clean. Choose from clear, frosted, tinted, and a host of other glass types that can align with the aesthetics of your home. No matter the type, we hope these glass window cleaning tips help you to ensure that your windows stay sparkling and clean always.
What is the best time of day to clean windows?
Ideally, you should clean your windows in the early mornings,evenings or on a cloudy day, when the sun is not up and shining brightly. When there is bright sunlight, the water and/or cleaning solution will evaporate quickly, and you may not be able to do a thorough cleaning.
Are robotic window cleaners worth the investment?
If you have large windows or those that are hard to reach, robotic window cleaners can be a good option. They can be expensive, so do check your budget before making a purchase decision.
What should I use to clean windows?
Purified or distilled warm water, mild soap that doesn't foam much, and vinegar are sufficient. It’s best to avoid commercial glass cleaners, as they often contain harsh chemicals that are not good for you or the environment.
How frequently should I clean my windows?
We recommend that you clean your windows at least once in three months. But it really depends on where you live. If there is a lot of pollution and/or rain, and your windows get dirty quickly, consider cleaning every month to keep them sparkly and shining.
