Time and again we find people exclaiming at the sight of beautiful buildings with large windows “It’s beautiful! But who is going to clean all those windows?” These people probably dread to imagine the painful task of mixing 1 gallon of water with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, thereby filling a spray bottle, squeezing the liquid off every window and wiping the glass dry with a newspaper. This is the process by which most households clean their windows.
But then comes the question, are we right? Let’s check what professionals have got to say about the same.
When to Clean
To start with there was Stephanie Lewis. According to her, “Customers can clean windows as many times as they want”. Weekly cleaning is always a good idea. A better idea is to get them thoroughly cleaned by professionals, inside out and from top to bottom, twice a year. This is one of the stuff that can fall in the household’s spring and fall cleaning list.
Will Dorn states most of his customers opt for cleaning two or three times a year. Once in spring, then after winter and then in the summer or late fall before the holidays.
Trick – Lewis suggests that cleaning must be avoided on hot, sunny days. A cloudy day, when things do not stick around can be the best time to do such cleaning.
First Things First
To start with, Dorn says, its best to get the window areas cleaned of junk stuff and any other furniture which may get in the way of cleaning. “One of the big things about cleaning windows is about cleaning windows, while protecting floors and inside of the walls”, Lewis continued, “You want to make sure there is a sheet laid down or a drop cloth in place to protect the carpet or flooring from getting wet and thereby sustaining damage.”
Easy Solutions
Once you are done prepping the area, Lewis advises ditching bottle cleansers, in a warm water solution with a little dirt soap. Then sponge the windows using a scrub, ensuring they get into the crevices and corners of the windows. Next, clear the solution away and wipe it off with a dry towel.
Lewis also advises the usage of vinegar and ammonia to the solution to get rid of grime and grease. A dry cloth or even newspaper can be used to do away with streaks after squeezing.
Trick – Lewis suggests wiping windows vertically in one direction and then horizontally on another direction. This way even if streaks appear, you will know the side they are on.
Keeping Track
Lewis and Dorn state, that window cleaning is best done using a vacuum attachment. They also recommend, getting out an old toothbrush in most cases. Toothbrushes ensure a deeper reach into crevices.
Final Words of Advice
If you are planning to hire a window-cleaning crew, make sure they are bonded, insured and have really good reviews. Dorn recommends checking how long the firm has been in business. While Lewis states, it is best to have a walk through the process, before actually diving into the job. End of the day you will want someone you can be comfortable with. Lewis also suggests determining the work hours and the number of people required, well in advance.
