Professionally Cleaning A Window (Part II)

Window Assessment And Preparation

Window prep recap found?here .

This article intends to instruct you to clean windows on the main level only. This means that your feet are touching the ground while you are cleaning the window. If you need a step ladder to clean the main level window, you use it at your own risk. If your storm windows are painted shut, you will be able to clean only the very inside and outside of your windows.?Do not attempt to open windows painted shut. Injury may result. Damage to the window may also result.?This article assumes you are cleaning relatively newer windows and you are aware of the possible dangers with window cleaning (broken glass; broken frames; etc.). You assume all risks and liabilities.

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Cleaning Procedure For Window Cleaning

We begin by going outside with a relatively damp cloth and walk around the house, cleaning the window frames of cobwebs, dust, dead bugs, and dirty spots. The damp cloth has very little soap. Keep a small tub handy with water to wet the cloth as needed. Wipe the side frames, the top, and last the bottom frame. It doesn’t matter at this point whether your cloth touches the window.

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Window Dry Cleaning – Vacuuming

Stepping back inside, get a portable or easy-to-use vacuum cleaner ready. Use an extension cord for short cleaner cords. It is easier to plug in the same room you are working in, unplug and move to the next room. You’ll be vacuuming all window frames.

Picture: it’s only a matter of taking the suction hose around the frame to collect mostly cobwebs and dead spiders.

Crank-outs (Pella windows): start the suction hose at the top and go down one side of the frame, then repeat again going down the other side of the frame. You’ll do this again to the actual window, starting at the top where the rubber seal is. Start in the middle and work your way down one side. Repeat again with the other side. There is also a little hide-away for bugs on?the bottom frame . Be sure to stick your toothbrush in there (not your fingers!) to bring out any unwanted insect residents.

Double Hung (Storm windows), Sliders: start the suction hose around the frame of the window to collect mostly cobwebs and dead spiders. Open the window and vacuum where the two window panes meet. The underside of the top window usually has a collection of dead bugs the first time you vacuum. The last area is the ledge where the bottom window rests. Here is where you may use the toothbrush to loosen up any caked dirt that compacted over a period of time. The vertical side tracks on the double-hung windows will also need suction. Take your time to do this. Dirt is much easier to remove when it is already dry.

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Damp Cloth Wiping Around Window

Picture: Since this window doesn’t open, you may skip this step. Unless, of course, there is fly “stuff” all over your frames, then you may have to scrub it off with a damp cloth and some elbow grease.

Crank-outs (Pella windows): Following the format of the vacuuming, wipe in the same direction, making sure you get the framing of the window itself. When you come to the ledge, it will be difficult to get past the crank-out mechanism. Do the best you can with what you have.

Double Hung (Storm windows), Sliders: Follow the same format as the vacuuming. Most of the work should already be done and you’re just wiping the areas clean. Pay close attention to where the two windows meet on double-hung windows for extra dead bugs. If at all possible,?pull back ?or out the moving window to get in between the two. (Note: Only do this if you know how to reinstall the window. Otherwise,?skip the detail.) This is usually the place where the top window connects with the bottom window locks.

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Outside Windows First

Taking your supplies with you, whether in a box, tote, or bag (a backpack is most efficient for all the different towels and small additives), you may start with the windows on the south side. These windows get sun all day and the heat has a negative effect on cleaning the windows. You can still clean them, they’ll just take longer to do. Your objective is to clean the outside windows first. It’s much easier to clean the inside window pane second.

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Washing

Soak a washcloth with soapy water and squeeze only some water from the cloth. Quickly from top to bottom, then side to side, and wet your window until it is completely wet. There may be small suds. If you have a squeegee, you’re very blessed.

With a squeegee: Take your shop towel and from one top corner of the window, dry a line as close as possible to the frame across the top and down one side. Line the squeegee up to the dried corner and press evenly as you bring it down along the glass. Wipe the squeegee dry and place it so that it overlays only a small portion of the dry window. Repeat the sequence. Continue until the entire window is dried.

Without a squeegee: With another cloth, rinse the window with plain water. Then, take your shop towel and wipe a dry line all the way around the window, creating the same shape as your window, as close to the frame as possible. Gently wipe the window in a top-to-bottom fashion with a terry-cloth towel. Your aim is to bring the extra water downwards.

If you have tiny paint splats on your window: Before cleaning, completely saturate your window with soapy water. The window must be completely wet, dripping wet. Take a sturdy razor blade and slowly work from bottom-up or side-to-side with the flat edge ALWAYS against the window, move the blade in a?one-way?motion ONLY to remove the paint. Glass is easily damaged otherwise. Once you are satisfied, wash the window again, following one of the above procedures.

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Drying

With a clean part of the terry-cloth towel, press firmly against the glass and frame, and starting at the bottom, dry up one side, across the top, down the other side, and across the bottom. Repeat again with a dry shop towel.

Without a squeegee: Take a shop towel to wipe dry the main part of the window. Be careful of smearing by always turning the cloth to a dry part to continue wiping. This will take longer, but work at it slower than usual, paying attention to any smears or drying droplets. These leave white marks on the window.

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Detailing

We will use?Mr. Clean Magic Eraser ??(or a comparable) to detail. It must remain completely dry to work to our advantage. Literally, you look for imperfections in the window, missed fly “spots”, watermarks, smears, etc. Rub the eraser back and forth specifically in that area to “erase” the markings.

To ensure you have covered the window area, look at it from different angles, from the sides, from the bottom up. You will be able to spot smears or watermarks easier that way. Check the perimeter for any watermarks left behind.

When you are satisfied, take a clean dry shop towel and carefully wipe around the edges of the window and lastly the ledge.

Having another person around to point out the flaws is especially helpful. It saves time of having to go in and out of the house, or around the window to fix the flaw. Stand outside and have your team member (inside the house) point out every imperfection they see. Some will be actual glass imperfections, but most are flaws we overlook. Have them give you a signal when they don’t find anymore. (Thumbs up is always encouraging.) Then have them work on the inside while you point out the flaws you see. Give a thumbs up when you don’t find anymore.

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Inside Windows

You may follow two options for indoor windows.

Option #1: Wash the inside window like the outside window, being careful of the water splattering.

Option #2: Use glass cleaner and a paper towel. Have 3 sets of paper towels handy. Use the first set (2-3 sheets) as your "washing" cloth. Scrub the window and move in circular motions; also clean the perimeter by pressing your fingers with the towel against the frame as you follow the borders. The 2nd set of paper towels "sop" up the soapy mess, while the 3rd set acts as the dry buffing agent. Look mainly for smears left by the other towels.

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Storm Windows & Doors

Storm windows follow the same protocol as outside/inside windows. The tricky part is handling the window without touching the glass. You can hold the storm window up to the natural outdoor light and tilt it to check your work.

Screen/storm doors also apply here. You might work in the garage to clean or out on the grass. Just be sure to tilt the window in different directions to check your work.

Front doors with small windows are cleaned with only towels. Quickly work in the shape of the window to dry it with a terry-cloth towel. Repeat the process with a shop towel.

Sliding doors are treated like picture windows, but when it comes to vacuuming and cleaning the tracks and frames, treat them like slider windows. Make sure you clean the bottom tracks well. They receive the most traffic and dirt.

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The Finale

Put everything back in its place. Enjoy your work. It’s a job well done. There is nothing more rewarding than a clean window you did yourself.

Job well done!

What About The Next Time?

Depending on your preference for cleaning, you can repeat the window washing protocol (at a much faster speed and efficiency) or you can resort to paper towels and window cleaner. Follow Option #2 for outside and inside windows.