How to clean windows streak-free: step by step instructions

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

With Lifehacker's advice, it is easier to achieve a brilliant result than it seems.

Find the right time

It is best to do this when direct sunlight is not falling on the glass, but at the same time it is light enough outside. It will be early morning, time before sunset, cloudy day. Otherwise, due to the sun, the cleaning solutions will dry out faster than you can wipe them, and it will not work to wash the windows without streaks on the glass.

It is also worth checking the weather forecast and postponing washing if it rains. Or, in this case, limit yourself to wiping the windows from the inside.

Prepare your inventory

If you decide to get by with the classic set, you will need:

• a sponge for wiping the frame and window sills;
• reusable napkins or rags to clean the glass;
• a microfiber cloth to polish the glass for a streak-free shine;
• bucket or other container for soapy water.

And if you want to speed up the process or make it more technological, additional tools will come to the rescue:

• Rubber scraper. This thin rubber strip on the plastic handle serves to remove excess cleaning agent.
• Brush with telescopic handle. Most often, on one side it has a regular sponge, and on the other, it is wrapped in microfiber. This brush comes in handy when you need to clean a very large window or the outside of the glass that you can't reach. If you don't have a special window brush, you can use a floor mop.
• Magnetic brush. It consists of two halves, which are placed on the outer and inner sides of the glass and "hold" to each other thanks to magnets. Thus, the brush on the outside repeats all the movements that you do from the inside, and the window becomes clean on both sides. Perfect cleanliness on the outside with this device cannot be achieved, but you can simplify your task a little.
• Automatic wiper. It sprinkles the cleaning agent on its own and sucks up the remaining liquid along with dirt and dust. In theory, the washing process should become easier and faster, but reviews of such devices are not always good, some users complain of divorces. And such a cleaner costs more than 4,000 rubles.
• Washing robot. It attaches to glass with magnets or suction cups and washes the window itself, like a robot vacuum cleaner. You can also control the washer from your smartphone. The only serious drawback is the price, which exceeds 15 thousand rubles. However, for owners of apartments with huge panoramic windows, the cost is quite reasonable. It's still cheaper than calling the cleaning service on a regular basis, and much easier than spending hours cleaning yourself.

Choose cleaning products

You can use a commercially available glass cleaner or make a homemade window solution and pour it into a spray bottle. For a home remedy, you will need to mix water and vinegar in a 1: 1 ratio.

And to clean the frames and window sills, especially outside, you can prepare a soapy solution by adding a few drops of liquid soap to a container of warm water. The soapy bucket can be replaced with a general purpose surface cleaner. The main thing is to check that it is suitable for the material from which the window frames are made: plastic or wood.

Remove all unnecessary

Rearrange flowers from the windowsill, remove or raise roller blinds and blinds. Ideally, wipe them down with a damp cloth, too.

Wash frames and fittings

If you wash the glass first, and then the frame, streaks and streaks may remain on the clean window.

Therefore, first apply soapy water or an all-purpose cleaner to the sponge and walk over the entire frame, including from the ends. Do not forget to wipe the handles and pay special attention to the inner corners between the glass and the frame - a lot of dirt accumulates there.

Clean up the dirt

If the window is heavily soiled, especially from the outside, it is best to use soap and water before wiping it down with glass cleaner.

Wipe the surface with a sponge with soapy water, then a sponge soaked in water, and remove the remaining liquid with a dry reusable cloth, dry sponge or rubber window scraper.

Polish the glass to a shine

Apply glass cleaner to a reusable wipe and wipe the surface in a circular motion, moving from the edges to the center. Then run a microfiber cloth over the glass to remove excess product and streaks. Repeat if you don't get it clean the first time.

Use a telescopic or magnetic brush to clean the outside of the window. Remember your safety. If you live high up and the window is large and cannot be opened, it may be better to seek the services of a cleaning service or industrial climbers.

Don't forget about mosquito nets

Dirt from them gets on the glass, and they get dirty faster, so it's better to wash the nets too. One way to remove dirt particles, dead gnats and plant seeds from them is to use a sticky clothes roller or regular tape.

You can also apply a cleaner to the nets and brush over them with a stiff brush.

Wash the windowsill

It is best to do this last, as dust, dirt and liquids will get on it during the washing process.

When the window is clean, wash the window sill with a sponge and soapy water or a suitable cleaning agent, and then wipe dry.

Put back the flowers and hang or lower the curtains.

Bonus: 4 life hacks to make cleaning windows easier

1. Apply the S-technique

Apply soapy water to the glass, take a rubber scraper and remove the soap in an S-shaped motion from the edges to the center, moving from top to bottom. This sequence will help to clean windows streak-free and achieve a brilliant result.

2. Use vinegar and water for glass

American cleaning expert Martha Stewart recommends first wiping the windows with a 1: 1 solution of water and vinegar, then removing the excess, and only then using store-bought glass products.

If you do everything in this order, the glasses will be cleaner and shinier.

There is also another variant of the solution:

• ½ part of water;
• ¼ part of table vinegar;
• ¼ part of the dishwashing liquid.

Experiment to find out which formula works best for you.

3. Clean the inside of the frame with baking soda and vinegar

There is usually a lot of dirt in the grooves where the sash itself is inserted. If the frame hasn't been washed for a long time, it can be difficult to scrape off these areas properly.

Try to cheat: generously sprinkle the contaminated areas with baking soda, sprinkle with table vinegar, wait until it finishes foaming, and remove everything with a rag. Some of the dirt will go away with the foam, and it will be easier to clean the frame.

4. Wipe the blinds with kitchen tongs

A lot of dust and dirt accumulates on the blinds, which is better to remove before washing the windows so that the work does not go down the drain. But washing each plate is very tedious.

To make things a little easier, you can use a cooking tong for serving dishes, wrap each half with a microfiber cloth or reusable napkin, and secure with a rubber band. With this design, it is convenient to wipe each blind plate from both sides at once.

This material was first published in April 2017. In May 2021, we updated the text.