The state of your windows has a major impact on the appearance of your building’s exterior and its interior spaces. Filthy windows are an eyesore on their own -- beyond that, the dirtier your windows are, the less light is able to get through to your interior. And because windows are transparent, even a small amount of dirt or grime becomes instantly noticeable. Knowing how to properly clean your windows is key in maintaining your property’s appeal inside and out. The best window cleaning services have reliable processes for keeping windows beautiful, bright, and clear, no matter their size or type.

How to Clean Your Windows Like a Professional

Maintain a Steady Window Cleaning Schedule

First things first: establish a schedule. While all cleaning duties should take place on a recurring basis, window cleaning should occur more frequently than many of these tasks. For instance, while your office might require deep cleaning every quarter or twice a year, your windows deserve attention at least every two weeks, especially those in more visible and higher traffic areas. Neglecting your windows for longer periods of time than this will allow more dust, dirt, and grime to build up, which in turn will make it more difficult and time-consuming to clean. By sticking to a regular window cleaning schedule, you can prevent these issues from emerging while maintaining your building’s outward and inward appearance.

Gather the Right Tools

Next, you’ll need to have the right items on hand -- a paper towel and some water won’t cut it (unless you want streaks, that is). For sparkling clean windows, you’ll want to have a supply of the following tools:

• Sponge
• Squeegee
• Bucket
• Towel(s)/absorbent drop cloths
• Dry brush and/or duster with an extension pole to get rid of cobwebs, dust, etc.
• Sprayer filled with window cleaning solutions designed for your window type
• Microfiber cloth(s)
• Dry cloth(s) and/or drying pad(s)
• White pages or newspaper (for buffing)

Step-by-Step Interior Window Cleaning

Complete professional window cleaning involves both interior and exterior cleaning. We’ll begin by outlining how interior window cleaning services approach their task.

First, pour clean, cool water into your bucket, along with some dish soap. Take your towels or drop cloths and place them underneath the window to pick up any drops and spills. Next, dip your sponge or microfiber cloth in the bucket, ring it out, and run it over the window’s surface and frame from top to bottom. Then, spray down the window with a liberal amount of your cleaner. Wipe the window down with your dry, clean towel or newspaper in a Z-motion. If you notice any remaining streaks, repeat the spray and dry process.

Step-by-Step Exterior Window Cleaning

It won’t matter how spotless your interior windows are if their exteriors remain filthy. Indeed, outside windows are often dirtier than inside windows because they’re exposed to the elements. Here’s how exterior window cleaning services approach this part of the process.

First, rinse the windows with a hose (be careful if using a pressure washer, as improper use can damage or even break windows). Once again, fill your bucket with water and dish soap. If your windows are high up, you’ll need to use a ladder or specialized lifting equipment along with extension poles to safely reach the exterior windows -- professionals should handle this task to minimize risk. Once near the window surface, use your wetted sponge or cloth to perform your initial wipe-down. Next, rinse the windows with your hose once more. The window cleaning solution can then be sprayed on the windows and wiped down using your rubber squeegee -- angle your squeegee toward the bottom of the window and go from top to bottom. Finally, dry the window with your dry towel/cloth or newspaper.

Of course, exterior windows may be covered in more stubborn residue like bird droppings. To remove these materials, saturate them with vinegar and water (or your window cleaning solution) and let it remain wet for a few minutes prior to wiping down and drying. Avoid using harsh scrubbing tools (i.e. steel wool) to remove these stubborn stains as they may scratch your window. Also, clean your window screens when possible -- these won’t get as dirty as the outward surfaces, but they deserve attention as well.

Refresh Your Property with Sparkling Clean Windows

You now have a basic framework for cleaning your windows. Of course, keeping up with window cleaning isn’t always easy when you have so much else on your plate. If you need help with this task, you’ll want to partner up with the best window washing company near you. At The Budd Group, window cleaning is just one of our many service offerings. To learn more about our services and values, give us a call today at 800-221-8158!