Most professional window cleaners have their own “secret” methods for getting windows sparkling clean. I won’t get thanked by some window cleaners out there for revealing some of their trade secrets, but I thought it would be useful to show you some quick & easy tips on how to clean the windows in your home or office like the professionals do.
A bucket of cold water and a bit of detergent can go a long way towards getting a smudge-free finish when cleaning windows. In fact, what you find with most professional window cleaners is that they don’t polish windows for hours on end as this just ends up leaving streaks which are difficult to remove. Below are some simple ways of ensuring your windows are clean, smudge free and sparkling.
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No Need for Harsh, Chemical Detergents
There really is no need to use a chemical based detergent, no matter what promises might be made on the product packaging. Professional window cleaners don’t use harsh chemicals. Not only can they be potentially harmful to the user and the environment, they aren’t particularly effective. In fact most chemical window cleaning products end up leaving visible residues which are almost impossible to remove.
Tip #1: Use Cheap Washing Liquid
All you need to achieve brilliantly clean windows is a bit of washing up liquid and warm water. There’s no need to buy expensive washing up liquid as the cheap stuff will do the job just as well as long as you use just a little bit.
Check out the video below to see which brand of washing up liquid the professionals recommend:
Tip #2: Get Yourself the Right Tools
You don’t need many tools to clean windows, but you must use the right ones if you want to get good results. Here’s the tools you’re going to need to get great looking windows.
- Something to put water on the windows – The pros use a plastic T-bar that has a synthetic washer on the end. This only costs a few euro and you can get perfectly adequate, durable ones from many major suppliers. Used correctly, these should last you a long time.
- A tool to take the water off – You need to invest in a good high quality squeegee to get the water off. A professional version will have a T-bar handle and rubber blade slots at the top.
- Material to wipe down edge of window – You need this to remove material that the scraper might have missed. The cloth you see window washers with is a very valuable tool to have. In the trade this is called a “scrim.” This is what will leave a smudge free window each time. You can get these for cheap online and, again, they will last a long time if maintained correctly.
Tip #3: Use the Correct Technique
If you don’t know exactly how to clean the windows, just watch how a professional does it. There’s really not much to it and the techniques can be mastered in just a few minutes. Here’s the routine you need to know:
- Use the water/detergent solution and wipe the entire window with the washer.
- Wipe the window with your squeegee in an “s” shape. The professionals call this the “fanning” or “s” method because your squeegee makes an “s” shape or multiple upside down “u” shapes as it makes its way down the surface of the glass. Don’t take the blade off the window when you do this or it will leave a water line. If this is hard to do the scrim can take the water mark off for you and won’t leave a smear.
- Use your scrim to wipe the edges of the window to prevent water marks where your blade might have missed.
The short video below shows you how to use the “S” or “fanning” method to ensure the best finish when cleaning your windows:
And there you have it. Some quick tips on how to achieve a streak-free finish when cleaning your windows, without having to hire a professional.
Of course, if this seems a lot to take in and you’d prefer to hire a professional window cleaner for your business premises or your home, call one of our sales team on 01 4853309 or send us a message via our website contact form.
