It may be tempting to spritz the glass cleaners all over the place, but you don't want to apply too much. Start at the top of the dirty window, spray once or twice to start, then take the microfiber cleaning cloth and wipe in Z-shaped motions to dry. Work your way down to the windowsill.
Professional window cleaners use a solution made from dish soap and water to achieve a streak-free clean. The key is to use a small amount of soap and distilled water. Some professionals add ammonia to the water for increased cleaning power.
Interior windows should always be cleaned using a professional squeegee and scrubber tool for a streak-free clean. Exterior windows can be cleaned the same way but can also be cleaned using a water-fed pole for clean results without streaks.
Try a Mop to Extend Your Reach
A mop can help you reach windows from the outside. To get streak-free windows, mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a bucket. Then, dip a standard mop or a microfiber cloth in the cleaning solution, and wipe down the window's surface.
And I actually found it to be rather useful. Before getting into it, it's worth pointing out, that window vacuums aren't just for clearing condensation on windows, they also good for sucking up spills on glass and streak-free window cleaning as they have a squeegee head and onboard tank.
If there's only one window cleaner and it's the owner of the company, you typically don't need to give a tip. If you do, simply round up a bit on your bill total when it comes time to pay. If the window cleaner isn't the owner of the company or there's a crew of workers, you can tip between $5 and $20.
A big problem is the evaporation rate. If you're cleaning your windows on a warm sunny day, the liquid part of the solution evaporates quickly and leaves behind a residue that appears as streaks. On the other hand, if you don't entirely remove the liquid you can also be left with a streaky window.
Mix up your window-cleaning solution: In a plastic spray bottle, mix together 2 cups of warm water with 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of Dawn. Sweep away dirt: Using a broom, sweep away the cobwebs and debris from the windows and sills.
Clean Outside Windows
You'll remove the first layer of dirt and make the detail work that much easier. Plus, on a summer day, you can use window washing as an excuse to splash in the water a little bit.
Both a washing and a cleaning should leave you with streak-free glass, but a washing is a quick service that isn't as thorough. Window washing usually involves spraying on the solution and wiping it away with a squeegee to remove loose surface debris only. This isn't what's involved in window cleaning.
Window washing solution: This is very important because it removes dirt and helps reduce the number of streaks. A typical solution used by professionals is 3/4 cup clear ammonia or white vinegar, 1 gallon of water and 2 to 4 teaspoons blue Dawn dishwashing liquid combined in a bucket.
Professional window cleaners keep it simple, using soapy water and a bucket, scrubber, and squeegee. Store-bought window cleaning products don't guarantee a streak-free result. Soap and water or a homemade solution leave less residue.
These days professional window cleaners still use squeegees. These tools make cleaning indoor windows easy. But they are also the best tool to use to clean outdoor windows. If you're interested in getting outside windows that sparkle it's a good idea to hire a professional window cleaning service.
A squeegee. Squeegees take a little more work to get used to than cloth or paper, but the resulting difference is well worth it. On top of that, cleaning windows with a squeegee takes a fraction of the time.
The Number of Windows
This will impact the labour time and increase the final cost. If you have a conservatory on your property this could also dramatically increase the cost as it may need specialist cleaning for the glass. Even if not, the number of windows on a conservatory will add to the final price.
Scheduling yearly or twice-yearly window cleaning services is ideal. And even if that's not doable, the closer you can stick to that schedule the better. Aim for at least once a year and you'll notice a remarkable improvement.
Using an Extension Pole and Squeegee
When cleaning exterior windows up high, you can make quick work of most windows with an extension pole and a squeegee. These traditional window cleaning tools for hard-to-reach windows include a pole-mounted scrub brush that holds a large volume of window cleaning solution.
Windex Outdoor Glass & Patio Concentrated Cleaner is super easy to use: Simply attach it to the nozzle of your garden hose and remove the yellow plug from the bottle. Spray the windows using the “rinse” setting, then turn the dial to “clean” to apply the solution.
Spray your windows with a generous amount of glass cleaner. Using a lint-free paper towel or microfiber cloth, wipe your windows from top to bottom. If you see any streaks, give them another wipe until the glass is clear.