Start by rinsing the windows with the hose, then fill a bucket with clean, cold water and add a few drops of liquid dish soap. Using a soft microfiber cloth, wipe over the surface of the window. For taller windows, use a sponge mop (or a soft cotton or microfiber mop) on a pole. Ryan advises “Mix some mild detergent with warm water and use a soft cloth to wipe off any dirt.
Make sure you don't use anything with harsh chemicals, as they could damage the frame finish. Clean the window with fresh water to remove the foam before drying it. There are several things you can do to clean your windows and make sure you get great results, no matter if you are cleaning inside or out. However, while cleaning windows is a relatively easy cleaning job, it's also a bit of an art form when it comes to achieving a streak-free finish.
There are several different routes to clean windows, depending on how dirty the windows are, how big they are, how much time you have, and whether you prefer to use natural cleaning agents such as vinegar or not. To keep your eyesight free of stains (and your light-loving houseplants), follow these cleaning tips from Carolyn Forte, director of the Cleaning Laboratory at the Good Housekeeping Institute. And if you're not confident in your cleaning skills, you can always call the professionals for your cleaning and maintenance needs. We'll be honest and say that even the best window cleaning products won't work if you're using the wrong tools or if you haven't mastered the right technique to clean your windows yet.
Alicia Johnson, owner of Cleaning Green LLC, based in West Covina (opens in a new tab), told us that to ensure that it is absolutely flawless and that there are no streaks left, the tool you are using matters more than the cleaning solution. There is a wealth of tips on how to clean windows, from making your own window cleaner solution with vinegar to the old newspaper trick. Choose a cordless model with decent battery life and keep in mind that these cleaning appliances tend to work best with a cleaning liquid, so if you're looking for a natural solution that doesn't involve chemicals, you might want to keep reading. Unlike dusting shelves or cleaning kitchen counters, with an incorrect cleaning technique, it can often feel like you've made your windows worse, not better.
It doesn't matter whether you use good vinegar or an elegant spray to clean windows, if you use “a regular cloth that's not even designed to clean windows,” you're likely to find that it “leaves messy marks and streaks.” It's popular as a homemade weed killer, for cleaning various surfaces, and works well for cleaning windows if you have distilled vinegar around you.
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