Must-Have Tips and Tricks for Spotless Window Cleaning

What cleaning solution is best suited for streak-free windows? Between rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, and the use of microfibre rags to wipe away all prints, it’s rather difficult to make heads or tails of it. 

Or maybe you still haven’t tried everything for streak-free windows. Here are some tips, as well as proposed window cleaning services from industry professionals.

The Importance of Cleaning Your Windows Inside and Out

Limit Energy Use 

The dirtier your windows, the less daylight will filter into your home. This has two ramifications:

• it cools the interior; and

• increases light usage.  

For example, dust buildup on a light bulb can absorb 50% of the light emitted. Now, just think of how dirty windows can impede natural light from seeping into your home.

More Daylight and Better View

With a limited amount of daylight every year—1,600 hours in Québec and 2,000 hours in Montréal—you really don’t want to lose a second of sunshine. As such, there’s one way to benefit from as much daylight as possible: clean windows.

Between bird droppings, drippings, dust, and fingerprints, your windows are soiled and prevent natural daylight from filtering into your home. And it doesn’t look any better from the outside. Instead of allowing your eyes to settle on a beautiful landscape, you’re forcing yourself to stare at dirt. 

So brighten up the rooms in your home, and your inner joy, with a simple window cleaning. 

Embellish Your Home

What message are you sending your neighbours and passers-by with dirty windows? Cleaning your windows allows for the following: 

• Embellishing your home

• Making it more welcoming 

• Showcasing your attention to detail 

Your home is a reflection of you, so keep it looking its best. 

Extend the Service Life of Windows

Permanently dirty windows make for deteriorating windows. The buildup of dust and other agents will hinder the waterproofing joints, impairing the metal faceplates, and preventing the windows from opening and closing properly. That’s without mentioning the higher risk of scratching the panes.

Durable windows are regularly cleaned, even if solely to prevent moisture buildup and mould growth derived from dirt and particles.

Fight Off Allergies

Windows accumulate pollen and other airborne particles. As a result, if they’re not regularly cleaned, you’re essentially allowing allergens to filter into your home every time you open your windows. 

Cleaning your glass panes, frames included, ensures your home is filled with cleaner air.  

How to Clean Filthy Windows: Tips, Tricks, and Effective Products

Is using white vinegar to clean windows effective?

Amongst well-known old wives’ tales circulating in our midst, white vinegar is the first cleaning agent mentioned as it's a known

• degreaser;

• antibacterial; and 

• limescale dissolver.

Furthermore, as a cleaning solution recipe, it's as basic as it comes: 

• ⅓ white vinegar 

• ⅔ water 

Nonetheless, white vinegar is more of an add-on, as it’s not as effective as commercially sold cleaning products. This is likely due to its lack of surfactants, meaning no compounds will directly impact the interface tension between two liquids.

In order words, water and vinegar solely have limited emulsion, significantly reducing the effectivity of white vinegar when cleaning windows. As a result, if you’re unable to wipe off fingerprints from your glass panes, this old wives’ tale doesn’t deliver as expected. 

What is the best window-washing product? 

Dishwashing liquid, being a degreaser, is the best product to clean windows. It also gives top billing to white vinegar, which is also found in the makings of one of the best cleaning solutions: 

• Dollop of dish soap

• ¼ cup white vinegar

• 500 ml (16 oz) lukewarm water 

Mix all ingredients, and scrub your windows clean with a rag. 

How to Clean Windows for a Streak-Free Finish

When proceeding with a window cleaning, to ensure a streak-free finish, you must: 

• Wipe off the soap suds 

• Wipe off water 

For a thorough job, you have to lather the solution with a strip washer. Doing so will not only remove the dirt buildup but also tough stains. 

To wipe off the soap suds and water, the simplest way to do so is using a squeegee. No wonder said tool is a must-have for all professional window washers.

Once that’s done, use a discarded nylon sock on which you can add a few drops of glycerol. The nylon sock is used to shine the windows, while the glycerol acts as a screen to prevent windows from fogging as a result of changing temperatures.   

Advantages of Professional Window Cleaning

Safety Rules Are Followed

A team of professional cleaners can wash any type of glazing, whether it be inside or outside. Regardless of the height of your windows, a specialized company will be able to safely clean them. 

Cutting-Edge Methods Are Used

Windows cleaned by professionals can be done using: 

• Pure water

• Ultrasounds

• Robots

• Drones 

Each of these methods requires a significant financial investment. Pure water is water free of minerals by way of a specially designed filtration system. The windows are then cleaned with the help of telescopic poles. 

Ultrasound technology is still undergoing some fine-tuning but is starting to shake up the window-washing industry. It entails applying a thin film SAW (surface acoustic wave). Said film creates nanometer-scale vibrations and thermoacoustic effects, which prevent: 

• surface buildups; and

• ice or fog formation.

While this technology might seem restricted to aeronautics or the automobile industry, some companies have embraced the idea and are keen on fitting windows with it, providing a long-term, self-cleaning feature. 

Lastly, in the world of robotics, drones and robotic cleaners are being used to clean windows, especially those of high-rise buildings.

Beyond Clean 

Professional window cleaners can do much more than wash your windows for a streak-free result. This is where you have to have a thorough understanding of the service you’re requesting. By window washing, we mean solely cleaning the glass pane of the window, not the entire window.

As such, when requesting a quote from a professional, be sure to mention that you want a window cleaning. In such a case, the team of professional cleaners will not only wash your windows but clean the following parts: 

• Frames

• Tracks

• Screens

Hence the importance of making this distinction.  

How to Choose a Window Cleaning Service

What’s the difference between residential vs. commercial window cleaning?

By residential, we mean a house or a building with one or two storeys. On the other hand, commercial window cleaning refers to a multi-storey building. In terms of the latter, service costs will be much steeper. As such, residential and commercial window cleaning services can be distinguished by the following:

• Building height

• Window count  

Unless you own a villa, you could say that residential is meant for homeowners, whereas commercial is for businesses.  

Window Cleaning Services: Price Points

Typically, window cleaning services cost between $150 and $250. However, as we already mentioned, said price point largely depends on the following: 

• Number of windows or glass panes to clean

• Height of the house or building 

• Type of glazing  

As such, costs can be itemized as detailed below: 

• Per window (100 sq. ft. surface): $18.50 

• Sliding window: $4 

• Casement window: $8 

• Hourly rate: $35 to $60 

• 3-storey and more (windows) additional fee: $13 to $20

• 3-storey and more (glazing only) additional fee: $6 to $12

• Screens: $0.50 to $5 

To effectively choose the company offering the best cleaning services, request quotes from several different cleaning businesses. By doing so, you’ll be able to compare prices, get a glimpse of company reviews, and have an overview of the cleaning techniques employed by the technicians.  

Bright and Shiny: Master Your Window Cleaning

A streak-free, spotless window lies in the cleaning methods used and the tools employed. With the use of simple and straightforward tips and tricks, this task can be transformed into a less arduous and more satisfying process. Also, it's paramount to use specially designed materials to avoid streaks and residue. A well-executed window cleaning is key to maintaining a bright and shiny home.