Windows are perhaps the most recognisable feature of any building, and will play an outsized role in cultivating a first impression of your premises, with window panes being one of the first things a visitor will see. So, while windows might often be overlooked when you’re cleaning – as it turns out, their glass panes and ornate frames are some of the most important areas to keep clean.
If not, grimy windows can cause serious problems for your building. Not only will murky panes block the natural light filtering into your building, which can make for a dark and depressing interior, but the exterior of your premises will look unappealing and unprofessional if the windows are visibly dirty.
According to studies, this is a big turn off for customers and clients, with 69% admitting to turning elsewhere if they notice an unclean premises. Naturally, any fall in foot traffic would have profound effects on your bottom line, so it’s imperative that businesses keep their exterior well taken care of. Windows, with their large surface area and noticeable shine, will naturally become a chief concern behind this.
In Vanguard’s latest cleaning guide, we’ll explore the best way to clean your windows and give them that natural shine. We’ll discuss the supplies you’ll need beforehand, outline the step-by-step process to follow, and provide a few extra tips to ensure your windows really impress.
Before you start cleaning your windows, the most important thing is to get prepared. With that in mind, we’ll talk about some of the supplies and utensils you’ll be using for your process.
Here are the main items and products you’ll need:
Your bucket, sponge, and spray bottle are all intended to make cleaning with your chosen cleaning solution so easier. However, the type of cleaning solution required may depend on your circumstances. For example, a bucket of dish soap and warm water might be all that’s required for a quick refresh. For more ingrained grime, try a solution of equal parts warm water and distilled white vinegar to break up the dirt. If still more oomph is needed, there are more specialist products available that prove highly effective against window grime. In most cases, you’ll need the stronger stuff for exterior panes, but if cleaning from the interior, milder solutions will usually do the trick.
Other useful window cleaning items include a squeegee, which removes excess moisture from the glass, and an extendable mop, which can be used to cover those hard-to-reach windows on the first floor. This is particularly relevant for health and safety, as the pitfalls of using ladders (no pun intended) are numerous and could result in devastating consequences if an accident does occur. Finally, the presence of a microfibre cloth on the list is due to the material’s properties, which won’t leave lingering fibres or bits of lint on the glass, making it an effective drying cloth. Old newspapers may work as an effective DIY replacement for this, but you should avoid paper towels, as these will leave too much residue on the surface.
It’s worth noting that there are even high-tech industrial products on the market, such as Window Vacuum Cleaners, specially designed to tackle window grime. While these products may work fine, they’re usually a bit unnecessary, and there remains just as effective (and cheaper!) ways to ensure a streak-free shine.
With all your instruments and cleaning products now at hand, where exactly should you start? Follow these five simple steps below:
There’s no point in cleaning your windows with lots of dust and dirt already in place, as this will only push the grime further in. So, the first step to cleaning your windows will be removing the surface level particles that have settled in place.
Using a duster or vacuum, and starting from the top and working your way down to the bottom, remove all dust from the pane itself, the frame, and any windowsills nearby. This should leave your window fresh and ready to be cleaned. If you come across any harder residuals that can’t be dusted off, these will need to be removed, as these sticky bits could damage your equipment further down the line. It may be worth using a fine steel wool, and very gently scrubbing the residual off, to avoid scratching the glasswork.
Then comes the time to put your spray bottle to use, by filling it with your chosen cleaning solution and spraying it evenly over the glass. Choosing a spray bottle over a sponge or cloth avoids creating streaks down the glass, and instead provides an even coating across the whole fixture. This, in turn, makes the window far easier to clean.
Here comes the main event – and the technique you use in this stage matters. First, you should start by wiping down the window frame, using your sponge to wipe the cleaning solution into any nooks or crannies. Then, turn to the pane itself, working down from top to bottom in a zigzag or a circular motion. It’s important to avoid long sweeping strokes across your glass, as this will only cause streaks to form across the surface.
If you’re struggling to reach the top end of your glass, or you’re looking to tend to windows on the first or second floors, this is where an extendable mop can prove itself invaluable. Once again, use a zigzag motion from top to bottom for the most effective clean.
Now you’ve given your windows a streak-free scrub, you’ll need to remove the excess moisture before setting about drying your panes. The optimal instrument for this job will be a squeegee, as this piece of kit allows you to almost scrape away that layer of liquid on the surface and avoid marks or stains.
Grab your squeegee and start from the top corner, wiping in an S-pattern down your window, which should avoid any streaks forming. If you need to do multiple strokes, make sure to wipe the squeegee after each use to avoid returning that moisture back to the glass.
Naturally, you’ll need to finish by drying and buffing your windows to give them that fresh sparkle you’re aiming for. For this, you should use your microfibre cloth, moving it in a circular motion from the top to the bottom of your window. Don’t forget to dry the frame and any windowsills as well – these trimmings can be noticeable to the eagle-eyed.
Now we’ve outlined the general cleaning process, we’ll examine a few quick tips that could improve your standard of window cleaning.
Obviously, cleaning your exterior windows will typically consist of the same process each time. Interior windows, however, could prove different. Not only are there window dressings such as curtains and blinds to contend with, but then there’s the conditions of the surrounding wall that may need tending to.
Make sure to temporarily remove any window dressings when you’re cleaning interior windows, as the last thing you want is blinds or curtains getting in the way or taking water damage. These can always be put up again when the window has dried, so you might as well play it safe and remove them from the equation.
Should the window frame be plagued by dust or cobwebs, vacuum these bits and pieces up before starting your clean. As for mould, scrub the area with soap and warm water, or use a commercial mould product to remove these harmful spores.
While it may not immediately jump to mind, the weather has outsized implications for your window cleaning. Warm, sunny weather is great for working outdoors, but unfortunately the high temperatures cause your cleaning solution to dry too quickly on your glass. This means your solution doesn’t have enough time to break down the grime and collected dirt, leaving spots and dirty marks on your windowpanes.
On the other hand, rainy weather might push away any cleaning solution you coat on the window, spreading it unevenly down the window and leaving visible streaks. Of course, rainwater would also make the window much more difficult to dry. As a result, cloudy weather will typically provide you with the best conditions to clean your windows in – so when it’s overgloom, don’t despair… simply get your window cleaning products out!
While we’ve explored how to clean windows the trusted, but perhaps old-fashioned way, there are new and emerging products we should take into account that make the process a little easier. One of these products is a steam cleaner, which will provide a streak-free shine with less of the hassle (and without using any chemical cleaning solutions).
To properly use a steam cleaner on your windows, use sweeping movements across the full length of the glass for a true deep clean. Then remove any lingering moisture with a microfibre cloth to finish. As you can imagine, this simplifies the cleaning process significantly. For more information about the pros, cons, and nuances of steam cleaning, see our comprehensive guide here.
With such effort required to keep your windows crystal clean year-round, many business owners would undoubtedly prefer to outsource the task to a professional cleaning company like Vanguard Cleaning.
Our window cleaning service is industry-leading, with our specialist staff receiving detailed instruction in keeping your windows shining and streak-free. This will not only ensure the best possible view from inside, filtering more natural light into your building, but will also give your premises a gleaming makeover that will impress customers and potential clients. In a competitive market, where visitors will judge your business by the cleanliness of your site, this could make all the difference between a sale or a loss.
Vanguard’s cleaners come equipped with all the instruments you’d expect – squeegees, extendable mops, microfibre cloths, and even high-tech industrial machinery all at our disposal. Further to this, our extensive training procedures are underwritten by the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc), and followed up with a yearly calendar of monthly ‘Toolbox Talks’ to arm our cleaners with an ever-evolving arsenal of cleaning knowledge. Equipped with this, each and every one of our staff can bring exceptional results to your premises.
To discover more about Vanguard’s window cleaning, and to receive a FREE quote, reach out to our professional team today.
