Cleaning house windows every spring can be a bit of a chore, but having a basic window maintenance plan – as well as reviewing options for necessary replacements – can save you money in the long run. Cleaning the windows annually, along with an expert inspection from the folks at Advanced Window Products, helps keep your home’s value on the upswing, as well as its heat and cooling efficiency intact.
When Should I Clean My Windows?
It is fairly easy to see how dirty the glass is but as your house ages, so do window sills, ledges, frames and tracks. Weather patterns — rain, high winds, snow, sleet and hail for examples — bring dirt, grime, debris, plant/tree vegetation and grass to your windows. If these elements are left to build up over a long period of time, your windows can sustain damage in their inserts and sashes. Along with unwanted moisture, sullied windows and damaged tracks let air affected by the outside conditions into an otherwise temperature-controlled home.
What Should I Use to Clean My Windows?
Whether you remove dirty glass windows and screens for easier cleaning, or leave them in their frames, the old stand-by of soap and water is always an option but there are other ways, too, such as:
- Glass cleaners or diluted bleach
- Homemade chemical or organic solutions
- Rags or cloth towels
- Strong brushes for screens
- Squeegee
- Leaf blower
- Shop vacuum
A leaf blower is strong enough to push dirt and grime out of the track systems and frames. Point the blower away from other areas of the window, so that silt exits the frame in an opposite direction. Brush out the dirt or use the smallest hose attachments from a shop vacuum to suck up deeply embedded debris. It is best to remove loose dirt with a blower or shop vacuum before applying water or soap to the frames and glass panes.
It’s a Dirty Job, But …
Yes, cleaning windows is a dirty job but one that you can do yourself. Keep these tips in mind …
- Cloudy days are best for cleaning your home’s windows, frames, tracks and screens. Water and soap solutions dry too quickly on bright, sunny days and that leads to streaking on the glass.
- When cleaning the inside glass by hand, slide the cloth from side to side, and the outside pane from top to bottom. This method allows a better view of seeing the entire pane, and where any possible streaks are.
- Squeegees, like the ones used to clean car windshields, are great for wiping dirty water off glass. Follow each stroke with a cloth or paper towel.
- For hard-to-reach windows, seal them tightly and use the garden hose for a spray mist, but be careful; strong currents may break the glass or damage the frames.
- Wipe the inside tracks with a wrapped cloth over a thin stick or large cotton swab. Use a clean cloth to remove any excess dirt and rinse the soiled water; be sure the frame is completely dry. Dry frames will ensure window sashes move easier.
Turn to Advanced Window Products for Window Replacements
Eventually, your home will need new windows. Advanced Window Products is the premier window inspection and replacement company for Utah, and areas of Idaho and Wyoming. With expertly-trained technicians, great customer service and a top rating from the Better Business Bureau, we also offer vinyl siding and sliding glass door installation services.
Replace old windows and see energy bills decrease; do it right now and get a great deal! For a limited time on approved credit, Advanced Window Products is offering a payment plan with absolutely no interest for 60 months. Contact Advanced Window Products for a free estimate; 801-505-9622.
