6 Tricks To Make Cleaning Windows Your Favorite Job (Well, Almost)
Cleaning windows is one of those jobs that no one wants to do. While it's not an easy job, it's certainly not the worst, especially if you know a few tricks.
1. Knick-knacks: You can't clean your windows with tchotchkes lining the window sills. Rather than stopping and starting your work, do the proper prep work. Move all the curtains out of the way and put your little treasures and sun catchers on a centrally located table. You not only clear the way for cleaning the windows, but you reduce the risk of breaking a beloved knick-knack.
2. Window Blinds: While no one wants extra work to do, this is a great time to remove the blinds and give them a good cleaning as well. If you have regular mini blinds, you can clean them quickly in the bathtub. If you have the wider, wood versions, you can use a damp cloth to wipe the dust and debris off. Once finished, raise them as high as you can to prepare for cleaning the windows. If your blinds are in poor shape, you may want to replace them with new ones from a company like World Class Window Coverings.
3. Newspaper: Stop. Do not use newspaper. Don't bother with paper towels, either. No professional window cleaner would ever be seen with either product. It may have worked for your grandparents, but there are better products on the market that don't create such a mess.
4. Lint-Free Towels: What should you use to clean your windows? Lint-free towels are the perfect solution. They remove smudges, drips, and streaks without leaving a trail of paper towel fuzz and newsprint-covered fingers. Warning: You cannot wash and dry these towels with the rest of your linens. They need to be washed separately and hung to dry.
5. Window Cleaning Spray: Nope. Put that away, too. Professionals use a bucket of water with just one drop of liquid dish soap. This helps the squeegee slide on the glass.
6. Squeegee: The biggest trick to cleaning windows is buying a high quality squeegee and changing the blade often. The squeegee blade, or rubber as it is called by professional window cleaners, is not meant to be used over and over. In fact, nicks in the rubber blade are what cause streaks. Boom! Buy a squeegee that has easy-to-remove screws or clips so you can do this often, preferably each time you clean your entire house's windows.
Cleaning windows is a skilled trade. Some would even say it is an art. Practice cleaning a large picture window or sliding glass door until you get the hang of it.
