The Best Way to Clean Your Windows

Sometimes no matter how they try, they still get streaks. Or, even worse, sometimes the window doesn’t look any better.

The good news is this can easily be remedied. Using the correct products will greatly reduce the frequency you have to perform this daunting task. With the correct technique and products, the windows will actually look clean and stay clean for much longer than before. Plus, you’ll love the results that much more. Homeowners don’t realize how important a clean window is to making the entire home look more put together.

The most common way homeowners clean their windows is by using handfuls of paper towels and rubbing the cleaner off. Unfortunately, all that will do is rub the dirt and dust around and create static, which will attract even more dirt. Before you know it, it’s already time to wash your windows again. Instead, copy the pros.

You will need a cloth strip applicator, a squeegee, dishwashing liquid, and a bucket. Fill your bucket with warm water and a small amount of liquid soap. The less bubbles, the better. Soak your cloth strip and rub a layer all over the window.

When you’re done, take a squeegee and drag it from the top left to right, then right to left, in a constant backwards S motion, from top to bottom. Continually use a clean cloth to wipe off the squeegee between strokes. From there, use a cloth to soak up any water or soap left around the edges and you’re all done.

One thing to note is the white spots or drips that can accumulate on windows. This usually comes from hard water because it has calcium and magnesium in it. They may seem to appear magically, but the usual culprit comes from an outdoor sprinkler system or from backsplash in the bathroom or the kitchen. Luckily, there’s a foolproof way to remove these pesky spots and drips, even when there seems to be months or years of buildup!

Take a microfiber cloth and give the window a good rubdown. This will remove extra dirt and dust and make the cleaning process easier (your windows are less likely to scratch as well!). From there, mix up equal parts of white vinegar and water.

Shake it up and spray the windows down and squeegee clean. For more stubborn spots, you may need to rub the glass with a rag or switch to solely vinegar and no water. After everything is clean, give the window a good spray of just water to rinse and squeegee clean again.