Spring Cleaning Tips: How to Clean Windows in Your Home

I still remember “window washing day” from my childhood. Each Spring my mother set aside a whole day to clean windows, both inside and out. The windows were kept clean on in the inside more often but were still a big job. Since becoming a homeowner myself I’ve learned a few tips about how to clean windows.

When it is time to clean windows on the inside or the outside, make sure that the windowsills and frames are cleaned first. Always start with a dry clean by dusting, sweeping and vacuuming away dirt before wiping with a wet cloth. To clean windows best, start at the top first and work down to the bottom. An important tip about preventing streaks that my mother passed along is never to clean windows in direct sunlight. The sun will dry the cleaner before it can be wiped away and there will be streaks. Another “streak tip” is to clean windows with up and down strokes on one side and side to side strokes on the other. This allows you to see which side has the streaks inside of redoing the whole window.

To clean windows you do not need a lot of money or materials. When my mother was told by a friend that plain water and newspaper were all the materials needed to clean windows, she was skeptical. However, my research on the subject revealed that, indeed, plain water and newspapers are recommended as a great way to clean windows. Simply sponge on or hose on the water and wipe it away with newspaper. Be sure to wear gloves because the ink will stain your hands without them. Paper towels and glass cleaner are effective to clean windows, but I’ve gotten hand cramps from the spray trigger after time! Paper towels are also wasteful and more natural cleaners (which I will discuss later in the article) are better for the environment.

Professionals sometimes use squeegees to clean windows. To clean windows that are large, a squeegee is practical. After the squeegee is wet pull it across the top of the pane. Next pull it down a couple of inches and then across again. Continue to overlap the squeegee passes until the entire window has been “squeegee’d”. Wipe the edges of the window if needed.

Most people will want to use something more than plain water to clean windows. Here area few ideas for window cleaning solutions. One cup of white vinegar and a gallon of water (add in a bit of dishwashing detergent if the window is greasy) will clean windows nicely with no streaking. One half cup of clear ammonia in two quarts of water will also remove tough dirt. (Never mix vinegar and ammonia. Ever.) Rubbing alcohol will also give a streak free shine to clean windows. If needed mix two cups of rubbing alcohol with two tablespoons of clear ammonia and two tablespoons of dishwashing detergents. This mixture must be rinsed off of windows.

Knowing how to clean windows is the easiest part of window cleaning. The job is time consuming and nothing will change that. To clean windows you must work hard. The beautiful, clean view will be completely worth your effort in the end.