So, you’ve decided to clean your windows yourself. Although, Summerlin Property Services would love to be your go to window cleaning service, we respect your decision and would still like to help you in any way that we can. Below are 3 great do-it-yourself window cleaning tips to help you along.
Window cleaning isn’t always fun, but it’s necessary, especially in Las Vegas. If your windows are left unattended in the harsh desert environment you will have issues! Between the beating sun and the calcium/hard water this is a really tough environment for glass. Windows should be cleaned at least one time per year. Our most common window cleaning frequency is every six months and we have many quarterly window cleaning clients. By the way, we offer a 20% discount and a 3 year price lock guarantee to all of our quarterly clients! You can call 702-965-2065 for more information on that program. But enough about us, now it’s your turn to clean up those windows.
Tip #1- Pick the Right Day and Time
You will want to pick a day when the sun isn’t shining directly on your home. This may be easier said than done with over 300 sunny days a year in Las Vegas. Still, try to pick a cloudy day if possible. If you can’t work on a cloudy day, then work on the side of your home that is shaded in the morning/afternoon, then work on the other side of the home at the opposite time of day. This is a very important tip! The sun, especially in the summer will dry up the glass so fast that you will have a hard time avoiding streaks.
Temperature also matters, even when it’s a cloudy day. If you clean windows in dead of summer you will have trouble with the glass drying to quickly. Spring and fall are the best times of year. Picking the right day and time could be the most important window cleaning tip of all.
Tip #2- Use the Right Equipment
Our next window cleaning tip is all about tools. The tools you will need are a window cleaning mop, squeegee, soap, microfiber towels, a light scrubbing pad or 0000 steel wool and a bucket. A squeegee is the key and the most important window cleaning tool. If you use a towel to clean windows all you are doing is rubbing the dirt around in circles. A squeegee will run the dirt off the windows.
You can buy an inexpensive window cleaning mop and squeegee at Home Depot. Only use a towel (microfiber) to detail your edges after you clean the window. Home Depot will also sell a soft scrubbing pad and Unger window cleaning soap, but Dawn soap works well also. The last item you will need is a small step ladder for the hard to reach windows. We do not recommend that you climb an extension ladder. For exterior second story windows, please call the experts at Summerlin Property Services if you live in a 2-story home.
Tip #3- Use the Right Techniques
Now that you have picked the best time and day and you have all the correct equipment; how do you clean the windows and have them look good when finished? We’ll that part is all about your technique.
First, fill up your bucket with water and soap, 2-3oz of soap per gallon of water is all you need. Then get your window cleaning mop soaking wet. Take the wet mop and give your windows a good mopping. Move the mop in both circular and up and down motions and pay close attention to the edges and corners.
Next, take your scrubbing pad a scrub the windows (you may be able to skip the scrub if the windows aren’t extra dirty or it hasn’t been over a year since your last cleaning). After you scrub the windows, then re-mop them. This is a key step! The wetter the window is before you squeegee the better.
The next step is to squeegee the glass. Although an S or snake technique is best, your mostly likely a newbie so just use either a vertical or horizontal straight pull depending on the window shape. The less pulls the better. If the window shape is more vertical then use a vertical pull so it will only take a couple of pulls to clean the window and vice versa. The more times you pull a squeegee the more opportunity that you will leave a “pull line”. It is always best to pull in the direction that best suits that window shape.
The last step is the detailing. Take your microfiber rag and wrap it around one finger so the least amount of towel fibers as possible touch the glass. Just wipe off the edges and any possible pull lines you may have left behind.
That’s it, mission accomplished! We hope these window cleaning tips have helped. But if it still seems like an overwhelming chore or if you own a two-story home, you may want to call Summerlin Property Services at 702-965-2065 and allow our expert technicians to guarantee a perfect, streak free cleaning. We would love to help you!
