Not Ready to Tackle your window cleaning job?

If  you have been reading through all of the posts in this blog and feel like you just are not up to the challenge of cleaning your windows yourself, just call Sparkling Windows window cleaning Co.

Current specials include $15.00 off your first window cleaning service if you call before April01,2009 . You do not need to have the work done before this date, just call to get the discount and secure a spot in our busy schedule!

We even offer a small incentive for new customer referrals. For each new customer referred to us resulting in a paying contract, we will thank you with a $10.00 Gift Card to Lowe’s Home Improvement Center. No limit to the number of new customers you refer!

Cleaning window tracks is a pane!

A big part of the window cleaning job has nothing to do with the windows themselves. It’s the window tracks that can be a real challenge to clean properly and they are often neglected for this reason. I have found the best way to get the tracks cleaned is by using my strip washer in conjunction with a dishwasher/ glass brush equipped with a 8-10 inch handle( for really tight spots, break out a small screwdriver to pick out heavy dirt). I start by completely wetting my strip washer and running it repeatedly along the entire track. I then use the very end of the washer to get into the corners in addition to the brush to remove the heavy dirt and debris. Once the dirt has been loosened up, I take one of my recycled surgical huck towels to absorb the dirty water. I follow up by wiping once again with another clean towel to dry the tracks and sills completely. If you put a little extra time into getting your tracks cleaned the first time, it will make future cleanings a breeze.

Using the right towels is key

If you have  read any of my posts about window cleaning, this is one that could make or break how nice your windows turn out. The absolute worst thing to use to clean glass is ammonia based cleaners and paper towels. I guess people use them because of their convenience but the results are terrible. The best type of towel to use when cleaning windows is a recycled surgical huck towel. They are inexpensive, do not tear, do not leave lint behind, and  can be washed and re-used hundreds of times over. This type of towel is a specialty item that will need to be purchased from a janitorail supply or window cleaning supply company but it is well worth it. If you want professionally cleaned looking windows, you need to clean like the pros!

Best window cleaning trick now released!

The absolute best way to get your windows to glisten after a proper cleaning is to finish up with a quick “once over” with a super fine  broze wool pad. If you happen to see any streaks after squeegeeing, take out your bronze wool pad and lightly wipe the window pane. This works great for removing any small paint drips that you may have missed with the razor tool during cleaning.  Make sure that you purchase the finest wool available. I believe it is marked as 0000 grade or just ” fine” depending on the brand you purchase. You can also use a fine steel wool pad but these will rust when they get wet and they splinter leaving metal particles behind. I prefer bronze. Bronze wool is  a little bit more expensive but  last longer making them well worth the purchase.

How to use a squeegee 101

Hello again, Glad to see that you are back. If you have been following along with this string of posts, so far we have learned how to properly clean screens, remove heavy dirt with  a razor tool, and we have washed the first window with a strip washer. So now, you have a wet window just waiting to be squeegeed dry!

I always use a nice brass handled squeegee. ( I cut my squeegees’ bar to length with a hack saw achieving  a perfect fit to the window panes I am cleaning) There are several different style and sized  squeegees to choose from. The best way decide what size is best for you is to look at the size of your windows . You want to make the fewest amount of passes across the window pane as possible ,reducing the chance for overlap streaks.Being in the window cleaning business, I have acquired dozens of different length squeegees to accommodate all of the various sized window panes I encounter in a days work, but for someone that is cleaning  only the windows in their own home it is easier to pinpoint exactly what size squeegee is needed and you should be able to get away with purchasing just two(2) different sizes. . The average home will require a 6″ and a 12″ squeegee. These two sizes should work fine.

 Always start at the highest point when cleaning. For example, if you are cleaning windows in a two story home, start with the windows on the second story followed by the first. Work with gravity,  water will always drip from top to bottom. Don’t waste your time going back over windows that you have already cleaned because of drips. Just start at the top. Let’s get back to your first window.  Re-wet the window with the strip washer if the glass has begun to dry. With a dry huck towel ( from the list of required tools in my previous post) wrap your forefinger and wipe the top edge of the glass pane along the window frame. This will eliminate any drips from the top of the window frame. Next, decide which side of the window you will start to pull your squeegee from and wipe that edge as well from top to bottom. Now, place your squeegee against the glass’ surface and lightly pull from 0ne side to the other. Return to your starting point and repeat on the lower half of the window until you have completely wiped the entire window dry. It is important to wipe the edge of  the squeegee  dry between passes to eliminate streaking. Finish up by wiping the bottom edge and the finish edge ( or opposite side you started pulling your squeegee from) You have successfully cleaned your first window. Congratulations!

Using the strip washer and razor tool!

Welcome back! Now that we have thoroughly cleaned our screens and they have been set the aside to dry, it is time to move on to cleaning those windows. We will need to go ahead and dump out the soapy water that we used for cleaning the screens and rinse our bucket out. The type of soap that is used for cleaning the  glass is going to be a special concentrated liquid soap  formulated solely for the purpose of  window cleaning. I believe  the best soap available to the homeowner is a product called Easy Glide. It comes in a 1 quart container and can be purchased at your local home improvement center for around $6.00 ( currently this soap is only available at the Home Depot, Lowe’s carries another product called Squeegee Off ,  it is similar in cost ($4.97)  but its fragrance is not as desirable nor is it as concentrated). The one quart container of Easy Glide  makes approximately 25 gallons of window cleaning solution. The average home will require only one gallon per cleaning so this concentrate should last you for many years. In my opinion this is the best smelling soap available on the market today. I have had customers comment many times about it. This product is 100% biodegradable and water based. No dangerous chemicals to worry about if you have curious pets or small children that like to splash in your bucket!

Mix the cleaning concentrate per the manufacturers instructions. To clean the windows we are going to use what is called a Strip Washer. These can also be purchased at your local home improvement stores ( Please see my complete list of items required for window cleaning in previous post) Submerge your strip washer in your bucket of cleaning solution, let as much of the solution drain out of the washer as possible, and proceed to your first  window. place the wet washer against the glass moving it in a back and forth motion until the entire surface of the glass has been wet.  At this point you are going to take your six inch straight razor tool ( from required items list) and ,carefully placing the tool against the glass, slide the razor back and forth across the window pane. the goal here is to remove any paint over spray/ drips, bug deposits, tree sap, etc. from the glass. If you find that the window is drying , re-wet the surface with your strip-washer and continue until the razor slides easily across the pane. You can actually hear the difference in the way the razor moves across the glass once it is cleaned.( at first you will hear a crunchy sound as it scrapes off the debris, after it will glide quietly across) Once you feel you have successfully scraped all of the heavy dirt from the glass it is time to move on to the squeegee work.

Setting your expectations: wetting and scraping each double hung window pane should take about 30 seconds. Always be extremely careful with your razor tool, I have seen incredible injury occur when not used with care. A holster to contain this tool when not in use is Highly recommended. (The links above are to give you a picture of what I am explaining. These items can be purchased from various stores.)

Lets grab our squeegees and get ready to see some real magic!

Always clean your screens first

Welcome back! Lets get started with this window cleaning job. I am going to walk you through the entire process of cleaning windows like the pros do. I will approach this  as if you were actually out ” on the job ” with me. ( if you have not read any other posts here, I own and operate a commercial and residential window cleaning company). To set your expectations, an average 2 story home with 20 – 25 double hung windows with screens, one  set of glass sliding doors, and a glass front storm door should take the newbie window cleaner approximately 4 to 5 hours start to finish. This is based on a one man crew. Of course if you have the older style windows with each window having multiple panels to clean, the job will take considerably longer. I actually cringe when I get a call to clean these types of windows because it is so labor intensive, but it can be done and done well. The advantage to these types is that the glass seems to be a clearer, higher quality glass. Especially if you are cleaning old leaded glass panels. That stuff just glistens after a proper cleaning! Makes the additional time and labor invested  all worth the while. Now…lets get to the first step!

Cleaning your screens the right way!

The first part of the job to set up your bucket and garden hose (with nozzle). Add a small amount of biodegradable soap to your bucket and fill halfway with clean water from the hose ( I like to use a fragrant liquid dish soap). I have heard of people using cleaner as harsh as oven cleaners to clean screens but that is complete overkill and can be a very dangerous undertaking if small children or pets are present. Take a look at the directions on  the side of an oven cleaner container … many suggest wearing rubber gloves? I’ll pass thanks.

Now that you have your bucket of soapy water ready, you will need a cleaning brush. I always use a brush sold as a “car wash” brush. These brushes are typically 8 inches in length by 3 inches in width and are made with a soft man made bristle. I always look for a brush that has a place to attach an extension pole ( usually a hole that is threaded to accept the threaded end of the pole…this saves by back from continuous bending over). OK…Go get your screens!

Carefully remove all screens from your home and bring them outside to where you have your soap and brush set up. It is best to bring the screens out grouped by room ( especially if you have a bunch of different sized windows) so you can easily re-install them after the windows have been cleaned. An alternate method is to use an permanent marker and write the name of the room ( master bedroom, kitchen etc.) somewhere on the edge of the screen frame. Now that you have all of your screens outside and in some sort of order, lets clean them!

Wet all the screens with the garden hose. They should be in piles so this should only take a few seconds to complete. This step helps the soapy brush  spread more easily over the screen. (Try it with a dry screen and you will see what I mean) Lay one screen flat, dip your brush in the soapy solution and proceed to scrub the screen. Pick one corner of the screen as a starting point and run your brush along the perimeter of the entire screen until you return. Follow up with a back and forth motion across the entire screen until the entire surface has been cleaned. The idea here is to reduce the static energy between the dirt and the surface of the screen. We are not scrubbing hard here. Light and gentle motions only! Flip the screen over and repeat the process. Set aside and move on to the next screen. After you have cleaned  a few screens, rinse the soap off of and set aside to dry as you continue.

Note: Always clean your screens on a hard surface. A concrete or asphalt driveway or deck make a nice place to do this part of the job. Laying a screen on an uneven surface like grass or stone  may cause major damage to the screen once you begin brushing. Set your cleaned screens aside in a sunny location ( if possible) to dry while you move on to the window cleaning portion of the job. They should be completely dry and ready for re-installation as soon as you are done the window cleaning.

Tune in next time when we get into the ” dirt” of the job. Get your squeegees ready!

How to choose the right cleaning solution

I love those TV commercials for Windex glass cleaners, Especially the one where the two birds are perched in a tree outside the back door of an  unsuspecting homeowner. One bird flys around to the front door and rings the doorbell. The homeowner gets up and enters his home through a rear sliding glass door ( leaving the door open behind him) After opening the front door, and seeing that nobody is there,  he turns with plans to return to  the back deck ( not knowing that in the meantime, the birds have quietly slid the glass door closed). The punch line is , of course, the homewowner  collides with the glass door! Now that’s some clean glass!  

Perhaps I like this commercial because I am in the window cleaning business or maybe it is because I myself  have walked into glass doors after cleaning them ( not seeing the glass, believing the door was open ) but the reason I bring it up is that most people go this route to clean their windows. They buy a bottle of Ammonia based window cleaner and a half dozen rolls  of  paper towels and off they go in hopes of achieving the same results that  are seen in advertisements. Unfortunately, This techniques does not work. period! 

First, who wants to breathe  in ammonia fumes all day while  cleaning windows, and second, paper towels leave behind lint, they tear, they require trees to be harvested, and they are a repeat expense that is not required.

The solution is very simple. For the average homeowner, a one time purchase of the following items will be required:

1. one (1 )  12″ rubber squeegee
2. one (1) 6″ rubber squeegee
3. six (6) recycled Huck/ surgical towels ( very important item)
4. biodegradable/ water based window cleaning soap
5. one (1) bucket ( at least 12″ wide to accomodate strip washer)
6. 6 ” straight razor tool
7. 12″ strip washer
8. extra fine (0000) steel wool pads
9. Extension Ladder
10. extension pole

Note: Depending on how often you clean your windows, the rubber portion of the squeegee  and the soap will need replacing. The average 1 quart bottle of window cleaning soap  concentrate makes 25 gallons of cleaner. Estimate one(1) gallon per cleaning  once a year and that should last approx. 25 years

All of these  items can be purchased at you local home improvement warehouse ( Lowe’s or home depot etc.)  for under $30.00. ( Ladder and extension pole will be extra but not everyone will need these to complete their cleaning job).

Tune in to my other posts where I teach how to use all of the items listed above to get those professionally clean looking windows! .You can do it…Its easy!

Please feel free to ask questions… I will respond to / answer  all comments to the best of my ability.

Let’s take the pane out of cleaning windows!

Ironically, tax time and the start of the window cleaning season are just about the same time of year, and equally painful for some. Luckily, as with anything , the more you do it the better you become. The better you become , the more impressive the results. My goal here is to offer my knowledge of window cleaning to help those of you that want clean windows but do not want to pay a professional to do it. I have owned and operated a professional window cleaning company for several years, servicing both residential and commercial clients. Along the way I have gained quite a bit of insider information that will, without doubt, make your work quicker, easier, and a much less painful process. Use my easy to learn techniques and before long you will be the envy of your neighborhood with the cleanest windows on the block.

Over the years, I have had many customers ask me what magic soap I use because they have tried to clean their windows and it turned  into a complete mess ( hence they called me) .  I always answer the same way …” No magic, just soap!” ( And the fun and easy techniques and tips that you will learn throughout this blog) So here’s the deal. you tune in and I teach and in a short time you will be seeing clearly again. Or at least you’ll be seeing through clear, clean windows!