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!