Clean Rite Chicago

How To Get Your Windows To Shine

Why Should You Get Your Windows to Shine?

The window area is one part of a room known to be a dust haven and should be cleaned regularly. Clean and sparkling windows do a lot more than give your living space a neat look. It also creates an avenue for clean air to come in (which equates an airy room), reduces the chances of allergens accumulating, and gives an overall dust and grime free environment. 

But cleaning the windows of a room doesn’t come easy for the majority of us. From getting the right cleaning supplies, ensuring the curtains and drapes are appropriately washed and cleaning and wiping the windows until you get it spotless. 

But good news! We know just the right way to get your windows to sparkle like never before! 

Continue reading for our quick but straightforward tips on how to get your windows to shine bright like a diamond. 

Prep Your Window Area

Before you start cleaning, it’s crucial you prep your window areas to protect your walls, floors and carpets.  Take out clutter from your window sills – knickknacks and whatnot. Also, empty the area of furniture and other items likely to react adversely to water and cover the floors and carpets with a cloth to prevent it from soaking up moisture and getting damaged. 

Wash Drapes or Curtains

Wonder why you can’t stop sneezing or get your nose to quit running? It just might be your dusty curtains and drapes hanging over your windows. Many things contribute to a dingy window, and dirty curtains and drapes are no exception. 

For softer, lighter curtain fabrics, you can hand wash in a mixture of cold water and mild dish soap or detergent to prevent it from wrinkling. And if your window drapes are machine-friendly, wash on a low cycle setting and dry after that on a low heat setting. 

For special kind of fabrics like polyesters, beaded, sheer and lace curtains, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean to prevent causing irreparable damage to your curtains. 

Always Get Rid of the Dust

Before giving your window a go with soap and water, always take out the dust from the window panes first. This should be the first step of your cleaning proper. To dust, use a microfiber cloth or a lint-free duster to avoid making scratches on your windows. Some may stop at dusting but for an extra shine and to remove every speck of dust, we advise you to take the extra step to clean with soap and water after dust.

Try Natural Cleaning Agents

Sometimes, you should give your windows a break from company formulated cleaners and go through your kitchen for home remedy cleaning agents. Kitchen essentials like baking soda, white vinegar, lemon, lime, and others are good natural bleach, stain and odor removers that will work to up your general cleaning game.  And if going through your pantry is much of a big deal, just a bucket of soap and water will work wonders. 

Squeegees against Streaks

While smears and streaks will give take your cleaning job from a hundred to a zero, it’s really not rocket science to get clean streak-free windows. To effectively clean your windows without the appearance of streaks, wipe off the soap or cleaner in an S-shape using a squeegee and then mop dry with old newspapers or a soft lint-free cloth.

Clean In and Out

Might be a little stressful but the outer parts of your windows need to be cleaned too. They are the most affected by dust and other environmental pollutants. For the perfect shine, clean both the insides and the outsides of your windows (with non-abrasive cleaning tools) until you can see your reflection through your window glass – Isn’t this the goal?

 Pro Tip: never wash your windows on a sunny day. This may sound ironic because the sun is needed to get your windows dry in no time, but it will also dry it out too quickly and may give it every window cleaner’s dreaded nightmare – streaks. So, go cleaning on a cloudy day and leave the sunny days.

To keep your windows clean, ensure you clean regularly like once a week, and go pro with a cleaning service when you need to deep clean. With these tips and tricks, you can be sure of non-dingy windows forever.  

What other window cleaning tips do you know? Let us know.

How To Get Your Windows To Shine​
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