Top ways to clean and care for your windows

Nothing brightens up your home better than clean, shiny windows and with the hours of daylight gradually getting shorter, it’s especially important to make the most of the natural light by looking after windows properly. You’ll find plenty of sometimes conflicting advice regarding this chore, some of which works and some of which is less effective. Follow our top tips on the best ways to clean windows and get it right the first time.

The best ways to clean windows inside

• Remove any loose dirt and dust
Use a soft brush or handheld vacuum cleaner to remove any accumulations of dirt and dust before you clean the glass. If you leave out this step, any gritty dust might scratch the window frames when you start to clean the glass. Larger accumulations of grime will turn into a wet mess when sprayed so it will take you much longer to achieve a streak-free finish.

• Clean blinds and curtains
If blinds are looking dusty, wipe them over with a clean microfibre cloth or duster. Take the opportunity to remove curtains and clean the curtain pole and hooks. Dry clean only curtains can be quickly refreshed by placing them in the tumble dryer on a low heat setting for 15 minutes.

• Spray on your preferred glass cleaning product
Don’t be sparing with it as you need to spritz it on liberally to dissolve dirt, dust and mould – otherwise, you run the risk of leaving streaks. The dirt is held in suspension by the glass cleaner so you can remove it easily. Work the cleaner into the corners of each window pane and then wipe it off with a soft cloth or paper towel.

• How to clean windows with vinegar
If you prefer to use natural products, you may be wondering how to clean windows with vinegar. If you want to go down the homemade route, you can try making your own glass cleaning spray using just a few simple ingredients. Place 200mls water, 50 ml white vinegar and 25 ml rubbing alcohol in an empty spray bottle and shake well to combine. Apply in the same way as a proprietary glass cleaner and remove with balls of rolled-up newspaper.

• Use a microfibre cloth
Glass cleaning cloths made of microfibre will not damage windows should any dust or grit get caught in them and will give a perfect, streak-free finish. Many people use paper towels to polish glass but if you take this option, make sure your paper towels are good quality. Cheaper ones disintegrate readily when damp and tend to leave paper fibres on the surface of the glass.

Exterior window care

Looking after windows properly is especially important at this time of year. When cleaning the exterior of your windows, it’s a good opportunity to check for any problems or damage before winter sets in.

• Call in the professionals
We usually recommend hiring a professional to clean high up exterior windows as it can be difficult and dangerous climbing a ladder and trying to clean them yourself. Professional window cleaners have the correct tools to make quick work of removing grime without damaging your windows. They also know what problems to look out for and can alert you to any areas that need attention before they become further damaged by rain, snow and ice.

• Use a pressure washer
If you plan on cleaning the exterior windows yourself, a pressure washer is a quick and easy way of cleaning ground floor windows. Dry off using a squeegee or a microfibre cloth. If you can’t quite reach the tops of the windows, a folding step stool provides a stable base and is light and easy to move around.

• A perfect finish
If you’re cleaning the exterior and interior of your windows, a handy tip is to polish the outside using only vertical movements and the inside using a horizontal direction. This way you can easily identify whether any streaks are on the inside or outside.

At Bergson & Eaton, we have a great range of stylish, energy-efficient windows to suit both traditional and contemporary homes. If your windows are nearing the end of their lifespan or you’d like to improve the thermal efficiency of your property, call into our Aylesbury showroom to chat with our window and door experts. Alternatively, complete our online form and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.