Clean windows do not come by themselves. Cold and clean water, the right amount of dishwashing liquid and technology and the right choice of equipment provide beautiful, freshly plastered windows without streaks. Read on and get the best tips and tricks on how to wash windows so that you achieve a great result without streaks.
Choose the right equipment to polish your windows
You will need the following when washing your windows:
- A bucket of cold water
- Dishwashing liquid and possibly vinegar
- A damp cleaning cloth and a sponge
- A proper scraper of good quality
- A tea towel or a dry, lint-free cloth
How to make your own water mixture for window cleaning
When you need to wash windows, it is a good idea not to just use plain water for window cleaning. This is because there is a lot of lime in the water, which can cause streaks on your windows. To avoid this, you can advantageously mix the water for Vinduespudser with household vinegar. It can help remove stubborn and greasy stains, as well as the limescale streaks that can be caused by washing with calcareous water.
If your windows are very dirty, you can advantageously add half a hood of salmon spirit and a tablespoon of dishwashing detergent in the above mixture. However, be aware that when you use ammonia alcohol to wash your windows inside, you must ensure good ventilation afterwards.
How to make a good mixture for window cleaning:
- 1 deciliter of household vinegar
- 5 liters of cold or hot water
- Half hood salmiakspiritus (if the windows are very dirty)
- 1 tablespoon dishwashing detergent (if the windows are very dirty)
How to wash windows properly?
First, wipe the frame thoroughly before washing the window. Then moisten your sink or cloth and scrub extra well where the window is very dirty, dirty and greasy.
Move the scraper in one motion
It is important that you move the scraper in one motion. Make sure you overlap in the areas that you have already scraped to avoid streaks. You must remember to regularly wipe off excess water with your scraper, and you must change your washing water regularly when it gets dirty.
Start in the left corner and scrape as an inverted s
You should start with the scraper in the upper left corner and continue from there. It is always smartest to start at the top of the window so that no water gets out all over the pane. It does not matter whether you need to wash a large or a small window, where the glass is divided up as, for example, a Dannenberg window. Then scrape in one motion as an inverted S.
Finish with a dry cloth
Finally, use a dry cloth or tea towel to wipe the top, edges and bottom of the window to prevent streaks on the window. If your windows are very dirty, you may need to wash them twice.
How often should you clean your windows?
It is different how often you should clean windows. If you live in a place where there is a lot of dirt in the air, such as smoke from wood stoves or sand and salt from the beach and sea water, it will be necessary to wash windows relatively often. A good rule of thumb may be that you strive to wash your windows once a month. If you sand your windows often, there will also be less dirt and grease on them, which makes it both easier and faster to wash them.
Which weather is best when you need to clean windows?
You can actually clean windows in all kinds of weather, but it’s easier to see dirt on your windows when the sun is shining. However, direct sunlight also causes your windows to dry faster, which can result in streaks on the pane.
If you wash windows in frosty weather, the washing water will quickly freeze, which also gives streaks on the pane. Therefore, it is a good idea to keep the water you use warm so that it does not freeze on the windscreen. You also need to be quick with the razor.