The world is a beautiful place, but let’s be honest, most of the time we spend looking out at it is from inside our homes. We can already only see such a small slice of the world through our windows; why limit that further by squinting through dirt and grime? We should be looking through windows, not at them.
To truly enjoy the vistas you have, your windows should be spotless. There’s nothing worse than the late afternoon sun highlighting all the places you missed. Most of the time, it’s the dirt on the outside of the window that causes the problem, as it is much less often cleaned. Don’t worry, though; learning how to clean outside windows isn’t difficult. Just because it’s a chore doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. There are tips and tricks to make any task more manageable.
When it comes to cleaning your windows, you’ll need to make use of the best tools available to you. Utilizing these two recommended window cleaning solutions, a short list of tools, and these simple instructions, your windows will look so clean, they’ll practically be invisible. Here are the two best ways to clean windows in and out.
What You’ll Need
To clean your windows, you’ll first have to gather a few supplies first. Products and tools will vary due to necessity and the cleaning method you choose, but some choice supplies that are always helpful to have around include:
- A cleaning solution
- A lint-free towel or two
- Water
- A sponge
- A ladder or extendable cleaning tool
Store-bought cleaning solutions are great for indoor windows that have mild amounts of dirt, while dish soap solutions are the perfect choice when you have a little more grease and grime to contend with. A vinegar solution is the way to go if you’re cleaning the outsides of the windows or if your windows are just downright filthy.
The recommended choice of cleaning cloth is anything lint-free. This is because windows can become static while cleaning, and you want to avoid getting anything stuck to its freshly polished surface. In addition to this, lint-free cloths prevent scratching pretty well if you happen to have unseen grit somewhere in the mix.
Inside
To clean your windows inside, you will first have to decide on a method of attack. The insides of windows don’t usually get too dirty as they are not exposed to outside elements; however, they are exposed to a lot more grease.
Hands, faces, clothing, curtains, and even vapors from cooking all transfer grease to your windows, and that grease holds onto all the dust and dirt that comes into contact with it. Anyone with kids, especially, will understand just how easily large amounts of grease can get onto the windows.
Due to this abundance of grease and dust, you will need to use a solution to cut through the greasy layer holding all the other dirt on. The recommended solutions include:
- Store-bought window cleaner
- Soap (a few drops of dish soap in warm water works fine)
- Vinegar Solution (one part vinegar to one part water)
How To
First, gather your supplies. To clean indoor windows, you will need one of the above solutions – preferably a store-bought cleaner or the dish soap solution if your windows are on the dirtier side since this helps break down grease and grime –, water, and a couple of lint-free towels.
Step 1
Spray the window with your chosen solution. Start at the top.
Step 2
Give the window a preliminary wipe-down. Again, start at the top and, using small circular motions, work across and down the window with the towel. To avoid streaking, don’t make your circles too big.
Step 3
If the window still looks unclean, repeat steps 1 and 2.
Step 4
Wipe the window down again using the same motion as before, but this time use only water.
Step 5
Dry the window. This step is critical as it prevents streaking! Wipe the window with a dry cloth, always using small circular motions moving from the top down.
Step 6
Enjoy the view!
Outside
Now that the inside of your windows are clean, it’s time to learn how to clean outside windows. Outside windows tend to be dirtier as they are repeatedly assaulted by whatever the wind, rain, or snow picks up along the way and throws at them. There may be grit, mineral build-up, bird dropping, grass clippings, or even car exhaust fogging up your windows, gross, right?
To get this uncompromising grit off your windows without damaging them, you’ll want to use a lot of water and one or more of these three effective solutions:
- Store-bought window cleaner
- Soap (a few drops of dish soap in warm water works fine)
- Vinegar Solution (one part vinegar to one part water)
How To
The supplies you will need to clean your windows’ outsides include water, one or more cleaning solutions (depending on how dirty your windows are), and lint-free towels. The vinegar solution is our top recommended choice as it will work best at getting mineral residue and organic compounds off. Additionally, if your windows are high, you will need a ladder or long-reach sponge.
Step 1
Use the hose to spray down all the windows first. Doing this will knock off any loose dirt and grit and help you to avoid scratching the windows.
Step 2
Spray down the window as you would inside, from top to bottom.
Step 3
Use your sponge or towels to wipe down the windows with small circular motions, working down from the top. It is okay if you have to scrub over one spot, but always be sure to go over it again in a circular motion after cleaning.
Step 4
Hose down the window one more time (maybe).
Step 5
If the window is still dirty, repeat steps 2 through 4.
Step 6
Wipe down the window with a dry cloth. Move it in small circular motions from the top down. You can also let the windows dry by sun or wind, but you should wipe them dry for the best results.
Step 7
Voilà! Your windows are spotless, inside and out!
Wrapping Up
Chores are never fun; that’s why we call them chores. Cleaning windows especially seems to be a task reserved for only thorough spring-cleanings. However, with these two techniques, cleaning windows will never again be the painful, labor-intensive hurdle it once was.
By combining the solutions provided with these instructions, you should be able to tackle any dirty window.
The two techniques – inside and outside – are guaranteed to offer the best results. The real trick for cleaning inside windows is the small circular scrubbing motion. A cleaning solution can only take you so far. You have to get the technique down. Outside windows are much the same, but require more water, a more robust solution, and a little more determination.
So, now you know the best way to clean windows. Just remember, cleaning your windows is worth all the work. The increase in natural light and cleanness of the view will astound you.