Did you know that there are laws regulating how many windows you must have in your house? There are also laws about window size, placement, and style. All these laws exist because your windows play such a key role in the comfort, functionality, and safety of your home.
For all their importance, windows are one of the easiest parts of our homes to take for granted. For many busy homeowners, cleaning windows can be an afterthought at best. Here’s what you need to know about getting and keeping your windows, especially those tricky, hard-to-reach ones, clean.
Why We Neglect Our Windows
Window cleaning is one of the chores most likely to be forgotten or skipped on everyone’s spring cleaning checklists, but why is that?
In most cases, it comes down to three primary reasons.
- Windows can be difficult or impossible to reach
- Windows can be time-consuming to clean
- Windows can require expensive specialty tools to clean well
- Windows are challenging to clean without streaks and other flaws in the finished work
All of these frustrations can make window-washing a homeowner’s least favorite maintenance task. Still, cleaning the windows in your home is exceptionally important.
Why Clean Windows Matter
Clean windows make a difference in your life in numerous unseen ways. Clean windows:
- Are more energy efficient than dirty windows
- Last longer before needing replacement
- Help keep your indoor air quality high
- Improve your home’s curb appeal
- Contribute to good health and lower utility bills by improving natural lighting in the home
Knowing that cleaning your windows is important is one thing. Figuring out how to tackle those hard-to-clean windows, however, is another.
Tools and Tips for Cleaning Windows
What do you do if you struggle with hard-to-clean windows? Here are the expert’s top tips.
Invest in the Right Tools
If you want to clean your windows yourself, there’s no way around the need to invest in the right tools. These include:
- Buckets
- Professional grade cleaning solution
- Professional grade squeegees and applicators
- Extension poles
- Extension ladders
- Safety glasses or goggles
- Non-slip shoes
Unsurprisingly, the cost of these items can rack up quickly. Trying to make do with inferior quality tools, however, will inevitably lead to inferior results.
Learn How to Remove Your Windows
Many windows can be removed from their frames. These include:
- Some windows that slide on a track side-to-side
- Storm windows
- Glass storm door panels
If your windows are removable, you might be able to take them out and lay them flat somewhere for cleaning. It is important not to do this yourself, however, if you:
- Are not physically strong enough to remove and replace the windows
- Do not have the balance or dexterity to safely remove and replace your windows
- Have windows in poor condition that may not go back together correctly
It is also important to keep in mind that this process can be time-consuming and messy and must be planned for accordingly.
Take Safety Precautions
Any time you want to use extension ladders, extension poles, and other devices to clean your windows, it is critical that you take appropriate safety measures. These include:
- Securing yourself to something whenever you are leaning out of windows to clean the exteriors
- Survey the area for trip and fall hazards, overhead wires, and other dangers before beginning and while working
- Do not use ladders that are not in good condition and stably secured on the ground
- Do not work in adverse weather conditions
Why Hiring Professional Window Cleaners Is a Good Choice
Most homeowners decide fairly quickly that hiring professionals to do a Soft Wash and window cleaning on their home is the way to go. A quick look at their logic makes it easy to see why.
- Buying the tools to clean your windows yourself is expensive
- Cleaning your windows can be tricky and even dangerous
- Even with the right equipment, it takes an experienced hand to get good results
- Window cleaning requires tremendous physical strength, endurance, dexterity, and flexibility
- Washing your own windows inside and out is time-consuming
Window cleaning services have the equipment, experience, and manpower to get all your windows spotlessly clean quickly, safely, and cost-effectively. Hiring professionals to periodically clean your home and windows is a solid investment that pays dividends for years to come.
How to Choose the Best Window Cleaner
If you are looking for an outdoor window cleaner service, how do you choose? The best option is to select a company that offers Soft Washing for your roof and the whole exterior of your home.
Why is this important?
Cleaning the whole exterior of your home at once is not only efficient, but also cost-effective. Getting all your outdoor cleaning tasks crossed off at once saves time and stress.
Perhaps more importantly, just as you clean the interior of your home top-down because order matters, the order in which you clean the exterior of your home matters, too.
For example, imagine that you clean your windows first. Then you come back later for a roof cleaning or power-washing of your home’s exterior. Dirt, debris, soap, and hard water from those later cleanings can all pollute your windows, forcing you to rewash them.
If you hire professionals using the Soft Wash method to clean everything at once, you save time and money by not needing to redo your windows later.
Your Window Cleaning Solution
When it comes to cleaning windows, it’s time to let stress be a thing of the past. Schedule an appointment today and let our experts give your home and windows the safe, thorough, and stress-free clean they deserve.