With Spring almost here now’s the time you should be thinking about some good old fashioned spring cleaning. When it comes to cleaning your building there’s one task that is simple but highly effective in making your building stand out. That task is window washing.
Window washing, when done right, can brighten the appearance of your business by providing that extra shine to your building. In this article we discuss the 5 steps needed to wash your windows like a pro.
Items needed in order to properly clean your windows:
Bucket or tub
Dish soap
Terry Cloth
Window Scrubber
Squeegee
Microfiber Towel
Step 1 – Filling up the tub
Fill your bucket up with water and add dish soap. Dish soap is key because it contains a wetting agent. This chemical keeps the glass wet longer, making it easier for the squeegee to glide across the surface.
Step 2 – Cleaning the window frames
Remove all the dirt from the window frame by wiping it down with the terry cloth. The terry cloth does an excellent job of attracting dirt from the frame and really gets those hard to reach areas.
Step 3 – Washing the windows
Soak the scrubber end of the window scrubber in the tub of water. Squeeze out as much water as you can from the scrubber to avoid water dripping down while washing. If the water begins to drip down the scrubber you can flip the scrubber by rotating it 180 degrees; this will give you more time to scrub as the water begins to travel down the opposite side of the scrubber. When cleaning the window you’ll move your scrubber side to side, washing the entire window. Only a light amount of pressure is needed while washing the window as you do not want to soak the glass.
Step 4 – Squeegee time
Now it’s time for the squeegee, this is where you’ll get to see your windows really shine! The key to getting a good shine with the squeegee is to keep your wrist relaxed while moving across the glass. Too firm of a grip can cause stuttering in your movement which will create streaks on the window. Begin moving side to side until you’ve cleaned the entire window
Pro Tip: If you want to use a squeegee like a pro, place the squeegee at the top of the window at an angle to where only about ¾ of an inch is touching the window. Move the squeegee across the window to create a dry edge spanning the width of the window on the glass. You’ll then place your squeegee at the top of the window and move down the window until the entire glass has been cleaned. Having the dry edge prior to using the squeegee is important because without it the water will begin to run down the glass.
Step 5 – The finishing touches
Once the entire window has been washed and squeegeed, you’ll notice the edges of the window frames are still wet. Using the microfiber towel you can easily dry the edges of the frame. A regular cloth towel is not ideal in this scenario as it will quickly become damp and unable to completely dry the surface. The microfiber towel allows you to dry the area even if the towel is damp or wet.
Using the above method is sure to leave your windows shiny and clean. But some windows are not so easy to clean, especially those windows that are several stories high; that’s where we come in. At Tot Commercial Cleaning we have the professionals and equipment to wash the windows of your building no matter how high they are. If you want your building to stand out with that welcoming shine, give us a call today and we’ll set you up with an appointment.