Your glass windows and front door will always be the first things that people will see every time they visit your home. If you have dirty windows or doors, you will surely give your visitor a bad first impression.
9 Effective Ways to Clean Your Glass Windows
Glass windows easily get dirty. This is why you need to clean them regularly. You don’t need to contact a professional in order to do so. Here are some tips you can follow to make your windows sparkling clean.
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Pre-clean your glass window.
The outside portion of your windows are highly likely to have stubborn stains. They are exposed to minerals, hard water runoff, animal droppings, and other elements that can result to dirt and grime. You can use a mineral deposit cleaner like CLR. Dip a sponge into the cleaner and rub it onto the stains. Rinse it with water before proceeding with regular cleaning.
For hard water stains, spray some vinegar and let it soak for a minimum of 5 minutes. Rub off the stain with a cloth or sponge before doing regular cleaning.
You can also create a paste that is made out of water and a cleaner that has oxalic acid. Put the paste into the stained area. Give it a good rub with a clean cloth. Remove the paste by rinsing it with water before starting your regular cleaning.
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Vacuum or dust the inside portion of your window.
Dust tends to accumulate in the trickiest corners of your glass window. Make sure that you remove all of the dust by vacuuming it so that you will not spread the dirt around while you are cleaning.
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Clean your windows from top to bottom.
You should always make sure that your windows are streak free by cleaning it from top to bottom. Start at the top and work your way to the bottom so that no drips will be left on the glass surfaces that are already clean.
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Use a squeegee to clean your glass windows.
A squeegee makes a huge difference on how well you clean your glass windows. Needing to wipe repeatedly the sections of your glass window will surely leave streaks on the surface. A squeegee will make it quite easy to polish every corner of your window.
Your squeegee should have a long handle if you are cleaning tall windows, which can also be used for cleaning shower walls. Check that the squeegee fits the panes. You can use a hacksaw to cut it to size. Trim the metal channel a quarter of an inch narrower than the window pane.
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Clean your windows on a cloudy day.
The sun prematurely dries the glass window which leaves residues and streaks. Clean your windows on a cloudy day to achieve a polished and streak-free look.
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Use cotton swabs to reach the corners of your window.
Residue always builds up at the corners of your glass windows no matter how hard you try to prevent it. Reaching the residue can be quite difficult unless you use the right tool. A cotton swab can easily reach the tricky corners of your windows to get all of the residue that has accumulated.
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Use an old t-shirt to clean your windows.
Old t-shirts will not have any lint residue that may remain on the surface of your window. They are also very absorbent, which is quite helpful in polishing the windows. Using your old worn t-shirt will also help you save money when it comes to housekeeping expenses.
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Try using a homemade window cleaner.
If you want to save up on buying cleaning materials for your glass window, there is a homemade cleaner you can try. Mix 1 cup of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
The mixture of alcohol and vinegar results to a quick evaporating cleaner that is at par with the quality of cleaners available in stores. It can also give a nice shine to chrome, hard tiles, and other surfaces. You can also mix a dish detergent with hot water to remove the debris.
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Use ammonia for cleaning a cloudy glass window.
Cloudy glass windows cannot be cleaned in the normal fashion. However, there are several ways to make it happen. Start with a mixture of ammonia and dish water. See if the cloudiness will come off.
If this does not work, put a layer of Vaseline on the cloudy area and let it sit for at least a day, then wash it off. You can also use a denture cleaner. Let it sit in the cloudy area for a few minutes before washing it off.
Replace Your Glass Windows with Help from Glass King
There are times when simple cleaning will not do to bring back the former glory of your glass windows. Perhaps it’s already time to send them out for window repair or window replacement.
With Glass King, no job is too big or too small to handle. You can call us anytime to help you assess your window and get a quotation. Contact us now!
