Window Washers Make Homes Sparkle

As you make your checklist during spring cleaning, don't forget the most important step in making your house brighter: washing windows. Though this task can be tedious due to the sheer number of units in the home, the results afterwards are well worth the work. However, make sure you take the proper steps in order make it worth your while.

The Right Stuff
Don't skimp on cleaning products. Without the right supplies any job becomes more difficult. So take some time to create quality-assurance by investing in some quality materials.

Squeegee: No matter how tempting, don't buy that five dollar squeegee at the hardware store. Cheap products equal shoddy work. Buy a $10-20 squeegee and invest in some additional replacement blades for future jobs.
Towels: If you don't have a squeegee, then make sure to avoid drying your windows with paper towels. They'll leave behind streaks and lint. Instead, use rags, diapers, or newspaper for steak-free drying.
Cleaner: You can use any household glass cleaner or commercial-strength concentrate, but make sure if you use soap that you measure it judiciously. If there's too much in your solution, streaks will occur. Better to use homemade concoctions using small doses vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or ammonia.

Window Washer Tips
First, make sure you perform this chore on a cloudy day. Too much sun will create streaks.
Second, remove excess dirt and grime with a rag or spray hose before washing windows.
Third, have a ladder or pole extension handy for that hard to reach glass.
Fourth, make sure you have dry towels handy to wipe off your squeegee after each pass. If you're using rags to dry the glass, make sure to have plenty on hand to avoid over-saturation, which will cause additional streaks.

Be Thorough
There's more to washing windows than just cleaning the exterior glass. As long as you're performing this annual task, make sure to take care of the interior as well. Remove and vacuum the inside shades, blinds, or curtains. And don't forget to dust the sills, wash the frames, and scrub the screens. As you wash the interior glass, you'll always want to lay down dry towels in order to avoid excess dripping onto floors.

Professional Window Washers
If you live in an apartment building or high-rise, or if you have hard-to-reach glass such as skylights or upper story windows, it may be best to hire a trained window washer. These professionals have the specialized technique and proper equipment (lifts, scaffolds, industrial cleaners, and manpower) to finish the job quickly and thoroughly.

Just make sure when you schedule an appointment that you can supply them with the appropriate information: How many windows do you have? Do you want them to include doors and screens as well? At what height are some of your units? Do they charge by the window, hour, or job? Is this a one-time or routine cleaning? All these factors will help them in planning the project so that they can finish the job as fast as they can.