Have you ever wondered how those professional window washers move so fast with the squeegee, and how the windows turn out perfect? Well, there really are some tricks to it that are simple to learn, and once you do, dare I say it, you may even enjoy washing windows? It is possible!
The first trick is to invest in a good squeegee. They aren’t very expensive and they are worth every cent! Those $1.99 ones just will not do. A professional squeegee has a very soft, rubber blade with no imperfections in it. You can also get extra rubber blades and simply replace the used one when it wears out. There are probably many sources to get one, but a source I like is The Clean Team. http://www.TheCleanTeam.com a basic, professional squeegee from them runs $9.95.
Secondly, do your windows on a cool, or cloudy day. If you HAVE to do it in the sun, do it in the morning. What you want to avoid here is heat. Heat works against you.
Get a bucket of lukewarm water (not hot), and add 2-3 tablespoons of plain ammonia. Use a sponge that has a white scrubber on the other side (don’t use the green ones, they are too course). Wet your window with the sponge side, then flip to the white scrub pad side, and scrub the window. You’ll be able to “feel” when it’s clean. You’ll feel rough patches, etc when it’s still not clean. This is a step most people fail at, if the window simply isn’t clean, it’s going to look cloudy when done. Scrub well.
You’ll also need lots of clean, white cotton rags/towels/cleaning cloths. Diapers work great here. Dry by hand a 1 inch strip at the top of the window.
The trick for no streaks with the squeegee, is placing the dry rubber blade on a dry window.
Take the squeegee now and place it at the top of the window in that 1 inch dry strip. Pull down smoothly. Dry your squeegee blade with between each sweep. Finish window, if need be do one last sweep left to right at the bottom of the window.
Take a dry, clean cloth and run with your finger down each window side and across the bottom to clean and dry the edges. They should look perfect! And you’ll feel great having clean windows.
© Copyright Valerie Garner. All rights reserved.
The Author:
Valerie Garner — Get a series of no cost traffic builders that work to get traffic to your website, plus a few ideas for earning income too. Many unique resources you’ll love!
For streak free windows and mirrors, use rubbing alchol. It also removes those hard stains on mirrors, like hairspray, toothpaste and much more.
Thank you for sharing the tip about using rubbing alcohol for streak-free windows and mirrors! I’ll definitely give it a try, especially for those tough stains like hairspray and toothpaste.
To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs.
I never knew that vodka could be used to clean eyeglasses! That’s a great alternative to traditional lens cleaners. Plus, the added benefit of killing germs is a bonus.
When wiping your favorite window cleaner off the windows, use newspaper instead of towels. It really works.
Using newspaper to wipe off window cleaner instead of towels sounds interesting. It’s a great way to clean the windows and reuse the newspaper at the same time. Thanks for the tip!
Newspaper for Window Cleaning
A mixture of vinegar and water works just as well as a commercial product, usually half/ half in a spray bottle. Spray on the windows, wipe with the newspaper, and then just compost the newspaper. Cheaper, safe for those with environmental sensitivities, and it works too.
I agree, a vinegar and water mixture is a fantastic alternative to commercial window cleaners. Not only is it cheaper, but it’s also more environmentally friendly. I love the idea of using newspaper to wipe it off and then composting it. That’s a win-win!