Your Windows Are Your View To The World

All those beautiful windows ... we love them until it is time to clean them...

A professional quality squeegee is worth its weight in gold A professional quality squeegee is worth its weight in gold Don’t skimp when investing in a good-quality, professional squeegee. A few extra dollars up front will save tons of time and frustration when you are cleaning those windows. What’s the best size for your squeegee? Take note of your smallest window size and then choose the widest blade that will fit within it. « Hide this section A few more words of advice to consider when using a squeegee like the pros A few more words of advice to consider when using a squeegee like the pros If there is excess water along the edges of the window after using a squeegee, blot and remove with a dry, microfiber cloth. Be extra careful not to smear it over the freshly-cleaned area. Never attempt to squeegee clean a window in direct sunlight. It is almost guaranteed to leave streaks. It’s a good idea to wash the inside of windows first. Because the exterior of your windows collect much more dirt and residue from the outside environment, cleaning the outside will dirty your tools and water much faster. So start with the insides of the windows first and then finish the job with the outside. Between squeegee strokes, it’s a good idea to wipe off the excess water on the blade. Otherwise, you could start each stroke with a streak that will require additional effort to clear off later. Try using a side to side, fluid squeegee path, angling the blade when approaching the edges to start the turn at the edge. Then, round the pass along the edge and start back to the other side. With the proper technique, it’s possible to squeegee off an entire pane of glass in one fluid motion limiting the possibility of streaking and residue. Remember: practice makes perfect. When cleaning windows inside your home, always put an old towel down underneath the window to excess catch drips. « Hide this section Here are three easy steps to cleaning a large picture window like the pros Here are three easy steps to cleaning a large picture window like the pros Wash: Extra large picture windows call for extra large window washing tools. The soft, washable cover of our window scrubber soaks up a lot of cleaning solution and knocks dirt loose without scratching the glass. Need a little extra power? A cleaning solution, such as our Pill Glass Cleaner, will give you the extra dirt cutting power you need when plain water and liquid soap is just not enough. Squeegee Dry: Starting at the top left, pull the squeegee over the soapy pane in a side to side “S” pattern. At the end of each stroke, wipe the squeegee's blade clean with a lint-free cloth. Microfiber cloths are perfect for this task. Final Details: Remove any remaining water or moisture on the edges of the glass with a dry, lint free microfiber towel. Microfiber soaks up water and moisture without smearing or leaving streaks on the glass. Be sure to wipe the windowsill and area below the window clean, too. How To Clean Windows Like The Pros – A Demonstration « Hide this section Lot’s of little squares? Cleaning a Multi-pane Window Can Be A Challenge: Choose The Right Squeegee: Lot’s of little squares? Cleaning a Multi-pane Window Can Be A Challenge: Choose The Right Squeegee: To clean smaller multi pane windows, you need a squeegee that fits within the panes. It’s a good idea to have a smaller width squeegee on hand to breeze through your smaller, multi pane windows. We have squeegees as small as 6” wide for those smaller areas. Scrubbing down the smaller panes: A handheld sponge usually works best on multipane windows. We recommend our white and yellow scrubbing sponge. Using a preferred window cleaning solution such as our Pill Glass Cleaner, use the sponge to scrub each pane from left to right, top to bottom, working the sponge edges into the corners to loosen the dirt and grime. Use the squeegee to finish the job: Pull the squeegee down each pane in a single stroke from top to bottom. After each stroke, clean the blade with a dry cloth so it does not hold excess water and leave streaks. As in larger windows, remove any remaining water or moisture at the edges of the glass with a dry, lint free microfiber towel. Be sure to wipe the windowsill and area below the window clean, too. « Hide this selection Don’t forget about those window screens – they need a cleaning, too Don’t forget about those window screens – they need a cleaning, too If your windows are dirty, more than likely your window screens are dirty, too. As your windows accumulate dirt and grime throughout the year, your screens get just as much if not more leaving them looking dingy. When you're ready to do your window cleaning, consider washing your window screens at the same time. Then, when you're ready to open up your windows and let in the fresh air, you won't have to deal with dirt and debris blowing in off dirty window screens. Remove the screen from the window frame for cleaning. Never attempt to wash window screens in place on the window. It can damage the window screen itself by stretching it and pulling it out of its frame. Prepare the area and cleaning solution to wash the screens: Mix a bucket of screen cleaning solution using our SoilMaster all purpose cleaner. Then lay down a tarp or drop cloth on the grass to place the window screens during the cleaning process. This will give you a level surface and protect the screen from bending or tweaking while cleaning. Spray down dirty window screens well with water from the hose: Rinse the screen using low pressure and spray the stream slowly back and forth over the screen. Once you’re done with the first side, flip the window screen over and do the same on the other side. Spraying the screen off well with water first will remove loose dirt, grime and debris. Dip a flag tip brush into the bucket of SoilMaster cleaning solution. Start cleaning window screens at the top and work your way down scrubbing them with the flag tip brush. Overlap your brush strokes to be sure you do not miss a spot. Rinse off your flag tip brush regularly to avoid reapplying dirt. Scrub the frame of the window screen with the flag tip brush at the same time you are cleaning the screen area. Rinse off the screen thoroughly with water from the garden hose. Be sure to rinse both sides of the screen to remove any final cleaning residue and dirt. You’re just about done – time to dry the screen: Pick up the window screen and lightly tap it on the ground to shake off excess water. Then wipe down the entire window screen with an absorbent cloth such as microfiber to remove any remaining water and moisture. You can also set the screen upright against a wall to air dry the rest of the way. « Hide this selection Fun Facts On The History Of The Squeegee Fun Facts On The History Of The Squeegee The Origins Of The Squeegee: The squeegee goes back to the Middle Ages, when fishermen scraped fish guts off boat decks with wooden swabs called "squilgees." It wasn't until the turn of the 20th century that window washers adopted a rubber-bladed version of the tool. Introducing The Modern Squeegee: The Chicago squeegee, a heavy tool with two stiff pink rubber blades, was state of the art until the mid 1930’s, when Italian immigrant Ettore Steccone invented a light, brass- handled tool with a single, ultra-flexible blade. The "Ettore" brand is still manufactured by the late Steccone's California based company, remains a brand still recommended by professionals. The Squeegee As A Life Saving Tool: Window washer Jan Demczur used an Ettore squeegee to free himself and five others from an elevator shaft in the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks. The blade was never found, but Demczur's squeegee handle is now enshrined at the Smithsonian. How Fast Can You Squeegee Clean A Window? At the 2002 conference of the International Window Cleaning Association, in Reno, Nevada, Richard Moreau of France took first place in the speed-cleaning contest, using his 12-inch squeegee to wipe down three 45-inch-square windows in 15.76 seconds. « Hide this selection