Here’s how to clean out your bloated hard drive in Windows 10

Is your hard drive feeling a little crowded lately? Having more free space on your hard disk can improve speed. By getting rid of files and moving data to other devices, you can quickly clean your hard drive in Windows 10. Here are the easiest ways to free up PC space quickly.

Empty the recycle bin

Ah, the beloved old recycle bin. It’s nice to know that some things about Windows haven’t changed in a long time. Windows 10 still uses the recycle bin to hide all the files you want to throw away, and emptying it can prove useful in freeing up extra space.

You can right-click on the Recycle Bin icon for the option to empty it directly. If you can’t find the icon, then head to the Start menu, and go to Settings > System > Storage. You will be able to select local storage under This PC — look for and click Temporary Files. Doing so will bring up any locations for temporary files, including Recycle Bin. Tick the box next to Recycle Bin, select the Remove Files option at the top of the screen, and confirm your decision. That’s all it takes!

It should be noted that emptying your recycle bin will only help clean your Windows 10 hard disk if there’s a lot of stuff in that bin. When you first download Windows 10 — and long afterward, depending on your desktop habits — emptying it may not affect your hard drive much at all. If you aren’t sure, take a peek inside your bin and see how full it is first. A few GBs worth of data can still make a difference.

How to delete temporary files and downloads

Remember how emptying the recycle bin took you through the temporary files section? If you want to broaden your hard drive cleaning activities, then you can delete all temporary files.

What exactly are you getting rid of here? Well, Windows temp files manage document editing, some application processes, various printing tasks, and so on.

These files are usually automatically deleted, but sometimes they hang on. Please get rid of them all by ticking the box next to each file type, then clicking on the Remove Files option at the top of the screen.

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Another time files are automatically created occurs when you download anything from the internet. These files pop up in your downloads and tend to stick around — which means they can quickly stack up if you are downloading a lot of content to your Windows 10 desktop.

Go to your Downloads folder via File Explorer > This PC > Downloads and delete any files that you no longer need by highlighting them in groups or individually. This method is a great way to clear out space manually without accidentally deleting something you’ll need later.

How to uninstall apps

Too many apps can lead to an eventual slowdown or lack of space for other content, especially on smaller, lighter Windows devices (looking at you, Surface tablets). Some apps can take up a lot of space — the trick is finding which hog the most room on your hard drive and which you can live without.

From the Start menu, go to Settings, select Apps, and then select Apps & Features. Here, you can see all the apps downloaded. Windows 10 allows you to arrange them by various statistics — if you have a long list, organize them by the amount of hard drive space they are taking up.

See which apps are hogging the most data, and delete those that you don’t use. Double-check that the app doesn’t have anything too valuable, then select it and choose Uninstall.

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How to change how you use OneDrive

OneDrive is a cloud service for Windows, so you would think that all the cloud data it uses would help free hard drive space, not take it up. This is true, except for one particular OneDrive feature — the ability to save files offline, which you may not even know that you are using.

Sometimes this is handy. If you are dealing with sensitive files or big projects with some sharp deadlines, it’s a good idea to have a backup. But if you are using OneDrive and automatically saving offline for every file and doc at work, school, or home, you probably waste hard drive space.

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The OneDrive icon should be waiting on the right side of your taskbar (it may be lurking under the Show Hidden Icons arrow). Click on the Cloud icon, choose Settings (the three dots in the upper-right corner), and then select the Preferences option. Doing so will take you to all the file types that OneDrive is saving offline and how much space each takes up.

Unselect all the OneDrive folders that you don’t need. Remember, you can still access all these files online at OneDrive.com, so you aren’t losing anything.

Use your Xbox One

Microsoft platforms are growing increasingly interconnected, and the convergence is very apparent in Windows 10, which connects more freely to other Microsoft devices like the Xbox One game console. If you have an Xbox One, you can use it to help save some space by swapping out select apps and data. You can stream content from the Xbox to your Windows 10 PC with just a few steps.

This service allows you to store data on the game console and free up your PC if you have content you only use at home. Just remember to delete the data from your PC after you transfer it to the Xbox.

Use an external drive

From USB drives to full external hard drives, one of the simplest ways to clean up your hard drive on Windows 10 is to move extra data outside your computer.

First, hook up a hard drive and make sure that it is properly formatted and ready for uploads. Dragging and dropping a file into the new drive using File Explorer will create a copy of the file, allowing you to erase the original.

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However, it is also possible for you to move large chunks of files at one time. Go to the taskbar and open your File, Explorer . From there, select all the files you want to transfer outside your PC hard drive. Once you have them all highlighted, go to the Home menu at the top of the screen. Select Move To , then select Choose Location . Find your external drive on the list and select it. All of your files will drop into that destination. This is a full transfer, so you don’t even have to erase anything from your computer afterward.

Use a cloud storage service

Purchasing an external hard drive or USB device isn’t your only option for offloading and saving your files. Instead, you can copy your files to free or paid cloud storage services . You can then delete the copy on your PC, which will free up more space on your computer.

Cloud storage is a safe and easy way to store your files. Some of the advantages include the ability to copy your operating system and files to transfer and restore them on a new device if you need to.

Rather than relying on physical storage like USBs and external hard drives, you can use a cloud-based service to “carry” documents with you and access them anywhere you need to. All you need is a login email or username and password to access your files.

Many smartphones will automatically save certain files, such as photos, to the cloud. The cloud is an ideal backup system because you can save your files even if your phone crashes. You’re also able to access any files in the cloud from different devices.

PC users can either drag-and-drop data to cloud storage or upload the files with little difficulty. Be aware of how much cloud storage space you have so you’ll know you have room for all of your files.

Widely-used examples of cloud-based services include iDrive (our favorite), plus Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and iCloud. Companies are constantly developing cloud options, so you’ll be able to find the perfect fit for your storage needs.

Read reviews and consider how big of a name your cloud service has so you can be sure it’s trustworthy and secure. That way, you can practically guarantee your files aren’t going anywhere — ever.

How to clean very dirty reflective windows?

Published by Kiril Topalov on November 15, 2020

Everyone will agree that a perfectly cleaned building makes a good impression. That attractive look is achieved by regular and proper cleaning of the building’s exterior windows.

If you are a home or business building owner you are likely to wish to have a beautifully-looking commercial or residential building that makes a positive impression upon customers and residents.

Well-cleaned windows provide you with numerous benefits to both your business, your health and the well-being of your customer, employees and guests.

There are different types of window glass. Each type of glass has its characteristic features and requires a special approach when it comes to its effective cleaning.

Regular window cleaning is important for the proper maintenance of every type of property. As it is with all types of window cleaning, reflective window glass cleaning should be also performed regularly to ensure a well-maintained look of your property all year round.

You should know that reflective window glass needs a special type of cleaning to ensure an efficient cleaning.

Reflective windows also called (low-E glass) have their specific features and consequently a special cleaning approach. This type of glass needs a certain cleaning approach in order to retain its beautiful look.

Reflective window glass is almost the same as standard window glass but it has a thin metallic film on one of its sides. This metallic coating is fused on the window glass.

Reflective window glass offers you great benefits no matter if you have a residential or commercial type of property. Besides a beautiful reflection, reflective window glass offers you high performance for your windows and low energy bill for your household or business.

What is low-E glass?

Reflective glass was initially used for commercial office buildings as a way to increase energy efficiency by reducing heat loss as much as possible.

Low-E glass falls in the category of energy efficient type of glass and this window glass type has an low-E coating which was created with the purpose to decrease the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that is entering the room through the window glass. But this window coating doesn’t decrease the amount of light that comes through the glass.

Low-E glass is equipped with a microscopically thin coating which has a transparent surface. It’s thinner than a human hair and it’s one of the best window glass types you can choose for your building.

The main role of this thin coating is to reflect the heat. It reflects the interior heat back inside the property. Low-E coating helps you keep a consistent temperature in your home as it reflects the interior temperatures back inside.

This great feature makes window glass with a low-E coating a perfect option for those property owners who want to save on energy bills and are looking for an energy efficient type of window glass.

Energy-efficient glass is suitable not only for homes or small low-rise buildings but also for mid-rise or high-rise commercial or office buildings.

As you know energy efficiency is an important factor in a building. According to the experts 70% of energy loss in a building happens through doors and windows and 90% of the window heat loss happens through the glass.

There are different types of low-E glass for windows and your choice will depend on the area where your building is located.

Low-E coating helps you save money, boost the performance of your windows and decrease your energy bills. It also prolongs the life of the furniture inside your building and stops the natural fading process of décor and furniture by stopping the harmful UV rays coming from outside.

There are different types of low-E coatings as well. Softcoat Low-E coating keeps the warmth inside the property during the winter season and during summer keeps the solar heat and UV rays out of the building’s interior while allowing only the visible light to enter.

Types of low-E coatings for window glass and how they are manufactured

Solar control low-E coating -Soft coat

This type of low-E coating is created with a special technological process called Magnetron Sputtering Vapor Deposition (MSVD). It has the highest performing solar control. During this process the coating is applied on a pre-cut glass in a vacuum chamber. This process is performed at a room temperature.

Solar control low-E coating is sealed in a laminated unit or insulated glass (IG).This type of soft low-E coating characterizes with excellent solar control performance and lower emissivity.

Passive low-E coating – Hard coat

Passive low-E coating is created with a pyrolytic process which gives its pyrolytic coating. During its production on the float line, the coating is applied on the glass ribbon. This process establishes a fusion between the coating and the hot glass surface and it creates a strong bond between the two. As a result of this fusion the coating on the glass has increased durability.

When considering which type of low-E coat is best for you, you should first consider what type of window glass will be most suitable for your building.

Cleaning reflective glass isn’t too complicated of a task. If you decide to perform your reflective window glass cleaning by yourself, then you should follow the next cleaning steps.

Reflective glass leaning: Steps

1.Routine cleaning

That first step is needed to remove the visible fingerprints and dust on the glass and prepare the surface for the next steps. All you need to complete this step is plain water, water mixed with a little dish detergent and 10:1 water to vinegar solution.

Fill a spray bottle with pure water and spray on the window glass on its top and bottom part to get rid of the accumulated small dirt and dust particles.

Get another spray bottle and fill it with a mixture of water and dish detergent. Spray from this soapy water on the window glass surface.

If there are stubborn stains on your glass, fill the spray bottle with the 10:1 vinegar solution. Rinse generously with pure water.

Now get a lint-free cloth and wipe the excess water. For a streak-free result leave a thin film of moisture on the window glass and wait until it evaporates. Make sure there are no water drips on the glass, just a thin film of moisture.

2. Spot cleaning

This step is needed to remove the stubborn dirt that cannot be removed by routine cleaning only. For this step you need acetone, denatured alcohol and mineral turpentine that have a powerful action on different types of dirt. Pick one of those solvents for your cleaning task.

Get a lint-free cleaning cloth and wet one of its corners with the solvent of your choice.

Then rub the dirty spot you want to clean with the cloth in a gentle way. Stay away for painted surfaces while cleaning to prevent the solvents from reacting negatively with the paint.

3.Cleaning stains and scratches

Low-E glass can be easily damaged by metal objects such as scourers, blades, rings, watches and other things. Stains and scratches caused by metal can be removed with a 99:1 cleaning solution containing hydrochloric acid and water.

When preparing this cleaning solution, add the acid to the water first and not the other way round. Get a lint-free cloth and dip it in the 99:1 solution. Then gently rub the scratched or stained spot on the window with cloth.

There are certain things that are not recommended for use on reflective glass. These are alcohol-based products, abrasive cleaners, powder-based cleaners, ammonia-based products, acid-based cleaners, objects made from metal such as scourers, scrapers, blades or squeegees, harsh alkali.

When it comes to window cleaning there are many reasons to choose the services of professional cleaning companies.

Professional cleaning companies use the latest window cleaning equipment and special techniques to ensure perfect end result and handle even the most stubborn window dirt. They can provide you with quick and efficient window cleaning services.