5 Ways to Clean Outside Windows Before Winter

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Your dirty, dusty windows could be why 5 p.m. sunsets make you want to retreat under a Snuggie.

Grimy windows significantly limit the amount of sunlight that fills a space during short winter days. The lack of natural light can send even the sunniest of dispositions into hibernation.

Whether you live in a fifth-floor walk-up or detached home, you don’t have to spend another minute stuck looking out of dirty plates of glass. Here are five ways you can get your windows sparkling clean inside and out before winter.

Magnetic Window Cleaner

Cleaning the exterior side of windows that don’t unlatch and lower into a room is no easy task, especially for apartment dwellers—unless you want to teeter dangerously on a window ledge.

Or you can pick up a magnetic window cleaner that won’t risk life or limb.

Tools such as these wash both sides of a window at once using microfiber cleaning cloths to wipe off any liquid cleaning product you decide to use.

Folks who own these gizmos say it takes some practice to get the tool to glide smoothly. For example, pushing it around too quickly while cleaning can disconnect the magnets.

Grab a Mop to Clean Your Windows

A standard mop can make washing exterior windows a snap.

Try this recipe for getting glass sparkling clean:

• Mix one part water to one part vinegar in a small bucket.
• Dip a clean microfiber cloth or mop head into the solution, and attach to the mop handle.
• Scrub your exterior windows with the mop.

Once most of the crud is gone, move on to the next step.

• Spray a streak-free window cleaner onto the glass or on a clean microfiber cloth and wipe.
• Wait for the window to dry.
• Wipe the dried glass with newspaper for a streak-free shine. If your hands don’t reach the window, you can skip this step.

And most important, don’t be a daredevil. For example, never climb out onto a window ledge or dodgy fire escape to clean your windows.

Apartment-Friendly Window Cleaning Kit

You could scrub exterior windows from inside your home with a U-shaped telescopic pole. The set shown includes two cleaning attachments: a squeegee, and circular sponge with two cleaning cloths.

The handle extends and works best on sliding windows. It removes most of the dirt caked on double-hung windows.

You might want to place a plastic drop cloth near the window sill and the floor beneath the window. Don’t forget to vacuum the window tracks. Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe off any dust, dirt, and icky dead bugs that remain. Follow these other tips when cleaning:

• Dry brush the windows with a dry rag that covered the circular sponge. Eliminating some of the dirt this way first reduces the muddy mess a spray cleaner will create later.
• Spray the glass with several coats of Biokleen Window Cleaner. It’s an eco-friendly product that cuts through yucky crud and grease much quicker than water and vinegar. Even better is that it dries to a streak-free shine.
• Wipe the cleaner from the windows using clean rags that you can slip over the circular sponge.

Easy Way to Clean Window Screens

Dirty window screens can also reduce the amount of natural light in your home. One of the best ways to clean them is to pop them out, bring them outside, and hose them down with water. Don’t have an outdoor space? You can leave the screen in place and do this instead:

• Wipe off dust using a microfiber cloth or a disposable dust cloth.
• Vacuum each screen using a brush attachment.
• Mix one part water with one part vinegar, and lightly spray on the screen toward the outside.
• Avoid a gooey mess by wiping off the solution with a rag immediately after spraying

Tip: Got a bathtub? You can rinse each screen one at a time after dusting and vacuuming in the tub using a handheld shower attachment.

Let a Robot Clean Your Windows

Do you hate washing windows? The Winbot by Ecovacs Robotics is like a Roomba for vertical glass surfaces.

The appliance debuted in the United States in 2013 to spotty reviews. Nevertheless, its WINBOT 850 is a significant improvement. Equipped with a higher-speed fan motor, it cleans more efficiently using stronger suction that boosts stability. It’s quieter too so you can do your thing at home without being distracted by annoying noise.

Here’s how it works:

• Place the safety pod and harness that’s attached to the machine on the inside of your window. It will catch the appliance if it falls.
• Attach the cleaning pad and spray with cleaning solution. The appliance has two built-in squeegees.
• Flip the on switch.
• Position the WINBOT 850 on the window (inside or out).
• Before the gizmo starts cleaning, it scans the window to find out the best path to take.
• When the window is clean, the appliance will return to the starting position.

How to Clean Windows Like a Pro

Looking for the best window washing solutions? Follow our DIY window cleaning tips.

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The Best Way to Clean Windows

Ideally, windows should be washed twice a year, but it’s a task most people don’t look forward to. Part of what makes DIY window cleaning such a chore is that homeowners insist on doing it with wadded-up paper towels or newspaper, spray cleaner, and a ton of elbow grease.

“All that rubbing isn’t a good idea,” says Brent Weingard, owner of Expert Window Cleaners in New York City. “You’re just moving dirt around from one spot to another and putting a static charge on the glass, which attracts dust and dirt. As soon as you finish, the window looks dirty again.”

As Weingard demonstrates, it’s easier and more effective to clean windows like the pros do: with a squeegee and a few other readily available tools. The techniques aren’t complicated, he says, and the results may surprise you.

«I don’t know of anything that can transform living spaces so well. You don’t know what you’re missing until you do the windows,» says Weingard. Here are two 3-step methods for how to get streak-free windows at home; one for picture windows and another for multipane windows. Got stubborn spots? Refer to the last section to help you with those.

For Picture Windows

Step 1: Wash with a strip applicator

Picture windows call for large tools. The long cloth head of a strip applicator soaks up a lot of soapy water and knocks dirt loose without scratching the glass. For a cleaning solution, Weingard uses just a squirt of dishwashing liquid in a bucket of warm water—the less suds, the better.

Step 2: Wipe clean with a squeegee

Starting at the top left, pull the squeegee over the soapy pane in a reverse-S pattern (left-handers would start at the top right). At the end of each stroke, wipe the squeegee’s blade clean with a lint-free rag. Cloth diapers or old linen napkins are perfect for this task.

Step 3: Dry off remaining drips

Remove any water remaining on the edges of the glass with a damp, wrung-dry chamois, which soaks up wetness without leaving streaks. Dry the windowsill with a rag.

For Multipane Windows

Step 1: Customize the squeegee

To clean a divided-light window, you need a squeegee that fits the panes. Weingard uses a hacksaw to cut one to size. He trims the metal channel ¼ inch narrower than the window pane, then files the cut edges smooth. With a utility knife, he cuts the rubber blade to the pane’s full width and fits it into the channel so that it projects 1/8 inch at each end.

Step 2: Scrub the panes

A handheld sponge or hog-bristle brush works best on multipane windows. Weingard prefers natural sponges. «They’re firmer and more absorbent than synthetics,» he says. Using the same solution of a squirt of liquid soap in water, he rubs each pane from left to right, top to bottom, working the sponge edges or brush bristles into the corners to loosen dirt.

Step 3: Wipe clean with a squeegee

Pull the squeegee down each pane in a single stroke from top to bottom. After each stroke, clean the blade with a rag so it doesn’t leave streaks. (If the squeegee squeaks a lot, add a bit more soap to the water.) As above, remove any streaks on the glass with a chamois and dry the muntins and sill with a rag.

Getting rid of stubborn spots

Over time, hard-water runoff from masonry or rain falling through metal window screens leaves stubborn mineral stains on glass that normal washing can’t erase. So after a regular cleaning, Weingard wets the glass and gently «supercleans» it either with fine 000 steel wool (if the panes are small) or with Barkeeper’s Friend, which contains oxalic acid. (Other brands of powder may scratch the glass or fail to remove stains.) He mixes the powder into a paste on a wet towel, rubs away the stains, then rinses and squeegees the glass twice to remove the residue. Even with that treatment, the staining generally comes back in about six months.

To get rid of stains for good, Weingard recommends the application of 3 Star Barrier Glass Surface Protectant, a clear polymer coating. «After the stains are gone, you just put the coating on with a strip applicator and squeegee it off,» he says. Protection against staining is permanent, as long as the polymer is reapplied after each regular cleaning.

How to Wash Windows

Ideally, windows should be washed twice a year. There are two primary methods that can be used.

Cleaning Windows with a Squeegee

This is the method used by most professional window cleaners, and results in streak-free, spotless windows.

What you will need:

• Dish liquid
• Squeegee
• Clean cloth or sponge
• 2 buckets of water

Instructions:

1. Mix your cleaning solution, using 4 to 6 drops of dish liquid to 2 gallons of warm water. You can also use 1 cup of vinegar to 1 quart of water, or 1 cap full of ammonia per 2 gallons of water. The solutions work equally well, and it is really just a matter of personal preference.
2. Wet your cloth or sponge with the cleaning solution and wipe the window using broad circular motions. Pay close attention to corners and edges where dirt and grime tend to accumulate.
3. Dip the squeegee in clean water and then starting from the very top of the window pull it vertically down (from top to bottom) stopping an inch or two from the bottom.
4. Wipe the squeegee, dip in clean water, and repeat on the next section of the window.
5. When the entire window has been cleaned, wipe the squeegee and run it horizontally along the bottom of the window to remove any remaining water.
6. Using a clean paper towel or lint-free cloth, wipe up areas missed by the squeegee (i.e. along the edges and in the corners).
7. Wipe up any excess water on the window sill.

TIP: For stubborn residue or spots (i.e. paint or stuck-on bird droppings) gently scrape with a new razor blade. Careful though; always handle razor blades with extreme care. It is advised that you wear work gloves or use a scraper tool made for this purpose.

Spray and Wipe

This method is not as effective and is a little more difficult than the squeegee method, but is useful for smaller window panes where a squeegee won’t fit.

What you will need:

• Commercial Spray cleaner for windows (The foaming kind works best as it does not drip)
• Paper towels, newspaper, or lint-free cloths

Instructions:

1. Spray on cleaner in an “S” pattern zigzagging across the entire window pane.
2. Using a clean paper towel, wipe the window in a circular motion. Discard paper towel
3. Using another clean paper towel, wipe the remaining residue from the window using a smooth circular motion.

TIP: To save money and prevent lint from being left on the windows, newspaper may be used instead of paper towels.

How to Clean Elevated Exterior Windows

Unless you have casement windows which can be opened and cleaned from inside the house, second story windows can be a challenge. Ultimately the best way to reach the outside of those windows for cleaning is to use a ladder. NEVER hang out or dangle from an open window for cleaning or any other purpose!

• Inspect your ladder thoroughly before use for any defects or problems. NEVER use a ladder that appears damaged or unstable.
• Make sure your ladder is tall enough to safely reach the windows without standing on the top two rungs. .
• Position the ladder beside the house so that it is leaning on solid surface. .
• NEVER lean your ladder up against a gutter for support. The gutter is not strong enough to safely support the ladder or you. .
• NEVER lean your ladder up against the window glass. .
• ALWAYS work with a partner or someone nearby in the event of an emergency. .
• Make sure your ladder is placed securely on the ground and is as even as possible. Many hardware stores sell ladder stabilizers. It is also helpful have someone stand at the bottom to hold the ladder for extra support. .

Cleaning Windows From a Ladder:

1. Place your ladder in a location where you can comfortably reach the window you are cleaning without leaning to one side or the other. TIP: If your house has aluminum siding, wrap a rag around the part of the ladder leaning against the building so that it’s less likely to scratch the siding. Secure it with a rubber band.
2. Carry as little as possible when climbing the ladder, making extra trips if you have to. TIP: Rest your cleaning supplies on the window ledge, or hang them in a bucket from the ladder (many hardware stores sell tools designed for this purpose). You could also wear a workman’s apron or tool belt to help hold your supplies as you work.
3. Keep your weight evenly centered.
4. Use either cleaning method described above, working on only one window at a time. Pass cleaning materials from hand to hand behind your back so that you are not tempted to lean back and also to avoid scratching or damaging the siding on your house.

Additional Tips

If you have a fear of heights or have difficulty working on a ladder, you should call a professional to clean the outside windows. Many companies offer window cleaning services at very reasonable prices. Check your local yellow pages. You can also contact your local Chamber of Commerce. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the quality or reputation of local window cleaning services, check them out the Better Business Bureau before you hire.