How To Clean Windows Without Streaks: Tips From the Professionals
You’ve spent time and effort washing your windows only to find a few minutes later that unsightly streaks make the glass almost translucent.
Maybe you have company coming, and there seems to be no way to eliminate the streaks. It looks anything but presentable.
Whether you’re entertaining company or not, no one wants to gaze out on the landscape through smudges and streaks.
We’ve got good news — you can make those streaky windows look professionally polished. All you need is some background knowledge about what is causing the streaks to appear and tips on specific things you can do to prevent it from happening.
Tidy Up Portland! understands your dilemma and is here to help you solve it. Read on for the information you need to clean windows effectively.
Table of Contents
Why Are My Windows Streaky After I Clean Them?
One possible cause of streaky windows is that you have diluted your cleaning agent with hard water, which leaves behind mineral deposits that create streaks.
Another might be you are cleaning your windows on a warm day, decreasing the amount of time it takes for the liquid part of the cleaner to evaporate. When the liquid portion evaporates too quickly, it leaves behind a residue.
Liquid cleaners that aren't entirely removed during cleaning can also leave streaks.
Tidy Up Portland! has a significant amount of experience with these issues. Let us know if we can assist you by cleaning your windows and saving you the trouble of dealing with the above-mentioned circumstances.
How To Clean Windows Without Leaving Streaks: 10 Methods You Can Try
If you are concerned about how to clean windows without streaking, there are several techniques and materials you can experiment with to avoid leaving streaks on your glass.
Consider and practice the following before you write yourself off as an incompetent window washer.
#1: Use a Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
There are a number of options for an effective homemade all-purpose cleaner.
Vinegar can be added to warm water (in a 50:50 ratio) to create an excellent cleaner. This is because vinegar’s acidic composition works to efficiently break down the film that accumulates on the window and leaves streaks behind if not fully cleaned.
Some helpful additions to this solution include:
Alcohol to help eliminate tough grime. This might be particularly helpful for the exterior of the windows.
Dish soap to give the solution a bit more cleaning power.
Essential oils, such as peppermint or tea tree oil, to improve the scent or produce other desirable effects, according to the properties of each oil.
#2: Dilute Cleaning Solution
To avoid streaks, dilute your cleaning agent with distilled water. Using distilled instead of tap water helps eliminate the mineral deposits that leave streaks or marks on windows.
#3: Clean When the Weather Is Right
Avoid cleaning on sunny or warm days because your cleaning solution will evaporate more quickly than you can wipe it off, leaving behind residue and streaks. Wait for a cloudy day with cooler weather.
#4: Use a Strip Applicator
A wooly strip applicator is one tool you can use to apply your cleaning agent to the window. Make a solution of dishwashing liquid and water, then dip the applicator into it and apply it to the window, scrubbing from left to right and top to bottom. Focus on trying to loosen grime from the edges as well.
The wooly strip creates a good lather that helps to clean really tough spots. Once the window is thoroughly scrubbed, a squeegee is the ideal option for removing all that lather.
#5: Use a Squeegee
Using a squeegee to remove your cleaning solution helps you avoid creating a static charge that attracts dust or dirt, which then gets smeared around the window. Cloths, newspapers, and paper towels all tend to have this effect.
If your window has multiple panes, pull the squeegee from the top to the bottom of each pane in a single stroke. If you have a picture window or one without panes, move the squeegee in a reverse S pattern from the top left to the bottom right. Repeat this motion, overlapping the previous stroke slightly. Remove remaining moisture with a chamois cloth or microfiber towel.
#6: Wipe In A Z-Shaped Motion
Another technique for removing moisture and cleaning agents from the window is to hold the squeegee at a 45-degree angle and wipe in a Z motion. Don’t forget to wipe the squeegee clean and dry between strokes.
#7: Minimize Suds
Unless you have a very soiled window and need to use a wooly strip applicator to thoroughly dislodge the grime, you can be modest when applying your cleaning solution. Too many suds create a thicker material for you to wipe through to get to the dirt and grime, leaving residue on the glass.
#8: Work in Sections
Only spray solution right where you’re cleaning rather than on the entire window at once. If you’re not immediately working to wipe it away, it sits there and begins to dry on the window pane. When the liquid portion evaporates, cleaning agent residue is left behind and makes the window look streaky.
Alternatively, spray the solution directly onto your cloth and then apply it to the window.
#9: Avoid Using Paper Towels
Paper towels can leave lint streaks all across your window. Instead, use a microfiber cloth, chamois, or crumpled-up newspaper to dry your windows and soak up any extra grease and moisture. Keep in mind that black newsprint from the newspaper can come off on your clothes, and hands, although it does not stick to the window.
#10: Buff for a Finishing Touch
Use a dry microfiber cloth or chamois to buff small circles over any areas where streaks remain. This gives your windows a polished look.
Microfiber is a material made of tiny synthetic fibers. These fibers may be polyester, nylon, rayon, or wood pulp. They are woven together to make cloth with high absorbency and electrostatic properties. This cloth is effective at removing lint, oil, grease, water, and even bacteria.
A chamois is a soft pliable leather made from sheepskin. It is also recommended for cleaning glass without leaving streaks, but it is less absorbent than microfiber and it doesn’t pick up dirt as well.
Hoping for Streak-Free Windows? Sign Up for Cleaning Services With Tidy Up Portland!
Some may find the steps to achieving streak-free windows too much to handle. If you would rather leave the care of your accessible windows in the hands of the experienced and diligent professionals at Tidy Up Portland! we would be delighted to offer you our services.
Do you have trouble setting aside time to wash your windows, or do you feel that the results of your window washing are less than impressive? Contact us today to sign up to have your home, including your windows, cleaned for you by Tidy Up Portland!
We make it our business to clean thoroughly and sustainably and guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
