Crystal clear windows can really make the entire home looks neat and clean. You can have a bright warm natural light inside your house and if you have a small house, they will give a wider impression all around. That being said, if you don’t clean the windows on a regular basis, you can’t really have a cozy home.
The dust, debris, fingerprints, watermarks, and even caked-on dirt can make your windows look so ugly over time. When this happens, it’s time for you to grab some supplies and clean the windows as soon as possible.
Below, we have compiled the easy steps on how to clean exterior windows by using easy home supplies.
How to Clean Exterior Windows
Things you will need:
- Dish soap
- Warm water
- Bucket
- Newspaper
- Washcloth
Follow the instructions below:
Remove the screens
The key to cleaning the exterior windows is good preparation. It means that you need to remove the screens from your windows if you have one. The screens are delicate parts of the windows that require special care when you are planning to clean them.
Make your own cleaning solution
You may be tempted to use commercial cleaning products since you can just simply buy and apply them directly. However, some of them can include harsh chemicals like petroleum which may damage your windows. Those chemicals may degrade the integrity of the window and the sealant. Further, they can also collect dust easily which makes your windows get dirty quicker at last.
That being said, let’s have more fun by making your very own cleaning solution. Just simply mix some dish soap with warm water in a bucket then you are ready to continue to the next step.
Wipe the down the windows
For the first wipe, you can use a clean washcloth, as it’s more powerful to remove caked-on dirt in your windows. Here’s what you can do:
- Soak a washcloth to the cleaning mixture and wring the excess water until it’s damp enough.
- Wipe the surface of the window glass in an ‘S’ shape direction. Give more focus if you find difficult stains.
- Finish the step by swiping the window with some dry newspapers in the same movement.
(You may also like: How to Clean a Humidifier Safely in 5 Easy Steps)
When do you need to clean your windows?
Most homeowners don’t really clean up their windows on a regular basis, when actually, you should. The longer you leave your windows uncleaned, the harder you need to clean them.
The rule of thumb is that you can clean the exterior of your windows every season or twice a year. If you install a screen or shade, you can wash the windows once a year.
However, if you live in areas with harsh weather conditions (high rain and wind intensity), you may want to add the frequency of deep cleaning.
So those are the steps that you can follow to clean up your dirty exterior windows!