Standard Squeegeeing: Why It’s Better to Hire a Residential Window Cleaning Pro

For many homeowners, cleaning windows is a dreaded task. Too often, even with extreme patience, the windows end up looking streaky with dirty or cloudy edges. Residential window cleaning Austin is a time-consuming and frustrating task that is often best left to the professionals. However, if you are willing to take the time to learn proper technique, you can get a streak-free result, but do not expect such results your first time. Like any skill, window washing takes practice to achieve the best results.

Basic Equipment

Before you can begin your window washing adventure, you need to gather the right tools. Too many homeowners settle for a sheet of paper towel and the most affordable commercial cleaner. If you are starting with these tools alone, you will probably end up with streaks or worse.

You will need the same tools the pros use available at most home centers for a high-quality window finish. The tools you will need include:

• 5-gallon bucket
• Dish soap
• Scrubber or sponge
• Ten or twelve-inch squeegee
• Lint-free rags
• Ladder
• Ladder stabilizer (optional)

A squeegee will come with a rubber blade, but these wear down relatively fast, especially performing outdoor residential window cleaning. It is wise to purchase extras. A word of advice: a lot of damage can happen to a squeegee in storage, so make sure nothing is touching the blade.

Window Washing Solution

Many homeowners spend a significant amount of money on window cleaning chemicals for residential window cleaning; while these commercial cleaners work, they are not always necessary. In most cases, you can use a mixture of dishwashing liquid and water. A little dishwashing liquid goes a long way; you only need one teaspoon per two gallons of water. If you do not have access to dishwashing liquid, you can also substitute vinegar. Additionally, if washing windows in the summer, consider using cool water to get a little more working time on the windows.

How To Clean a Window

Since most homeowners prefer not to clean windows, it makes sense they would rush into the task, trying to complete it as quickly as possible. However, speed over-preparation is ill-advised. When using a squeegee, it is best to take your time, ensuring you maintain even pressure and contact across the width of the blade. 

While washing your windows is not a complicated process, it is an involved one. However, with practice, you might achieve professional results. If starting, the horizontal approach to residential window cleaning is best, and it involves a four-step process:

1. Scrub the Window

Before you can get clear results, you need to clean and scrub the window. Dip your scrubber or sponge in the washing solution contained in your five-gallon bucket. Make sure it has time to soak — when working outside, excess water is OK. Scrub every inch of the glass, going in all directions and angles.

2. Create a Clean Starting Point

Most homeowners slip up by not giving themselves a clean starting point. Suppose the squeegee blade does not have an area free of cleaning solution. In that case, it cannot come into effective contact with the window, resulting in streaking and inadequate residential window cleaning. You can create a starting point by placing one end of the squeegee blade against a far edge of the pane and pulling down; doing so should produce about a one-inch edge along the entire side of the glass.

3. Squeegee the Window

You can now place your squeegee blade from the starting edge, achieving adequate contact with the pane. You want to maintain pressure across the blade, so keep the top of the squeegee in contact with the top of the window.

Before placing the squeegee on the next patch of glass, wipe the blade dry on a lint-free rag. As you begin pulling the squeegee across, ensuring a two-inch overlap with the completed portion of the window, angle the squeegee, so the runoff goes towards the remaining soap-covered portions. Continue the process down the window.

4. Wipe Away Excess Water

When you finish squeegeeing, you will likely have excess water along the borders and sill of the window. Use a lint-free rag and wipe away the excess, starting with the top and vertical edges of the pane.

Residential window cleaning is not a simple task, and it does require patience and practice to master. It is easier and quicker to hire a professional window cleaner to achieve the best results. Contact Geek Window Cleaning to schedule an appointment and to get crystal clear results the first time.

Standard Squeegeeing: Why It’s Better to Hire a Residential Window Cleaning Pro | Geek Window Cleaning