Cleaning is seldom an activity people enjoy. The long hours of cleaning can be (and often are) spoiled in a very short time.
Take glass surfaces, like windows, glass tables and similar – they can be incredibly difficult to clean properly, and all it takes is a careless touch of a greasy hand to mess it up.
Don’t worry, though. Things aren’t so bleak. There are numerous new products and cleaning techniques which can make your life easier. We reached out tospecialized professionals such as Blue Skies Windows Washing to tell us a bit more on how to clean glass and keep it clean for longer.
Pick a Suitable Window Washing Cloth
There is a saying that the tools make the master – and it’s true. There are many things that would be literally impossible to do without proper tools. Cleaning glass is no different – you need to really know how to pick your cleaning supplies and tools.
Case in point – if you use just any old cloth you find lying around, you will likely see some smears. Here are some guidelines on choosing the right fabric. First of all, no cotton rags. The lint deposited by cotton means that you will never get that smooth and clean glass.
There are special microfiber cloths which will not leave lint and smudge your glass. However, if you want to be crafty, you can use the old folk remedy for dirty glass – newspapers. This method will certainly clean your glass surfaces, but we warned that it might also stain your hands with ink if you’re not careful.
Choose Your Detergent
Once you’ve picked your cleaning cloth, it is time to find the best glass cleaner. There are countless options, so you may not know how to choose the best option. After all, the label at the back of those cleaning solutions largely say the same and it can be very difficult to tell them apart.
And indeed, most of the cleaning solutions have very similar compositions. That means that the most expensive products may not be the best choice – you may end up paying extra for the brand name.
Choosing greener solutions, ones that don’t harm the natural environment might be a bit more costly than the pack, but if you feel strongly about the environment, you may want to spring for an eco-friendly solution.
Even better, you could mix your own with a few household items that you probably have. For instance, mixing a cup of rubbing alcohol with a cup of water and a spoon of vinegar will create a good cleaning solution. It may smell a bit, but adding some essential oils might counteract it.
A Matter of Technique
Despite the simplicity of the task, there is still something you can learn from the professionals when it comes to cleaning windows.
For instance, did you know that speed can be important when cleaning windows? It’s true; if you don’t rinse off the detergent quickly enough (whether it is a store-bought solution, or a home-made mix), you risk having ugly looking streaks where the solution has dried up. After that, all you can do is start over.
Cleaning professionals counteract this by having all of their tools and supplies at the ready – cleaning cloths, the detergent, water to rinse off the detergent, and drying cloths.
If you have glass surfaces that are large and have parts which are hard to reach, you may also want to invest in a telescopic window cleaner or a squeegee.
Cleaning glass surfaces can be a bit of a drag, but with the right equipment and a positive attitude, you can cut the time it takes to do it and give yourself some well-earned rest.