How To Clean Sliding Glass Doors And Large Windows At Home

If your sliding glass doors and large windows are starting to look a little worse for wear, it’s time to get down to business and give them a good scrub. This guide will help you prepare for the cleaning process by getting your supplies and tools together, moving screens and furniture out of the way, and then cleaning those glass surfaces.

We’ll also advise you on picking the right cleaning solution and share some techniques for tackling those big areas. You’ll discover how to clean the tracks and frames and some maintenance tips to keep your doors and windows gleaming. So, grab your cleaning gear and let’s jump right in!

Open glass doors overlooking a garden in a Hampstead town house

Preparing for Cleaning

Get ready to ensure that your home looks clean and welcoming.

Gathering Supplies and Tools

Start by gathering all necessary supplies and tools, including a good glass cleaner, a squeegee, and a microfibre cloth, to ensure an efficient and thorough cleaning process. If you wish for those windows to shine, you’ll want to ensure you have the right tools for the job. A quality glass cleaner will tackle dirt and grime effectively, while a top-notch squeegee will yield streak-free results. Grab a microfibre cloth to wipe away any excess moisture and give your windows that sparkling finish. Consider mixing vinegar and water in a spray bottle for those stubborn stains, or use a soft-bristled brush to get into those window tracks and frames for a thorough clean.

Removing Screens and Furniture

Before you start cleaning, you must remove any screens and move furniture away from inside and outside the windows. This will allow you to easily reach the tracks and frames.

Once you’ve removed the screens and moved the furniture, it’s time to create some elbow room around the windows. This gives you better access to the tracks and frames and prevents accidental damage to your furniture while you’re cleaning. Having a clear space around the windows lets you move around more freely, making cleaning the window tracks and frames easier.

Cleaning the Glass

When you’re cleaning the glass of your sliding doors and large windows, you need to use the right cleaning solutions and techniques to get that streak-free, sparkling finish.

Choosing the Right Cleaning Solution

For effective glass cleaning, you want to make sure you’re choosing the right cleaning solution. Whether you choose a commercial glass cleaner or whip up your own DIY vinegar concoction using natural ingredients, the choice is yours.

Those commercial glass cleaners might promise quick results, but they often come packed with harsh chemicals that aren’t great for the environment or the air inside your home. Conversely, creating your DIY vinegar solution is both budget-friendly and eco-conscious. All you need to do is mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle to make your own natural glass cleaner. For an extra touch, add a few drops of essential oils like lemon or lavender for a fresh scent, minus the synthetic stuff in commercial cleaners.

By opting for natural ingredients, you’re not only reducing your carbon footprint but also creating a safer cleaning environment for your home.

Techniques for Cleaning Large Surfaces

When cleaning large glass surfaces, a squeegee and a microfibre cloth can help you achieve a streak-free finish quickly and efficiently.

Here’s what you should do:

  1. Start by wetting the glass surface with a mild cleaning solution or water.
  2. Next, take the squeegee and start from the top, making long, overlapping strokes down the glass.
  3. After each stroke, wipe the excess water off the squeegee blade with a microfibre cloth.
  4. Once you’ve covered the entire surface with the squeegee, use a dry microfibre cloth to polish any remaining water spots or streaks.
  5. For best results, repeat the process until the surface is immaculate and sparkling.

Cleaning the Tracks and Frames

You should clean the tracks and frames of your sliding glass doors and windows regularly. This is key to keeping them running smoothly and preventing dirt, dust, and grime from building up.

Removing Dirt and Debris

To keep your sliding glass doors running smoothly and looking sharp, you need to remove all the dirt and debris that builds up in the tracks and frames.

One handy tool for tackling dirt in those tracks is a vacuum cleaner with a narrow attachment. With that crevice tool, you can quickly get into those tight spots where dust and grime hang out. And for those stubborn bits of debris, a little brush – like a toothbrush or paintbrush – can really come in handy. Don’t forget to give the upper and lower tracks a good vacuum or brush down to eliminate all that dirt. That way, your sliding glass doors will slide like a dream.

Polishing and Detailing

To add that final touch and boost both the looks and sturdiness of your sliding glass doors, take some time to polish and detail their frames and hardware.

When it comes to looking after the frames and hardware of your sliding glass doors, it’s all about using the right cleaning products. Stick to gentle, non-abrasive cleaners to keep those surfaces spotless. A mix of warm water and mild dish soap can do wonders in getting rid of dirt and grime. Opt for microfibre cloths or soft sponges to delicately wipe down the frames and hardware. Don’t forget to thoroughly dry everything to avoid water spots and streaks, leaving your sliding glass doors gleaming and squeaky clean.

Sliding glass doors in a Chelsea town house, overlooking a small courtyard

Maintaining Clean Sliding Glass Doors and Windows

You know the importance of keeping those sliding glass doors and windows clean as part of your regular home maintenance routine. It’s about making your home look good, letting in natural light, and brightening up your living areas.

Regular Cleaning Tips

Incorporating regular cleaning tips into household chores is key to maintaining the cleanliness of your sliding glass doors and windows. This will help prevent smudges and fingerprints from taking over.

To tackle those pesky smudges and fingerprints on your glass surfaces, here’s a simple trick: Mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Give the affected areas a good spray with this solution, then wipe them down with a microfiber cloth for a streak-free finish. For those stubborn marks, a magic eraser can work wonders.

Remember, consistency is key here. Wipe down your glass doors and windows at least once a week to ensure they always look crystal clear. This will keep those surfaces sparkling and smudge-free.

Preventive Measures for Long-Term Maintenance

To keep your sliding glass doors and windows in tip-top condition and enhance your home’s curb appeal, you’ve got to take some preventive steps for long-term maintenance. One crucial step is weatherproofing them to protect them from the elements.

Look at the sealing and caulking around the frames regularly to identify and repair any potential leaks or draughts. Keep that sliding mechanism smooth by applying a dose of silicone-based lubricant to prevent any stickiness or damage. Don’t forget to inspect those glass surfaces occasionally for any irritating cracks, chips, or scratches to ensure your doors and windows remain in good condition and durable.

The Main Reasons You Should Hire Professional Window Cleaners

Cleaning windows is not a job many homeowners are happy to do or even think of doing. But when cleaned well, it changes the feeling of the home. Clean windows allow cleaner air in the house, and you will also enjoy daylight better than when the windows are dusty. You should clean windows regularly for efficiency and durability. Even though you can do the cleaning yourself, transferring this job to window cleaners is a better choice.

So, is it worth hiring a professional window cleaner for your money and time? Below are the aspects of why you should use expert cleaning teams.

Improve the look of your home

You should clean windows regularly, as the environment gradually causes the accumulation of dirt. The interior and exterior of the house look beautiful when the windows are free of dirt. Having clean windows allows daylight to penetrate easily through the window glass without the shadow of fingerprints, debris, or water deposits.

In business, clean windows make a huge difference. Offices with spotless windows inform customers that the owner is serious and can take care of these small details.

Clean windows will make the home more welcoming and help make a great impression on the guests. If you plan to sell the house, expert window cleaning can help you attract more buyers, thus adding money to the property’s final sale price. Its attractiveness is crucial when selling a home, and the window cleaning service can offer just that.

Keeping windows in good condition

Specialised window cleaning services could help remove any sand that could affect the structural materials of the window. It protects against contaminants such as hard water, acid rain, oxidation and rust and allows the windows to survive longer. Extending the window’s life will reduce maintenance fees and the cost of replacement.

Increase comfort

Dirty stains, fingerprints, dirt and dust in windows can be annoying. When there is dirt on the windows, it can quickly come inside the home. Dirty windows do not reflect a positive image of you.

If you have tried to clean your windows, but the dirt is there, qualified experts can restore the great look of your windows, removing all dust. That allows you to enjoy the fantastic view and invite your friends and relatives without feeling terrible about the condition of the windows in your house.

Top 5 reasons why you should use skilled window experts

Although you can try to clean your windows, you should know that cleaning windows in London is a delicate task. That’s why you should give it to professionals. Window cleaning services have the appropriate equipment, environmental chemicals, and extensive experience. They know how to work with your windows until they are radiantly clean. This post discusses some main reasons you hire professionals for your windows. Read on to find the top five reasons to use expert cleaning teams for your window cleaning project.

  1. Competence
    It is important to remember that different types of windows require exceptional cleaning mechanisms. For example, you must clean sliding windows from top to bottom from the top half. You should clean the bottom only after the inside and outside of the top have been thoroughly cleaned. Again, the finish you give to your window is based on the movement of your hands during cleaning. So, use professionals if you want your windows to look bright and free of stains.
  2. Tools/materials/efficiency
    In addition, window cleaning involves the specialised use of good wipers, cleaning solutions, and tools you, as a homeowner, may have yet to use. Even if you buy such chemicals and equipment, you may need to fully understand how to use them to give your windows the sparkling glow you crave. For example, specialists use pressure-driven methods to remove the most stubborn stains on window glass. Experts perform other complex activities, including deionised water to effectively remove dirt from your windows, environmentally friendly chemicals to soften and loosen dry stains, and extension posts and ladders to reach high windows.
  3. Safety
    Various homeowners have suffered accidents while cleaning hard-to-reach areas of their windows. Instead of risking your life and health by trying to clean complex parts of the windows, you should take care of your safety and invite experienced professionals to do the job. Different from you, experts have no problem dealing with windows on steep roofs, canopies and other difficult elements of your structures.
  4. Time/money
    While many homeowners prefer to clean their windows, thinking they will save money, expert cleaners can save you time and money. Many people contact experts after unsuccessful attempts to clean their windows. People lose expensive resources and time in discontinued cleaning exercises, while qualified cleaners spend less time and money on the same tasks.
  5. Calmness
    Hiring a window cleaning agency in London gives you the much-needed confidence of knowing that experienced hands are handling your project and that excellent results are guaranteed. You are also sure that cleaning procedures will not damage your property.

Cleaning windows in London can be difficult if you need to learn how. It is often called difficult and dangerous work. Many do not risk cleaning their windows but instead transfer the work to specialists, while some try to do it themselves but have unsatisfactory results.

Stainless Window Washing At Home

How to keep your windows stain-free

Transparent windows, sparkling cookers and appliances – this is the business card of a good hostess. Cleaning windows is a complex errand, especially if you live in a high-rise apartment building, so many people only do this once a year. Not surprisingly, a decent layer of dust settles on the glass during this time, and precipitation leaves stains that spoil the good view. How to wash stained-free windows at home to get an excellent result for a long time?

Ideally, you should wash windows every three months. Residents of the ground floors may need more frequent cleaning, and perfectionists and lovers of meticulous cleanliness may repeat the washing procedure even more often.

Currently, store shelves are full of cleaning products for a specific purpose. Advertising billboards and posters have flooded busy highways, and TV commercials constantly urge consumers to buy.

When is it good to wash the windows?

The ideal time for cleaning is warm, calm and cloudy weather. The fact is that at high temperatures, the detergent will dry too quickly, and you will not have time to wipe it so that there are no stains. The same goes for a windy day. The bright sun will cause glare, which can interfere with quality washing.

How to properly wash the windows?

Tricks for easy window cleaning

You can use an ordinary soap solution for washing. Prepare two buckets in advance – one with clean and the other with soapy water and two towels.

First, wash the windows with soapy water and then with clean water.

Then wipe the glass with a clean, dry microfibre cloth. It perfectly absorbs water and leaves no stains on windows.

Natural solutions are also suitable for washing windows. For example, salted water with vinegar or ammonia diluted with water. After using them, you need to rinse the window with clean water and wipe it with a dry cloth.

Industrial detergents also do an excellent job of cleaning windows. They usually contain the same alcohol. Such agents help wash plastic frames, but you should wash classic wooden frames with soap and water.
The use of soda in the detergent is not recommended. It washes the glass well but can cause scratches and yellowing of white frames.

You can also buy special wipers with a rubberized and soft nozzle for washing windows.

How to avoid stains?

One thing to note is the white spots or drops that can accumulate on the windows. That usually comes from hard water, as it contains calcium and magnesium. Fortunately, there is a sure-fire way to remove these annoying stains and drops, even when there seem to be months or years of accumulation!
The procedure is straightforward. First, wash the frame, then the glass. In this case, there will be no annoying spots in the corners.

  • Clean the window glass from top to bottom.
  • Use a wiper that makes it easier to polish any window part.
  • Use cotton swabs to clean hard-to-reach places such as window corners.
  • Get microfibre that is absorbent, washable and cleans without streaks.
  • Old t-shirts are best suited and absorbent enough to polish the window.
  • Use homemade window cleaners to avoid unfamiliar chemicals.

OR

Take a microfibre cloth and rub the window well. That will remove extra dirt and dust and make cleaning easier (your windows are less likely to be scratched!). From there, mix equal parts white vinegar and water.
Shake it and spray the windows and clean them with a squeegee. For more obstinate stains, you may need to wipe the glass with a rag or switch to vinegar without water. Once everything is clean, spray the window well with water to rinse it and clean the wiper again.

If you still want a ready-made window cleaner, we recommend mixing it with vinegar. That will make it more durable. Blend three tablespoons of white vinegar with two glasses of water and add half a teaspoon of liquid detergent. You will convince yourself how easy it will be to clean the windows from various contaminants.

Vertical and horizontal cleaning

You have finished the cleaning, but you are unhappy with the result. There are still stains and dirty marks. A genuine bad dream. However, there is a solution to it.

When cleaning them on both sides, go from one end to the other horizontally and vertically from the outside. This way, you will not wander around looking for traces and stains.

If your house has very high windows, you can use stretching tools with a towel at the end to reach the high places. Alternatively, you can use a stable ladder, but ensure it is secure before climbing. Do not stretch over your hand when cleaning at height, as this may cause it to fall.

When it comes to exterior windows, it’s often best to leave that to the experts!

In principle, the cleaning of exterior windows is performed with professional products and specific equipment, which allows us to reach significant heights and clean all types of windows without any problems, and the result is perfect.

Even when the sun is shining, you may not get the maximum natural light in your home if your windows are covered with dirt, dust, grease and water stains. To fully enjoy longer days and lovely outdoor views, window cleaning should be at the top of your cleaning list.

If you do not like cleaning windows, have other priorities, do not want to waste time on such chores, or hate to clean windows, you can always turn to professional cleaning companies who will be happy to do the job for you. While doing your favourite things and having fun or working what you like, the experts will do everything necessary to relax and make you feel comfortable in your clean home. And the sun will illuminate the rooms of your home through your crystal clear windows.

Put A New Face On Your Home With Clean Windows

Brilliant windows for home are like an amazing smile. When they are clean, it is a real pleasure to look through them. How to keep the windows on their best – that is the question?

The studies show that the ingredients in the chemical cleaning products are harmful to the physical processes in the body and impact on the human chromosomеs. Damages over the health are irreversible. For example, some of the washing substances may cause asthma, reproductive defects and disrupt the endocrine system.

The knowledge about the different conventional and alternative ways of cleaning help us to enhance our intuitive eye for most efficient, healthy and appropriate ones for us, according to the style of living, the viewpoint for the priorities and personal standards.

When I use vinegar for cleaning purposes for the first time, I was really fascinated by the final result and can recommend you with a safe conscience.

Vinegar is probably is the most efficient cleaning natural product. It is easy for use, cheap washing solution and has the power to remove the stubborn dirt unexpectedly well.