For those of our readers who have yards to look after, you know the fall can be a busy time. Many of your weekends are spent cleaning up after an abundant growing season and winterizing your property. As you tackle the odd jobs around the yard this fall, don’t forget about your windows — inside and out. After a long summer they can be in dire need of some cleaning, and we’re here to help guide you through it.
You’re probably already aware they need some TLC if you’ve spent any time this fall admiring your view — or attempting to! It can be hard to see the changing of the leaves when all you can see is the mixture of dirt, dust, and pollen that’s on the glass. Luckily, since these are simply organic material picked up by the wind, they don’t require any special cleaning solutions, nor do they require a lot of elbow grease to remove. All you need in terms of equipment in order to complete this task is the following:
- Sponge
- Bucket
- Biodegradable dish soap
- Water
- Access to a garden hose
- High quality squeegee
- A ladder
Combine one teaspoon of your soap with several litres of water in your bucket. Use your sponge to spread this soapy solution on your windows, taking care to scrub away at the entire surface. Once you think you’ve got all of the caked-on dirt off of the glass, rinse away the suds with your garden hose. It’s at this point in time when you’ll learn to appreciate the high quality squeegee you’ve invested in. Starting from the stop to bottom, run your squeegee (without lifting it from the surface) back and forth of the window. If you’re using a ladder in order to clean hard to reach windows, remember to ensure it’s set on even ground before you start climbing.
Once the exterior of the windows have been cleaned, it’s time to move onto the inside. After a long summer with the windows kept open, the interior glass will show its fair share of dust and dirt too. While soap and water will do the trick, it can be a messy process for the interior for your home, so we recommend using a damp microfiber cloth to clean the windows instead of paper towels, which can leave behind streaks and lint. If you have many windows to clean, run the cloth under the tap whenever it starts to get too dirty. The same cloth can be used to wipe down its frame, sills, and handles.
Of course, the treatments you’ve installed over your windows will have absorbed just as much dirt, dust, and allergens as what’s left on the glass, so don’t forget about your blinds, shades, or shutters this fall. Use a clean, damp microfiber cloth to pick up any dust or dirt that may be on these coverings. You may also use a soft bristle attachment on your vacuum to suck up any stubborn debris.
When you’re examining your window treatments up close and personal this fall, you might find damages in their panes, blinds, or handles. Or you may simply realize you’ve grown tired of their design. At which point, it’s time to speak with one of our design consultants. They can help you choose a custom-made treatment to replace the broken or outdated blind, shade, or shutter. Once mounted by our installation specialists, these new designs will complement your squeaky clean windows.
There’s a lot to be done in fall as we prepare for the upcoming winter. Don’t forget the many windows in your home as you tackle your autumnal maintenance check-list. It’s a prime time to clean your glass and inspect your treatments. At the very least, you’ll have a spotless view of your property just in time for the first snow fall. And you just might enjoy it with a new set of blinds, shades, of shutters.