Cleaning windows: Tips for a streak-free view

Cleaning windows with water and household remedies

A lot of dirt on the window panes and on the window frame can also be removed well using clean water. To do this, simply wipe the glass surfaces and the frame with a wet microfibre cloth or a lint-free cotton cloth and then dry them. If stubborn dirt has formed over several weeks, you should also use household remedies or cleaners. These are the best household remedies for cleaning windows:

• Vinegar or vinegar essence: Add 1 cup of vinegar essence to 1 litre of water. Then use this to clean the windows as usual. Note: You must cover stone window sills – for example, marble – before this because, otherwise, the vinegar essence may damage the surface.
• Citric acid: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of citric acid powder to 1 litre of water and then use this to clean everything with a microfibre cloth.
• Washing-up liquid: You can also achieve great results using a mixture of lukewarm water and a squirt of a washing-up liquid that does not contain balsam. The volume of washing-up liquid depends on how dirty the glass is.
• Black tea with lemon: Mix 1 large cup of strong black tea with approx. 3 litres of water in the bucket and add the juice of half a lemon. Then use a microfibre cloth to clean the window panes. The tannins from the tea loosen fat and even nicotine, while the citric acid is effective against limescale.
• Alcohol: Add a splash of methylated spirit to the lukewarm cleaning water. Add one splash shot of methylated spirit to a 5-litre bucket of warm water. Caution: Wear gloves when cleaning so that your hands do not dry out.

Cleaning windows with cleaning agents

If the window panes are very dirty, you should use detergents to clean them. In addition to commercially available glass cleaners, there are special window-cleaning concentrates, which can be mixed with water before use. These loosen even stubborn dirt such as grease, insects, skin oils and emissions. One additional advantage: They leave behind a protective film on the glass, meaning that the rain can run off better and it takes longer for the glass to become dirty again.

Tip 2: Use detergents sparingly

If too much cleaning agent is used in the solution, a greasy film can form on the window. You should therefore only ever use glass cleaner or household remedies sparingly and in the correct dosage – this prevents streaks and stripes.

It all comes down to the right technique

Clean windows like the professionals – even when at home. Because, when cleaning windows, above all, you need the right technique: 

• Step 1: Generously apply a cleaning solution of water and detergent or household remedy to the window using a sponge or spray bottle. If there is insufficient moisture, the squeegee cannot glide over the surface correctly.
• Step 2: Use the squeegee to wipe down the liquid in figure of eight movements from the top to the bottom and mop it up with a cloth. 
• Step 3: Using a chamois leather, microfibre cloth or tea towel, polish the window pane and remove the last few drips of water, particularly at the edges.

Fast and streak-free with the cordless Window Vac

Using a Window Vac makes it extremely easy to clean your windows: 

1. Generously spray a mixture of detergent and water onto the glass.
2. Remove dirt by rubbing with a microfibre cloth or cleaning pad.
3. Use the device to vacuum up the moisture. The dirty water flows directly into the tank – and does not end up on the floor. 
    

After doing this, you end up with streak-free windows. If you can still see streaks on the glass, this could be due to the device's squeegee:

• The squeegee on the Window Vac becomes worn after a certain amount of time. As a result,
  the surface becomes uneven and this causes streaks to form on the glass surfaces. A little trick: Turn the squeegee once so that both sides can be used.
• Another cause for the formation of streaks may be tiny particles of dust and dirt, which accumulate on the squeegee and make it uneven. Before vacuuming the windows, you can pull the squeegee lip over the cleaning pad on the spray bottle in order to remove these particles and guarantee that the surface of the lip is as smooth as possible.

Cleaning windows with the steam cleaner

If you have a steam cleaner at home, you can not only use it to clean mirrors and glass surfaces – you can also use it to clean your windows:

• Step 1: Steam the pane with the hand nozzle and the microfibre cleaning cloth, and loosen the dirt by rubbing. Alternatively, you can also steam the dirty window pane with just the detail nozzle or an optional window nozzle. The steam can also be used to loosen stubborn marks.
• Step 2: You can remove the water residue using a squeegee or a Window Vac. You can also use a soft cloth to dry edges and window frames.

The water that escapes as steam from the steam cleaner, is demineralised and therefore acts like distilled water. This means that it does not leave any stripes or streaks on the glass. However, if stripes or streaks unexpectedly occur after cleaning, this is usually because detergent residue has not been removed. In this case: Be patient and wipe over the pane a few more times until all of the residue is removed.

Suitable products for windows