Plastic Window Squeegee with TPR Handle

Cleaning the outside of windows is a pet peeve of many home owners. The inside is fine, because you can stand on stools, chairs and other furniture, plus you are protected by the walls in your home. But what about outside? How are you supposed to clean the windows on the second floor? Even cleaning the first floor windows can be a precarious feat if they are higher up than you can reach. But, like other cleaning chores in the house, I do have tips for you on the best way to clean the windows on the outside.

Newer homes typically have windows that come apart. Often, they switch or swivel into the home area, or they are removed entirely. These types of windows make the cleaning job much safer. You just take out the panes of glass, and then get to the washing. Here are two tips for washing them.

TIP 1 - If the glass is filthy and covered with grime, start with a bucket of soapy, hot water. Wash all the filth off first. If you can, you might even put the glass panels into the bathtub or laundry room sink. After you rinse down the windows and dry them, you might want to polish the glass with vinegar and water or a store-bought glass cleaner. Let them dry, and if all the streaks are removed, they will look like air. No-one will even notice that they are windows.

TIP 2 - If the windows do not remove, be sure to cover your floor, especially the carpet, with a plastic cover or bed sheet, so that the dirt is not tracked through the house. And, if water drips down, it is not dirtying up your clean rugs.

If you have bought windows that do not have the conveniences mentioned above, or you live in an older home where the windows push straight up, not out, and are permanently affixed to the window jams, then you need another tactic for cleaning the outside of the glass. Obviously, for windows that are ground level, you just go outside and rinse them down with the garden hose to remove the worst dirt, and then you use your paper towels and vinegar to wipe the windows down. But, how do you safely wash the windows when they are too high to reach?

TIP 3 - Either purchase a very long handled or telescopic squeegee, or make your own with a wide broom. You can tie a cloth over the broom head and use it to wash the windows. Also, you can use your floor mop if it is long enough to reach. You might want to get a cheap mop at the dollar store, so that you do not soil your good indoor mop.

TIP 4 - If the windows are too far up to reach with any handle, then you must resort to standing on a ladder, and this is where most people get into trouble. So many accidents happen on ladders, so it is important to use caution when washing the windows perched high up on a ladder. First, I recommend that you always have a spotter, someone who stands below to hold the ladder, and let you know if you are getting too wild with your movements. Second, it is preferable to use a folding A-frame ladder or platform ladder, as opposed to an extension ladder.

Lastly, if you can afford one, there are power washers on the market that are great for cleaning the outsides of your windows.

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