The do's and don'ts of vinyl window cleaning

Whether you prefer spring or fall to wash your windows this is a perfect time to inspect for problems that may lead to further issues down the read. Before you start to clean, check all windows for loose or vacant calking and look for visible cracks or streaking inside the windowpane. If you have any issues it would be wise to repair them sooner than later. If you’ve had your windows installed by Bayview Windows, give us a call and tell us what’s going on.

Things you should do:

• Start off right

  Before you clean the glass, gently hose down the entire frame and window, then wash it with mild soap & water, vinegar or baby shampoo, starting at the top and working your way down with a clean soft cloth, sponge or soft-bristle brush. When you have complete, be sure to rinse.

• Good ingredients

  To clean the glass, try one-part white vinegar to 2 parts water in a spray bottle, or if you prefer the soapier smell, use a commercial class cleaning product made specifically for glass. Soft paper towels work great, but some people will prefer a rubber-bladed squeegee on the glass.

• What about the old newspaper trick?

  Windows tend to accumulate a lot of what is going on in the environment: exterior dust particles that collect on water droplets; bug and spider refuge and guts; soggy wet leaves footprints; mineral deposits; bird droppings… all of which get baked on by the sun. Often cleansers just don’t sit on the glass surface long enough to soften these deposits. If you are a perfectionist, try the newspaper and vinegar trick, the ink provides a very subtle non-abrasive grit that gets ride of fine contaminants and oils without harming the glass.

Things you shouldn’t do:

• Don’t use harmful solvents

  Don’t use cleaners that contain solvents such as grease remover, chlorine bleach, strong soaps and detergents containing organic solvents, these may damage surfaces and cause yellowing on white frames.

• Don’t use abrasives

  Don’t use cleaners containing abrasive materials such as fine sand or bathtub cleansers, these can damage glass and vinyl surfaces.

• Avoid temperature extremes

  Avoid cleaning in the direct sunlight, or in temperatures too hot or too cold. Hot temperatures will dry cleansers too quickly leaving a soapy residue. Cold temperatures will cause the windows to dry too slowly leave streaks.

• Don’t use metal tools, razor blades, steel wool, or other sharp objects

  Twenty years ago razor blades would have been an ideal tool for removing baked-on window surface contaminants. But today’s windows are very different, the glass may be coated with hard chemicals and tints, that although very durable in regular cleaning, can be damaged or scratched off by metal materials.

• Resist the temptation to use a power washer!

  Although power washers make outside cleaning life easier, power washers love to eat windows. Power washers are far too aggressive cleaning tools, especially at close range. They can damage window frame surfaces, penetrate calking seals and open up areas for leaks and insect invasion.

  If you would like to know more, give us a call or send us a request for more information. We’d be happy to address all of your questions or concerns.