Technique / Equipment Reviews 

No, it is not. Generally, window cleaning breaks down into Traditional window cleaning methodology and water-fed pole cleaning methodology.

There is no quality alternative to traditional squeegee cleaning with soap and water. Most people clean windows with ‘Windex’ and rags or paper towels. Some use white vinegar and water. Others may use glass cleaner and newspaper (old school method alert!) 

Professional Window Cleaners using traditional methods means a high-quality rubber squeegee and microfiber window sleeve to hold the water and soap. The Window sleeve breaks dirt and debris, and the squeegee slicks it off the glass. This is a must for interior windows and by far leaves a streak-free finish and clean glass. 

On outside windows, traditional methods are used when the window cleaner is cleaning, by hand, the glass and frames using the same techniques as inside window cleaning. The advantage of outside glass is the ability to remove stickers and residue from outside glass that sometimes a water-fed pole brush may NOT remove. 

Small residential houses. A small residential house with no 2nd-floor windows can often be cleaned by a small traditional window cleaning company or individual. 

Storefronts.  Storefronts and again those with no 2nd floor are often cleaned by traditional window cleaning companies by 1 or 2 people who show up and clean by hand all the windows inside and outside. Usually, this type of window company has a large commercial customer base where most of their activity is taken by a schedule of storefront and strip mall-type businesses. These jobs are performed almost exclusively by traditional window cleaning methods, but that may be changing as more companies learn to use water-fed pole cleaning. 

Mid to Large Residential houses. Mid to large residential houses especially those that have a 2nd or more floors, are trending toward water-fed pole cleaning technology. 2nd-floor and 3rd-floor homes can be cleaned the traditional way, but unless there are significant reasons to be ‘on the glass’ with a ladder of a high-up window set it simply makes more sense to use water-fed pole cleaning technology. 

Commercial High Rise Condo and Office Buildings. These types of commercial work will be only performed by insured, trained, and highly qualified and skilled window companies that use special chairs and lifts to clean the outside of window glass. In every city in the world that has high skyscrapers and office buildings, you will see commercial cleaners sitting on a chair, or the deck of a lift and cleaning with traditional window cleaning methods.

Mid-size condo and Apartment buildings.  These structures are often cleaned by a combination of ladders from the ground but also chair lifts from the roof. 5 story buildings like this would often be far better serviced by a window company that can offer traditional ladder window cleaning but also have very long water-fed poles cleaning technology that can be employed as well. Commercial window cleaning insurance can be very, very costly to obtain, and water-fed pole cleaning technology allows residents of multi-unit buildings to have window cleaning safely and effectively without paying a large cost price. Many only have a once-a-year cleaning and better technology would enable them to have cleaner windows all year round. 

‘Oh, my windows aren’t that bad’. Every window cleaner has a story about the job that was much dirtier in person than it sounded when the job was booked over the phone. But, this stems from most people not taking a good look at ALL the windows or are unaware that different windows may be in different conditions based on location. 

Level One Condition. Level one condition is any windows in any building that have been consistently maintained and regularly cleaned. Route work for commercial window storefronts and restaurants is usually at this level. The dirt and grime build up but are quickly and regularly removed by a window cleaning company. 

Level Two Condition. Level two is any windows that have not been cleaned for 1 year or longer. On the inside windows, dust and allergens build up on the window frames window glass, and window blinds. This is unhealthy when it gets built up in any home. The tracks of windows will have a good deal of dirt in the bottom track of the window, and the rubber seal on the bottom sash of most windows will be full of dirt that erodes the rubber seal. In terms of how the glass looks – about 30% of a ‘dirty window’ is from the inside. That percentage goes up every year windows on the inside are NOT cleaned and accelerated if the homeowner has pets or a bad filtration system to keep the inside air clean. 

In any environment windows that are not cleaned over a year will have a good deal of buildup on the outside glass. Not just the glass, but also the frames and screens as well. This means that organic growth including mold and mildew will be on those surfaces, breaking them down and tarnishing the finish on-screen material window frame paint, and rubber seals. 

Many people have their windows cleaned only once a year, and the price for that will usually be about the same year over year, but it Is still better for the windows themselves to be cleaned at a minimum of every 6 months, with optimum maintenance cleaning (depending on the situation) every 1 ½ months to 3 months. This is usually for exterior window cleaning only.

Level 3 or Restoration Window Cleaning.  This Is the highest labor-intensive window cleaning that can occur. In a level 3 restoration window cleaning 3 extra factors make it the most time-consuming to perform. The first is that the glass has either paint droplets on it, or perhaps shotgun fungus, or any manner of organic growth that has hardened to a point where it requires a very sharp, physical razor blade to remove it. A professional window cleaning service has high-quality razor blades that are changed every job, and sometimes during the middle of a job for peak performance. This is often the first technique used in window restoration. A note about using a razor: fresh razor blades used on wet glass will rarely scratch window glass. If a restoration cleaning has been done and there are scratch marks on the window, oftentimes those occur THE FIRST TIME a window was cleaned during a construction cleaning. Often an inexperienced cleaning crew is allowed to remove sediments from glass with a razor without proper training and technique.

A second technique is soft brushing/soft washing. Soft Brushing is where oxidized paint, mold or mildew, algae, or bacteria is present on the window frame that houses the window glass. Mold and Mildew may also appear as a green color on the window glass. Water Fed pole cleaning is very helpful for restoration cleanings, but only after a certain amount of prep work has been completed. Using water, bleach, and bleach-accepted soap along with a large soft bristle brush to work the chemical in is a great way to break down organic growth immediately. A good window cleaner will know how much chemical to use and still be safe for the window and safe for the surrounding plant life, but bad for organic growth. 

This is where Soft Washing comes in. If there are just a few windows that need to be soft brushed/soft washed then a good window cleaner can use small batch chemical mixing to remove them. When many windows need to be soft washed/soft brushed, then it is best to have the entire surrounding surface SOFT WASHED. Soft washing is an alternative to pressure washing. We use water-based, 100% biodegradable chemicals that emulsify dirt and grime, break down insect nests and webs, and kill mold, mildew, algae, and bacteria all while sanitizing the surface they are cleaning. 

If there is organic growth on the windows, it is going to be present on every other surface of the home or building. Window cleaning thus moves from the primary need of the homeowner to the secondary need of the homeowner. Pressure washing or Soft washing ALWAYS precedes window cleaning. The highest quality window cleaning company will thus offer soft washing and pressure washing services separately or together to cover most exterior cleaning applications. 

A third technique in Restoration window cleaning is hard water removal. Hard water builds up on window glass and frames primarily when a well-water-sourced irrigation system is used on plants, and it sprays on the windows. Water from a well often has mineral deposits in it that will harden the glass and frames. This is especially true as the Sun then ‘bakes in’ these deposits onto the glass making them very difficult to get off. The first of the techniques is 0000 steel wool. Another technique is BioKleen silica-based hard water remover and a semi-abrasive sponge, working the product in and rinsing off. Another is One Restore, which is a caustic chemical that has a very clear set of instructions and should only be used by a professional window cleaner. A final attempt to remove hard water deposits would be Mr. Hard Water Products, where an actual orbiter is used and a step-by-step process is used progressively.

A note about Hard Water Removal: The biggest factor in how well hard water is removed is TIME. The longer any deposits have been on the glass, the less likely it is that the glass will be 100% free of deposits, meaning that the glass is ‘etched’. 80% is usually the best glass that will look after removal. The windows must be newer and caught in time with removal or the etching will be permanent or not worth the amount of time and money.

The professional window cleaner will take the time to show the home or business owner these important factors when coming up with a price, and clearly explain that to them.  However, the factors are NOT created by the window cleaner, and deferred maintenance on a home almost always means the homeowner will have to spend some money to restore their home’s window or exterior. These factors can add anywhere from 20% to 50% to the Tier 1 price. 

When you see your windows clean, shiny, and with a mirror-like finish, it will add to your home or building's value, be appealing to you and/or your customers, and reduce your long-term costs in areas such as painting and building maintenance. And even more important, bringing the outside beauty into the home will be a great view.