Window Washing: The Best Way to Wash Windows

Washing windows is a task that can be both tedious and arduous. We all know the drill: step one-mix dish soap and warm water, step two-spray down with a hose, step three-wipe the window clean. But there are some other things you should know before you begin your window washing adventure.

First, let’s talk about tools. The first thing you need is a squeegee, which can be purchased at any hardware store for under $5. Then you should have some sort of towel or rag to go with it; those microfiber ones work well and don’t leave lint behind like old t-shirts do.

The next required item is a bucket: the cheapest and easiest option would be to just use one of those 5-gallon yellow plastic buckets that come from Home Depot but you could also use an old dishpan or anything similar as long as it has decent drainage. To fill up your bucket with water, you’re going to need either hot water from the tap or a garden hose if it’s hot outside.

Now that we have our tools and water, let’s talk about the first rule of window washing:

Rule #1- Never use more water than you have to.

A typical rule of thumb is to fill your bucket with about 1/4 of the pitcher or pan you are using. Another good idea would be to only wash the windows on one side of your house at a time so that when you switch sides, you can just dump out the dirty water and refill it with fresh water. 

Rule #2- Do not put too much soap in the bucket at once.

The amount of soap needed varies depending on how many windows you’re doing but a good rule is about the size of a walnut. The best grade would be dish soap so something like Dawn or Palmolive should do just fine; avoid using things like laundry detergent because it’ll leave behind residue that can get annoying to clean off later.

When adding soap to your bucket of water, be sure not to put too much in at once or it will make it hard for you to do all of the windows without running out before they’re done.  It is recommended that you only mix up the amount needed for each side of your house which will keep you from having excess soap on one side and running low on another.

Rule #3- Always start at the top and work down.

This is especially important when doing large windows because if you don’t do it this way then your upper window panels may dry before you get to them leaving smears behind.  It would also be pretty difficult, if not impossible, to wash both sides of a single pane separately so this step ensures easier cleaning.

Once all sides are done, rinse off any soap residue with your hose before allowing time for them to dry out completely.  You should also apply some kind of glass cleaner to the door while it’s still wet so that when the water evaporates, it’ll leave behind some shine.

That’s all you need to know about how to get your windows looking good as new!  Next week we’ll be taking a look at how you can clean everything else on your car so stay tuned for more helpful advice!