Do you typically use spray cleaner and paper towels to clean your windows? If so, there are other ways that are much better and more satisfying. A squeegee will get your windows streak-free and crystal clear in less time than with your traditional method. Keep reading to learn what equipment you’ll need and what to do.
1. The Basics
The professionals use the same squeegees you can buy at your local hardware or department store. Look for a 10- or 12-inch squeegee, plus pick up a bucket, a scrubber, some lint-free towels, and some hand dishwashing liquid. Buy two or three squeegee replacement blades so the one you use is always sharp.
If you have large windows, a large scrubber will probably work best, but if your panes are small, a good sponge will do the job just fine.
2. Squeegee Blade Tips
If the blade on the squeegee becomes nicked, rounded, or sliced, you won’t be able to do a good job. You’ll see streaks or the squeegee doesn’t perform right when the blade needs to be replaced. You can reverse the blade in order to get more mileage out of each blade. Also, store the squeegee so that nothing touches the blade.
3. How to Clean the Windows
Take your bucket and squeeze a teaspoon of soap into it. Add a couple gallons of water. In warm weather, use cool water. If it’s really cold outside, add a bit of winter windshield washing fluid to stop the water from freezing on the glass.
Step 1: Dip the scrubber into your bucket and squeeze out the extra water.
Step 2: Scrub the glass, and work scrubber or sponge around at all angles. Cover all the glass.
Step 3: Tip the squeegee on an angle so only the corner of the blade touches the glass. Start at the top corner of the window and clean a narrow strip from top to bottom on that side. The clean strip will make it much easier to start the horizontal strokes when you start cleaning.
Step 4: Press the blade against the glass in the upper corner and pull it steadily across the window in a horizontal direction. Keep the top of the squeegee in contact with the top edge of the window. The dirty water will run down the window and where you’ve cleaned should be sparkling.
Step 5: Wipe the blade on the clean lint-free towel, or use the scrubber to wipe off any extra water and dirt.
Step 6: Start again, with the top of the squeegee overlapping your last stroke by about two inches. Hold the squeegee at a slight angle to direct the extra water downwards. Wipe your blade and repeat.
Step 7: Use your lint-free towel to clean up any excess water on the bottom edge of the window. Poke your finger into a dry, clean spot on a different rag and run it around the perimeter of the glass to remove any leftover soap. Use a clean area of the towel to wipe off any streaks. When you don’t have any clean areas on the towel(s), change the towel.
4. Additional Cleaning Tips
You can also use the squeegee to clean your inside windows! The trick is to squeeze out 90% of the water from the soapy sponge or scrubber before you wash the windows. Keep a rag to wipe the squeegee and to immediately wipe any water that runs onto woodwork.
If you have small window panes, you’ll have to use a sponge and a small squeegee. You can cut a squeegee blade down to use on extra small panes.
