There is no undermining the importance of ensuring that every inch of your office space is well-maintained. A clean workspace gives a good impression to your potential clients. After all, your location is a reflection of the kind of business that you run. Moreover, investing in the cleanliness of your space boosts employee morale and keeps workers healthy and happy.
When it comes to office maintenance, often, the focus is directed towards keeping surfaces and floors clean. While these are essential, windows maintenance is cast by the wayside.
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Window cleaning might seem simple but it is a laborious task. There are tricks from professionals that can help you and your maintenance team get it right without having to redo the process several times.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to clean your office windows properly:
When it comes to cleaning your windows, it is essential to schedule it on the right day and right time. Typically, it is easier to endeavor on this tedious task on dry, cloudy days. Aside from the uncomfortable heat, most cleaning agents react negatively to the blazing sun. The heat allows the agents to dry onto the windows before you have the chance to wipe them off. The residue would leave visible streaks.
Check the forecast and choose a cloudy day. If you want to do it in the summer, clean the shady parts of your building first.
Before wetting the area, remember to dust or vacuum the panels and the window frame. It is important to keep all surfaces dust-free. Otherwise, grime can mix into the window cleaner. This would make the process a lot more tedious than it needs to be.
If you have window blinds or screens, it is best to pop them out and clean them separately. You can hose over your screen to get rid of the dust that have accumulated in between the tiny wires.
When it comes to the right cleaner, there are two routes you can choose from – buying a cleaner or making your own with water and vinegar. Regardless of the choice you make, it is best to have more than you think you would need.
Especially if you are cleaning your windows from the inside, it is best to use an atomizer or spray. This would reduce the mess on the floor.
Grime can accumulate on the inside and outside of your windows. Cleaning both sides is necessary to maintain the surfaces. You wouldn’t be able to achieve the level of cleanliness that you want if you only choose to tackle one side.
You only need to deep clean your windows once or twice a year. Needless to say, it is best to cover all grounds:
Take a bucket or a large deep container. Fill it with water and a few drops of the cleaning liquid. Make sure that the water that you use is clean and cold. Since you are cleaning the inside surface of your windows, prepare towels beneath the windows to prevent water from trickling down and accumulating.
Microfibre is the best option for cleaning windows because it doesn’t leave any residue. Take your towel and clean your windows from the top to the bottom. Don’t forget to wipe the window frames as well. If you don’t have a microfibre towel, you can also use a sponge.
Wipe the windows once over before applying the cleaning agent. Then wipe the surface again before drying.
After cleaning, dry the surface completely. Use a lint-free cloth, a squeegee, or pieces of newspaper to wipe off excess moisture. So as to ensure that no streaks form, wipe off the windows in a Z-shaped motion. If you don’t have any lint-free cloth, squeegee, or newspapers, you can always use paper towels.
If grime and streaks remain, repeat steps 1 to 3. More often than not, windows that have not been maintained for several years need to be wiped down and dried at least two times.
The outside surface of your windows would have more dirt and grime. They are, after all, exposed to the elements. Here is how you clean from the outside:
Because the outside surface of your windows are exposed to elements, it is likely that grime in this area is harder to get rid of. To make the process easier for you and your team, you can use the pressure of a hose to loosen stubborn debris.
After hosing down the surface, dry and rinse to get rid of the dirt that you have loosened. Again, it is important to make sure that the surface is free from dirt before applying the cleaning agent.
After making sure it’s rinsed, apply your cleaner and proceed to the steps similar to cleaning the inside of your windows.
If you are dealing with stubborn stains like bird droppings, apply the cleaner and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Wipe off when the grime has loosened. By no means should you use a steel wool sponge as it would scratch the surface of your windows.
Nothing says clean windows better than a shiny and polished surface. The jury is still out on what is the best polishing material – newspaper or a squeegee.
Newspapers are a cheaper option. They are readily available for most households and they are effective enough in polishing windows. They are more absorbent than paper towels and they leave no streaks.
A squeegee on the other hand is used by professionals for good reason. They are effective in collecting moisture and removing any marks. Using a squeegee can save you time because you don’t have to wait for the window to dry before polishing.
Window cleaning can be time-consuming. It is a tedious task especially if you don’t know what you are doing. With hope, our tips and tricks above would enable you and your team to maintain your office windows the way they should be taken care of.
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