How to Clean Windows, Inside and Out
March 22, 2024

As the weeks and months go by, dust, dirt and pollution particles stick to our windows, spoiling our view and letting less natural light through – as well as looking plain unsightly, of course. 

 

Every so often they need a thorough clean, but it’s easy to make matters worse: by not preparing your windows properly and creating grimy smears, or attempting a good clean but leaving behind thick, nasty streaks. And none of us wants that. 

 

Here we’ll show you how to clean windows without streaks, both inside and outside your home, so you can enjoy sparkling clean windows without the cost of a cleaner. 

 

Because – why pay for a window cleaner when you can get such good results yourself? 

 

   

How to Clean Outside Windows

When thinking about cleaning your exterior windows, choose to do it on a cloudy day so your cleaning solution doesn’t dry onto hot windows – leaving streaks – before you’ve had a chance to rinse it off. And then simply follow these steps…

1. Spray Down Windows with a Hose

Remove dust and debris by spraying down your windows with a hose. Choose one with an adjustable nozzle so that you can change the pressure according to how bad or hard to remove the dirt is – you might need to up the pressure to get rid of stubborn dirt in hard-to-reach areas.

2. Make Your Cleaning Solution

Grab your bucket and make a solution of warm water with washing-up liquid, which cuts through grime well, or equal parts white vinegar and warm water.

3. Scrub Your Windows

Soak your sponge in the cleaning solution and start scrubbing your windows. If doing upstairs windows, use a ladder or an extension brush. Stay safe by making sure your ladder is stable and that you don’t overreach – your extension brush will help if you can’t quite reach a particular area. 

Start at the top and work downwards so that any drips won’t leave streaks of dirty water on your freshly cleaned windows. Regularly dunk your sponge in the bucket so that you can clean more effectively.

4. Rinse Your Windows

Use your hose to rinse off any residue. Make sure you point your hose into corners and edges for thorough results. If you need to spot-clean any areas, rinse them again with the hose. If you don’t have a hose, use a bucket of fresh, clean water and a sponge. 

5. Dry Them Off

Use either a squeegee, crumpled up newspaper or a microfibre cloth to dry your windows. If using a squeegee, start at the top and pull it down straight, wiping the blade clean after each pass, until you’ve removed any excess water and have a streak-free finish. 

If you’re using newspaper or a microfibre cloth, wipe the glass in a circular motion to absorb the water and leave you with sparkling, streak-free windows.

Another option is to use a window vac. These are cordless and very easy to use, and leave no streaks behind. Simply pass the vac over the window in straight lines until it’s hoovered up all the remaining water.

 

How to Clean Windows without Streaks Inside

The right tools and techniques are important for getting this job done well and avoiding the dreaded streaks. Here’s how to do it…

1. Remove Dust and Dirt First

Remove dust and dirt with a brush before using any sprays so that you don’t end up with grimy smears. Cleaning your windows frequently will help to prevent any build-up of dirt. Depending on where your home is, it’s a good idea to clean them every few months or more often.

2. Spray Your Windows

Use a glass cleaning spray liberally. Don’t skimp or you might not remove all the dirt and will end up with streaks.

3. Wipe Your Windows Down

Wipe your windows from top to bottom with either scrunched-up newspaper or a microfibre cloth, which won’t leave any lint behind. Alternatively, you could try a window vac which will hoover up any liquid and leave a streak-free finish. Keep going until the glass is clear.

 

Top Window Cleaning Tips to Remember

Read these golden rules and you’ll thank us later. With our top tips, you’ll have much more success at gaining that coveted streak-free finish. 

 

Clean Your Windows on a Cloudy Day

If it’s a hot, sunny day, your cleaning product will dry onto the windows before you’ve got round to cleaning it off, which will leave streaks or spots. Better to do it on a cooler, shadier day to make the job easier. 

 

Work from Top to Bottom

If you’re cleaning exterior windows, start from the top so that any drips that fall on lower windows can be cleaned off without any extra work. 

 

Wipe Horizontally on One Side, Vertically on the Other

If you’re cleaning both interior and exterior windows at the same time, wipe horizontally when doing one side and vertically when doing the other. This way, you’ll be able to see which side the streaks are on!

 

Use the Right Material to Dry Windows

Newspaper is an unlikely but effective material for drying your windows, as are microfibre cloths which leave them streak-free. Avoid cotton cloths or towels as they leave behind lint. 

 

Use a Window Vac or Steam Cleaner

Lightweight and cordless, window vacuums leave no drips, no streaks and make for a quick, easy finish. A lot of them come with a squeegee head too, leaving you with no smears for sparkling results. They’re great multi-functional tools as you can clean your car windows, mirrors and shower glass with them as well.

 

Steam cleaners are another multi-functional option. Some come with multiple attachments for cleaning many different areas of the home, including windows, so they’re great investments for whole-home cleaning.  



After reading our handy guide on how to clean windows, you should now be able to clean them like a pro! Give it a go and you’ll be surprised at what a difference a good clean makes.