Living in a condo comes with many perks. For one thing, you’re spared from the hassle of keeping the common areas in stellar condition because the condo management takes care of all the amenities. The only thing you have to think about is your condo interior. While the design is one important aspect that you need to invest time and money on, the order is still the more practical and often the more essential between the two. Sure, design can perfect the idea of condo living, but the order can make it feel more like home.
When talking about order, cleanliness always comes to mind. Cleanliness gives a hint about a condo owner’s personality. When you walk into someone’s house, you form impressions based on the aspects related to design and order. Usually, it is those impressions that last. Cleanliness is also an effective protection against all sorts of sickness and disease. These two reasons, among a few others, make cleanliness a top priority for all condo owners.
Window cleaning is one of the most overlooked chores in condos. Some people put off cleaning windows for a really long time because it just doesn’t seem that urgent. When you walk into a condo, it’s not the windows that you notice first. You mentally take note of the furniture, the fixtures, the walls, and every other intricate detail before you finally notice that screen of glass that provides a peek of the outside world. Windows are only striking when they’re filthy. Surely, you wouldn’t want visitors to notice your windows for all the wrong reasons. So if you’re going for a curtain-free window treatment for your unit, better think twice about putting off cleaning your windows this time. Here are the best window cleaning methods for the condo that you should try out.
An important reminder before you start
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Get rid of dirt, dust, and grime before you get down to the real thing. Dust tends to accumulate in glass windows when they’re not cleaned for a long time. To effectively remove the stains from the windows, you have to wash them first with water. You don’t need any liquid solution for this. Water is enough because your only goal is to remove that first layer of accumulated dust.
1. Do the job right: Tips to clean your window glass like a pro
Rainwater, dust, and smoke can leave your windows cloudy. While commercial products can help to clear them out, they don’t always give the best results. Here are some of the most effective window cleaning hacks that you should give a try.
Vinegar and dish soap are the new thing
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Homemade cleaning solutions appeal to practical people because of their cost-effectiveness and accessibility. If you like DIY cleaning solutions, you’re in luck because they’re everywhere. Try a solution that consists of two parts water, one part vinegar, and one part dish soap. Spray this on your glass windows and easily wipe the stains away.
Shady not sunny
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An important reminder when cleaning windows is to not do it when the sun is beating down on the glass. The heat will dry up your windows quickly and leave streaks everywhere, so it’s best to time your cleaning and to do it in the shade.
Baking soda and essential oils as the new heroes
Another DIY screen spray that you can use is a mixture of baking soda and an antimicrobial essential oil. The baking soda will deodorize the glass and the oil will leave it spotless. Mix together four teaspoons of baking soda, four cups of water, and a few drops of antimicrobial oil to concoct the most potent solution. Examples of antimicrobial oils are cinnamon, bay, clove, and thyme. You can also use lavender, peppermint, lemon, and tea tree, although they’re not as effective as the others.
Watch your strokes
Sometimes, it’s not a question of what but of how. In what direction do you wipe your windows? Maybe you don’t even follow a certain direction at all. The most ideal way of wiping a wet glass is to start with small circular motions at the center, then ease into horizontal swipes. Finish by going over the window with one set of vertical strokes.
Ammonia beats nicotine
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If someone in your family smokes or if your windows are exposed to polluted surroundings, a film of nicotine is likely to form on the glass. Nicotine stains are tough to wash off with just a regular cleaner. You’ll need lemon-scented ammonia mixed with water to cut through the tough stains. Remember, it should be lemon-scented. Otherwise, your condo will be barely livable due to the horrible smell of pure ammonia.
2. Wash it off: Techniques to give your window a streak-free shine
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What’s good about condo cleaning is that it protects you from all sorts of things. For example, it can promote condo safety for rainy days. When everything is in place, when everything is spotless, you can avoid diseases brought by the rainy season. A clean window can save you from the plague. That may sound like an overstatement, but there’s some truth to it. Here are some tips to make a newly-washed window spotless.
Newspapers should go
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Are you familiar with old newspapers being used as window wipers? People traditionally use them to wipe the moisture off of their windows. There’s only one problem: the ink from the paper usually gets smudged, leaving dark marks all over your hands. Well, there’s a new material you can use to replace newspapers: coffee filters. They’re more effective and they don’t get messy at all.
Squeegee to squeeze the moisture out
If you really want to get rid of those unsightly streaks, use a squeegee with a smooth rubber edge to wipe your windows clean. Just remember to dry the blade between each swipe to get better results.
Blackboard eraser as a window wiper
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Blackboard erasers are also a good tool for removing the small stains in glass windows. Just apply the right pressure and you’re sure to get rid of those stubborn marks.
Anything lint-free is good
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Sometimes, the washing part of cleaning a window will not matter that much if the wiping part is not executed properly. If you use paper towels to wipe off the liquid cleaner from the glass, your window will turn a little cloudy. This is because paper towels are made of tiny fibers that leave lint residue on the glass. Always use a lint-free cloth or non-linting paper towel to avoid a fuzzy window.
Cotton buds will finish it off
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Squeegees and brushes often don’t reach the far edges of a window, so a few cotton buds may come in handy when cleaning those hard-to-reach spots. Dip the cotton buds in a cleaning solution and rub them against the edges.
3. Cleaning other window parts
The glass is just one part of the window that you should keep spotless. Here are some of the best window cleaning methods for the condo that will make your entire window—from the glass to the frame—look new.
Baking soda and vinegar for window tracks
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The window tracks also get exposed to dirt and grime. Like glass, they can’t be cleaned with just a wet cloth or a brush. For window tracks that have collected a considerable amount of dirt, a baking soda and vinegar solution is the most effective treatment. Apply the mixture to the window tracks and expect impressive results.
Ammonia for window screens
Window screens are just as hard to clean as glass windows. A bucket of soap and water are not enough to remove the gunk from the mesh. You’ll need household ammonia to get real results.
Bleach and detergent for window frames
It’s common for window frames made of wood to develop mildew spots. These spots can be removed using bleach-detergent solution. Wipe the frames with a sponge soaked in this solution and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Floor wax for window sills
Window sills collect dirt because they are always exposed to the elements. Use floor wax to wipe off the thick layers of dust from your window sills.
Window cleaning is a chore that you shouldn’t put off doing. With the proper materials and the right techniques, you can make this chore feel less of a drag. Always think about the end result: a spotless, see-through, and deodorized window that will literally give you a clearer view of the outside world.
