Summer is the best season for getting home maintenance tasks done, starting with your windows. In today’s post, Renewal by Andersen® of Wyoming shares some of the items that you should have on your window care and maintenance checklist.
- Soft brushes. Don’t spray water on your windows without doing some pre-cleaning first. Applying water to dirt and grime essentially turns them into mud, which can make cleaning more difficult. Use a clean paintbrush or any other soft brush to remove dirt and just let them drop to the ground. Start from the top of each window and make your way to the bottom. Avoid using hard brushes — particularly ones with metal bristles — to prevent scratching the glass.
- Garden hose. It’s tempting to use a pressure washer, but trust us — you could damage your windows instead of cleaning them. If your windows have factory-applied paint or coatings, you could end up stripping them. At higher settings, a pressure washer can crack or shatter window glass. Instead of a pressure washer, use a regular garden hose. For stubborn dirt and grime, use mild dish detergent and a soft sponge.
- Weather app. In addition to relief from the heat, cleaning windows during a cloudy day can help prevent water spotting. Water spots are caused by the minerals in tap water. When droplets are left to dry, they leave white marks that can be difficult to remove. Water droplets tend to dry faster under direct sunlight; cloudy weather gives you more time to use a squeegee and wipe the windows dry.
- Microfiber cloth. Some people use newspapers or other types of waste paper to wipe their windows. We do not recommend using them because they can leave micro-scratches on the glass, which can result in foggy glass when done repeatedly over time. Newspapers, in particular, can leave hard-to-remove ink stains. We recommend getting microfiber cloth. They’re reusable, can be purchased from virtually anywhere, and would not scratch your windows. If you do your own car care, you probably already have some lying around.
If you’re looking for low-maintenance replacement windows, check out our options at Renewal by Andersen of Wyoming. Give us a call at (307) 472-2199, or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve communities in Casper, Cheyenne and Laramie, WY.