Novah / Let a little more light in
How to wash windows without the streaks.
The sun comes out and suddenly the window has opinions. Fingerprints. A few streaks. Last season's dust. You can usually sort ordinary dirt with a small kit and a steady sequence.
Go to the steps
Wash. Pull. Wipe. Repeat.
Use a cleaner suitable for your glass, a soft washer and a clean squeegee. Work out of direct sun, overlap each drying pass and wipe the blade between passes. Check the window's own instructions before opening it or cleaning a special coating.
01 / Before you start
A small kit, a clear view.
Choose tools that can do the job gently. A metal edge touching glass is not a shortcut.
Soft washer
Use a clean, soft window washer or lint-free cloth to lift ordinary dirt. Keep grit out of the cloth so you are washing the pane rather than dragging dirt across it.
Clean squeegee
A sound rubber edge makes drying easier. Have a separate cloth for wiping the blade, and another for edges, frames and the sill.
Suitable glass cleaner
Use the cleaner and dose your window manufacturer recommends. Coated glass needs its own instructions. Skip abrasive pads and metal scrapers on coated panes.
02 / The steps
One pane at a time.
Finish a manageable area before the wash water dries. Start with safely reachable glass.
Check what opens, and what stays put
Clear the sill and protect the floor below. Identify the window model and read its opening instructions. Large opening window panels may need supports specified by the manufacturer. Do not force catches or release unfamiliar fittings. If you cannot reach a pane without leaning outside or climbing, leave that part for suitable professional access.
Guidance from: Pihla (opens in a new tab)
Pick a kinder moment
Direct sunshine dries water before you have time to remove it. A mild, overcast day makes the task easier. Wait for above-freezing conditions for a straightforward home clean. There is no need to add unfamiliar winter chemicals just to get the windows done today.
Guidance from: Pihla (opens in a new tab)Tiivi (opens in a new tab)
Wash the glass gently
Follow the cleaner's dilution instructions. Wet the pane with the soft washer and loosen ordinary dirt without pressing hard. Clean the safely reachable outside pane first when your window arrangement allows it, then work inward. Change dirty water and rinse the washer when it starts carrying grit.
A coated pane or a stubborn mark needs the manufacturer's method, not a harder scrub.
Guidance from: Pihla (opens in a new tab)PihlaPRO (opens in a new tab)
Make overlapping passes
Dry a narrow strip at one edge, then pull the squeegee across the glass in steady, slightly overlapping passes. Wipe the rubber blade after each pass. This is the small step that saves you chasing the same line around the pane.
Guidance from: Tiivi (opens in a new tab)
Give the edges their own cloth
Dry the glass edges, frame and sill. Catch any drips below the pane. Use a clean lint-free cloth for the finishing pass and avoid dragging the squeegee's metal parts along the glass. Close and secure the window as its instructions describe.
Guidance from: Pihla (opens in a new tab)PihlaPRO (opens in a new tab)
03 / The finishing touch
Still a stripe? Check the simple things.
Before adding more product, check the cloth, blade and light. If the pane stays cloudy between the layers of glass, repeated wiping of the accessible surface will not reach it. Ask the window manufacturer or building maintenance to check it.
- A dirty blade can leave a line: wipe it.
- Strong sun can dry water too early: choose another moment.
- A greasy mark may need the glass manufacturer's specific advice.
04 / Questions
Questions
Can I use washing-up liquid?
Pihla and Tiivi recommend a suitable glass cleaner and advise against washing-up liquid or dishwasher detergent for their windows. Follow the instructions for your own glass rather than treating one recipe as suitable for every window.
Guidance from: Pihla (opens in a new tab)Tiivi (opens in a new tab)
What if the glass has a special coating?
Check the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. PihlaPRO warns against abrasives, metal objects and scraping coated glass. Use the approved cleaner and a soft lint-free cloth; leave an unidentified stubborn deposit for advice.
Guidance from: PihlaPRO (opens in a new tab)
Can I pressure-wash the windows?
Pihla advises against pressure washing because water can get into seals or the surrounding structure. A window-cleaning appliance designed for the task is a different tool. Check its instructions and your window's instructions before use.
Guidance from: Pihla (opens in a new tab)
Are windows part of an ordinary Novah home clean?
Window washing needs to be agreed separately from the standard home-cleaning scope. Check the currently available booking options and discuss your window type and access with us before arranging it.
Sources & material instructions
Novah
Want a hand with the windows?
Tell us which windows need attention and how they can be reached. We can help you check the suitable cleaning options for your home.
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