How to Properly Clean Your Impact Windows

Hurricane season 'officially' begins June 1 and just the other day the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released its annual list of potential storm names. The forecasters predict 12 to 14 storms will be powerful enough to named, five to seven of those that'll become hurricanes, two to four that'll develop into major hurricanes. While this is slightly below average for any given season, it only takes one storm to devastate the city and it is a good nudge for those who haven't already to start thinking about hurricane preparation like installing hurricane or impact windows. And once you've done so, or if you have already done so, now is also a good time to learn how to best maintain and clean impact windows

Impact windows do more than just protect your home. They also come with a number of side benefits like being treated with a UV filter to keep your home feeling cool during hot Florida summers and boasting gorgeous frames that add to the aesthetic of your Miami home. However, to keep them looking and functioning great requires a touch of maintenance including routine cleaning to remove dust, dirt, pollen, and other airborne particulates. The following is a quick step-by-step guide for how to clean impact windows:

How to Properly Clean Impact Windows

• Choose the right materials. As with many cleaning and maintenance tasks, proper impact window cleaning requires first gathering the proper equipment. Do not use paper towels as paper towels are incapable of thoroughly removing all of the moisture on a window and thus can often leave windows more susceptible to big issues down the line. Plus, while paper towels are inexpensive in the short term, continually using them to clean impact windows gets expensive and wasteful; thus it's much better to simply invest in some quality microfiber towels and dedicate them to this job. We recommend keeping two to four microfiber towels or cloths for wiping, a high-grade non-abrasive cleaner, hose, and squeegee.
• Rinse the windows. Clean your windows one at a time and begin by spraying with the hose to remove any loose dirt or other build-up. Do not use a high-pressure hose as this can cause issues with caulking around your windows. When possible, clean impact windows when they are not in direct sunlight as this helps avoid the water from drying too quickly and creating water spots.
• Squeegee off the excess water. Immediately after spraying the windows down with water, use the squeegee to wipe off the excess water. Do this by starting at the very top of the windows and going downwards and wiping off the excess moisture on the squeegee with one of the microfiber cloths.
• Evenly apply the glass cleaner. Use a clean microfiber towel or cloth to apply the non-abrasive glass cleaner. Do this by spraying the cleaner on the microfiber material and then wiping onto the glass itself. Remember that impact windows generally have special coatings and thus it's important to check the chemical listings on the window cleaner and go with something non-abrasive to avoid scratching the windows or removing those coatings. Use a different clean microfiber cloth to even out any build-up.

Need Advice on Cleaners? New Window Installation? Contact Alco Windows & Doors

For more information on what best to clean impact windows with or if you haven't yet had impact windows installed on your Florida property, contact our team today at Alco Windows & Doors. We have a wide selection of brands to choose from and professional installers to make sure you get the best looking and best functioning products for your home.