How to Clean Windows 101: A Step-by-Step Guide

Another simple trick: It’s never a bad idea to place a bath or beach towel underneath the window before getting started. This will catch any excess water, drips, or spills and keep you from making another mess while you try to clean.

Unger Professional 14″ Window Cleaning Tool: 2-in-1 Microfiber Scrubber and Squeegee

Another simple trick: It’s never a bad idea to place a bath or beach towel underneath the window before getting started. This will catch any excess water, drips, or spills and keep you from making another mess while you try to clean.

How to Clean Windows in 3 Easy Steps

Step 1: Wipe away dust

Once you’ve got the cleaning tools, prep the window frame before you get started on the actual cleaning. “If you notice excess pet hair, dust, or build up, dry dust windows gently with a feather duster to remove build up without scratching the glass,” Cohoon says. It’s best to have a surface that’s lint-free before you go in with a wet product—much like you would prep the floor surface before you mop. Also, don’t forget to dust the windowsill, especially if you see some small cobwebs in the corners of the window frame.

Step 2: Spray the glass window with a DIY or store-bought solution

It may be tempting to spritz the glass cleaners all over the place, but you don’t want to apply too much—that creates streaks. Start at the top of the dirty window, spray once or twice to start, then take the microfiber cleaning cloth and wipe in Z-shaped motions to dry. Work your way down to the windowsill.

You can also skip the spray bottle entirely and use a plastic bucket with warm water and a few drops of Dawn dish soap (or the white vinegar solution) and wipe up soapy water with long, even swirls, working from top to bottom. “If you have larger windows, you can also use a squeegee,” Cohoon says. “Spray cleaner across the window surface and squeegee dry, wipe down the squeegee in between swipes.” Make sure you have plenty of absorbent microfiber cloths on hand to prevent water spots.

Depending on whether your windows get frequent TLC or only see cleaning products during your annual spring cleaning, you may have some pretty intense hard water stains. If that’s the case, call in reinforcements: “We’ve found products like Bar Keepers Friend or oxalic acid are great first-line options for this,” Houlihan says. That extra care will go a long way in getting the sparkly clean results you want.

Step 3: Clean exterior windows

It makes sense that with snow, rain, and wind-blown dirt, exterior windows have more grime than the panes inside your house. To clean outside windows in the best way possible, you need to do some prep. Take out the window screens, and wash them separately. You can use a solution of dish soap and hot water, then scrub gently with a sponge. Hose down with clean water.

Then use a hose to get rid of stains and debris. You may have to use a ladder to reach windows on the second level. If you don’t feel confident on a ladder with a spray bottle in hand, call a professional. Clean windows with a white vinegar or soap solution, as you would on the inside. Dry the window with a squeegee, moving from the top of the window with the squeegee blade angled toward the bottom. Reinstall the window screens.

Frequently asked window-cleaning questions

What should you not do to clean windows?

According to Cohoon, one of the worst mistakes you can make when washing windows is to use an all-purpose cleaner. “It can leave streaks or damage the window sill and hardware over time,” she explains. It’s also not recommended to leave dust or buildup on a window before cleaning, as these small particles can scratch the glass.

Can you steam clean windows?

According to Sébastien Dupéré, president and cofounder of Dupray, you can steam clean windows. This might be especially useful if you don’t want to use any product on your windows aside from water. “Steam cleaning is a great way to get streak-free results when cleaning windows,” he says. “ Just release the steam and use sweeping movements across the window to get a truly deep clean, then finish with a microfiber cloth to wipe away any excess moisture.”

What is the best way to clean windows without leaving streaks?

“The best method involves using a squeegee and a window mop, paired with a microfiber rag to clean corners and window frames,” Houlihan says. “Wet the window with the window mop and then scrub that glass with 0000 steel wool to remove dirt, grime, and oil. Squeegee it clean and dry the frame and corners with a glass microfiber cloth.” He also notes that you’ll want to invest in a specialized glass cloth to get streak-free results. (This one is his favorite.)

What are the most common window-cleaning mistakes?

Houlihan knows of a handful of common window-cleaning mistakes he’d note to avoid. For starters, he recommends cleaning windows when they’re in the shade or on overcast days; direct sunlight causes the cleaner to dry up too quickly and can leave streaks as a result. “Skipping the window frames and sills is also a mistake, since it leads to dirty runoff,” he continues. “Always clean the top, sides, and bottom of the window frame first.” Cleaning from the bottom up is another mistake that can cause drips from the upper windows to dirty the glass below.