preparing your house for professional cleaners

Dirty windows can really make your house look bad and destroy all sense of curb appeal that you have worked hard to create. You have three options: hire a residential window cleaning service, pretend the dirt doesn't bother you, or clean them yourself. Cleaning them yourself is certainly not a choice for everyone, but if you decide to, these tips can make the process easier for you.

Know When to Clean Your Windows

It may sounds strange, but you shouldn't clean your windows in just any weather or any time of the day. It's best to clean your windows on a dry, cloudy day. The sunlight can cause the cleanser to dry on the glass before you are able to wash it off, which leads to streaking.

Know What to Use to Clean Your Windows

Microfiber cloths are one of the best options for cleaning your windows because they don't leave behind lint that dirties your window all over again, and they are very absorbent. To help them keep their absorbency, do not use any fabric softener when you wash and dry them.

A squeegee is a good choice for spreading the cleanser over the window and drying if off. If you have a window with small panes of glass, you can change your squeegee to a smaller size so it will easily fit in between the window framing.

When all else fails, you can ball up newspaper, spray glass cleaner, and clean your windows with that. The newspaper is very absorbent; and, it is a great choice because most people have it around the house, it's cheap, and it's recyclable.

Know How to Deal With Stubborn Stains

You may find that you have stains that just won't come off of your windows no matter how much you spray them with glass cleaner. These are usually mineral stains and they can be tough to remove. You can try several different options:

• Wet the window, apply a nonabrasive cleaner, and rub the spot until it's gone. Rinse the window and use a squeegee to finish the job.
• Use a solvent. Mineral spirits or acetone are both good choices, but do be careful to only use these on the glass as they can discolor finishes on window frames. Rub, rinse, and squeegee.
• If you don't have a decorative glass window or one that has a film on it, you can use a razor blade or scraper and try to get the stain off that way.

These tips will make it easier to clean your windows and enjoy their sparkling shine all the time.