High rise windows are often neglected as they can be difficult to clean. As a result, you could be faced with years of grime and dirt build-up smeared across the windows. Instead, you should be enjoying that great view from spotlessly clean windows, and we are here to talk you through how to achieve that.
Firstly, it’s important to recognise that cleaning your high rise windows imposes additional safety risks, so please ensure you put your safety first at all times. We strongly recommend contacting your local window cleaning experts, like Cardiff Window Cleaner, who have all the tools, equipment and knowledge required to do a stunning job.
If you’re insistent on tackling the grime yourself, here’s our advice that will make the task more manageable.
What you’ll need
- Lukewarm water
- Gentle household glass cleaner
- Dish soap
- Soft sponge, cloth or non-metal squeegee
- Chamois or microfibre cloth
- Towel
- Optional: Steps, stall, ladders or telescopic pole
How to clean high rise windows from inside
Let’s start with the easy part, cleaning the inside windows from the inside. Assuming the windowpane is easily reachable, cleaning the inside windows is simple. However, if the windows are in an awkward position, then it’s important to take extra care when using steps, stalls or ladders.
Steps to cleaning your windows
- Lay a towel down on the floor underneath the window to catch any dripping water.
- Wipe the window down with a clean, dry cloth to remove any loose dirt before using any water.
- Dip the cloth in the lukewarm, squeeze the excess water out and gently wipe across the window.
- Spray the window with a gentle household glass cleaner and continue to wipe and rinse until the window is cleaned.
- To remove water those unpleasant marks smeared across the window, use a chamois or micro fibre cloth to thoroughly dry the window, leaving it gleaming.
Now for the trickier part. Cleaning the outside of your high rise windows from the inside.
Please do not compromise your safety by hanging out of the window and trying to clean them. Not only is this incredibly dangerous but it almost never results in evenly cleaned windows, more like a swipe mark visibly showing the areas you couldn’t quite reach.
Fortunately, there are some modern gadgets to help with cleaning the windows from the inside. If you’re not too high up or have a balcony, you may be able to safely use a telescopic window cleaner to reach those dirty windows. You can get your hands on window cleaning kits which include different attachments for the job. With the right tools, you should be able to follow steps 2, 3 and 4 from above. Of course, the cloths used would need to be attached to the end of the pole and the glass cleaning solution would need to be applied to the cloth rather than directly onto the window.
If you’re in the market for something fancier, there are now a range of modern robotic window cleaners available. The robots feature powerful suction and the ability to self-travel across the glass, leaving your windows like new with very little input needed from you. It’s worth bearing in mind that whilst these seem like a fantastic idea, there is a vast range of models available, some better or worse than others, so please read the reviews before committing to a purchase.
For something a little less high tech, you can try a magnetic window cleaner. You simply attached two magnets to the window, one on the inside and on the outside. You control the magnet on the outside by moving the one on the side. We have seen these used a lot but are yet to find one that provides a perfectly clean finish.
It’s worth considering that though these are viable options for cleaning your high rise windows from the inside, they may not result in the pristine finish you desire. For guaranteed results every time, it’s worth calling the experts.
How to clean high rise windows from outside
As safety conscious as ever, we’re going to say again that you should not attempt to clean the outside of your high rise windows if your safety is in any way compromised. Even if your windows are reachable by ladder from ground level, you should never attempt to climb the ladder unaided and you should always use anti-slip pads underneath the bottom of the ladder.
Ideally, you would clean your high rise windows with an extendable water-fed pole. But if that is not available you could use a telescopic cleaning pole, glass cleaner and a drop of dish soap. Follow the same instruction as if cleaning the window from the inside, but to ensure no smears, add a drop of dish soap to the lukewarm water. Given that you may struggle to dry the windows down thoroughly if you’re having to use a telescopic pole, the dish soap will eliminate water smears once it was been rinsed and left to dry naturally.
Despite cleaning your high rise windows yourself being achievable, we do recommend reaching out to your local expert window cleaners for the best results. Cardiff Window Cleaner have years of experience and all the equipment needed to quickly and safely carry out your window cleaning needs. Get in touch for a quote.
