Window Cleaning: Tips from the Pros

Want to clean your windows, but keep it quick and easy? No problem! With the right household helpers and a few professional tips, you can get streak-free windows – even from the comfort of your couch!

Streak-Free Window Cleaning: How to Do It Right

When cleaning windows, many people just start anywhere and wipe in all directions. It is much better to follow this professional guide:

Start with the windowsill and the window frame. Use some water with dish soap and a soft sponge.
Dry the frame with a cotton cloth.
Remove stubborn dirt from the glass with a sponge. Work your way down from top to bottom in circular motions.
Wipe away the cleaning water with a squeegee. Start at the top and pull it horizontally in a single stroke across the pane. Dry the squeegee quickly with a lint-free cloth after each stroke.
Dry the corners of the window with a microfiber cloth.
Polish the glass with a chamois leather, newspaper, or a nylon stocking.

Woman cleaning kitchen window with a cloth, cleaning brush in the sink.

Cleaning Windows with Vinegar and Dish Soap: Do Home Remedies Work?

You don't need harsh chemical cleaners to get perfectly clean, streak-free windows. Instead, rely on time-tested home remedies that are gentle on both the environment and your wallet. We recommend trying these handy solutions:

Vinegar: Vinegar neutralizes lime in tap water and helps you clean windows without leaving streaks. Simply add a splash of vinegar to your cleaning water. This trick is especially useful for bathroom windows.
Rubbing Alcohol: Rubbing alcohol is highly effective against stubborn dirt. But be careful, as this home remedy can damage window rubber seals and dry out your skin. Always wear gloves!
Fabric Softener: Adding a splash of fabric softener to your cleaning water helps you clean windows streak-free and ensures long-lasting results. Dirt won't stick to the glass as easily.
Glass Scraper: For tough, stuck-on dirt, use a ceramic cooktop scraper. It is powerful against grime while remaining gentle on the glass pane.

Cleaning windows with a window vacuum

Many window vacuums clean and dry in a single step. These battery-powered devices suck up the dirty water just like a vacuum cleaner, leaving behind a streak-free shine. Some models can even apply the cleaning solution beforehand. You can also use this handy tool for other household chores—like cleaning shower cabins or bathroom mirrors.

How-to: Streak-free window cleaning with a window vacuum

Grab your window vacuum and a spray bottle with a microfiber wiper – let’s get started with a lightning-fast clean.

Hand in yellow glove wiping a window with a pink cloth.

Step 1: Clean the windowsill and window frame

Use a hand brush and dustpan to remove any loose dirt. Then, clean with a sponge and dry the window frame thoroughly with a cotton cloth.

A person fills a spray bottle with water from a kitchen tap.

Step 2: Fill the spray bottle

Fill the spray bottle with water and add window cleaner concentrate, dish soap, glass cleaner, vinegar, or rubbing alcohol.

Hand cleaning a window with a window washer and spray bottle.

Step 3: Soap the window pane

Spray the pane with the spray bottle and loosen the dirt from the glass pane with the microfiber wiper. Work systematically from top to bottom.

Hand holding a yellow electric window cleaner, cleaning a window.

Step 4: Turn on the window vacuum and place it on the glass

Turn on the window vacuum and place the rubber squeegee against the windowpane. It is best to start in the upper left corner of the window.

Hand cleaning a window with a yellow electric window cleaner.

Step 5: Vacuum up the moisture

Move the window vacuum in straight paths from top to bottom along the glass. The dirty water is automatically vacuumed up and collected in the reservoir.

A person cleaning a yellow Kärcher window vacuum with a green cloth by a sink.

Step 6: Wipe the squeegee blade

After two or three passes, you should wipe the vacuum's squeegee blade with a microfiber cloth.

Hand pouring liquid from bottle into sink, with window cleaner and faucet in background.

Step 7: Emptying the water tank

After cleaning your windows, you can empty and rinse out the water tank over the sink.

Pro tip: You should never clean a marble windowsill with glass cleaner. Glass cleaner, limescale remover, or other products containing acid or alcohol can dissolve the surface and cause permanent stains. Use a marble cleaner or a cleaning agent with a pH value of 7 to 8.

Silvercrest window cleaning robot on a window pane with a kitchen in the background.

Window cleaning for the lazy? A window cleaning robot can do that

Why clean windows yourself when a robot can do the work for you? Window vacuum robots create a vacuum and stick to the glass. Then they work their way systematically across the surface. They spray, clean, and polish in programmable modes. You just relax on the couch and look forward to perfectly cleaned windows.

Tips for window cleaning robots:

The robots need power for their work. A long power cable is the safest option for optimal operation. Many devices have an emergency battery so that they stay attached to the glass.
The smaller and more maneuverable a window cleaning robot is, the better it gets into corners and edges. Large models are ideal for panoramic windows and the like.
Keep an eye on your cleaning helper while it works and wash its cleaning accessories thoroughly after use.

Window cleaning: 4 tips from the pro

Whether by hand, window vacuum, or cleaning robot: with the following tips, nothing will go wrong when cleaning your windows.

Tip 1 Never in direct sunlight: cleaning in direct sunlight dries the glass pane quickly. This causes streaks and smudges.
Tip 2 Window cleaning in winter: If you want to clean windows in winter, add antifreeze to the water in freezing temperatures. It prevents the water from freezing on the pane.
Tip 3 Don't forget the window frame: If you ignore the frame, dirt will loosen during the next rain and run over the clean glass.
Tip 4 Always use clean cloths: You should rinse window cleaning cloths with clear water after use and never wash them with fabric softener. Wash chamois leather with a special leather detergent so that it does not become brittle.