In the two decades, I have been cleaning windows I have worked with about a hundred other window cleaners. I have learned a lot about window cleaning from all of those window cleaners, both from seasoned vets sharing tricks of the trade to new guys making big mistakes. One thing that some vets and newbs do that I have never understood is not considering frame cleaning as part of their job. Our clients certainly consider it part of the job, therefore so should we. Here is why cleaning window frames is part of window cleaning and some tricks and tips for how to get a frame clean.
Paint
Nothing is a soul-crushing as cleaning a window that is sprayed over with paint. It is tedious and time-consuming. Here are some tricks for cleaning frames faster. Firstly put your razor down. No matter how hard you try you are going to scratch, cut or splinter the frame. the speed you get from using a razor isn’t worth the damage you can do.
With vinyl frames use 0000 steel wool. Get the steel wool wet and gently scrub the frame. Therefore, cleaning an aluminum frame steel wool is not an option. Now is the time to grab a magic eraser. These won’t damage the frame and are great for cleaning paint off of aluminum. just use it like you would steel wool. When it comes to painting on wooden windows, you are not getting the paint off. Tell the client that it is not possible and they should talk to the painters about replacing the window
Caulk
Caulk or silicon are tuff to get off frames. This is where your razor can come into play. Use your razor to remove as much of the caulk as possible. If you are cleaning a vinyl frame use steel wool after the razor. If you are cleaning aluminum use a magic eraser after the razor. Remember, don’t let the razor touch the frame. When dealing with caulk on wood window frames, tell the client you can’t get it off the frame without damaging it.
Scrubbing Sheetrock Mud
The easiest to clean off a frame. With both vinyl and aluminum frames just wet the mud with soapy water, and let it sit for a minute. Use your window scrubber to remove the softened mud. That’s it. cleaning frames with mud is easy. Wooden windows that are stained and sealed is the same. However, if it is a raw wood frame……..
Cleaning Frames?
A window is more than just a piece of glass. It is a frame a track (sometimes) and glass. Your client is paying for this to be cleaned. Therefore, if you want to be the best at window cleaning make sure you clean the frames.