The Truth About Window Cleaning

Let me tell you something nobody at the hardware store will. Your windows probably aren't as clean as you think they are.

I know. You wiped them down last spring. You even bought the blue stuff. But here in Atlanta we've got pine pollen, red clay, humidity, and a summer full of pop-up storms. That's a lot to ask of one bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels.

I've been washing houses all over the metro, and I hear the same window myths every single week. Some are harmless. Some are costing people money. A couple of them have broken windows. So grab your coffee. Here's the truth.

5 window cleaning myths I hear all the time

Myth #1: "Just hit 'em with the pressure washer."

Please don't. I say this as a guy who owns several pressure washers and loves every one of them.

High pressure on glass is how you blow out window seals, force water behind the frame, and fog up double-pane windows for good. Once that seal goes, you're not cleaning a window anymore. You're shopping for a new one. We don't put a pressure washer anywhere near your glass. We use deionized pure water on a water-fed pole. Gentle scrub, gentle rinse, done.

Myth #2: "Windex and paper towels do the job."

They do a job. Just not a great one.

Most store sprays leave a film behind. That film grabs dust and pollen, so your windows get dirty faster than before you cleaned them. Paper towels leave lint everywhere. Then the sun comes out at 4 p.m. and you see every streak you missed. Fun times.

Myth #3: "The rain will clean them."

I wish. Rain picks up dust and pollen on the way down, then sits on your glass and dries. What's left behind? Spots. Hard water spots, especially on the side of the house where the sprinklers hit.

Rain doesn't clean your windows. Rain is the reason you need someone to clean your windows.

Myth #4: "A sunny day is the best day to wash windows."

Feels right, right? Nice day, open the blinds, get to work.

Problem is the sun dries your soap before you can wipe it off. That's where most streaks come from. If you're doing it yourself, a cloudy day or the shady side of the house is your friend. Us? We skip the soap completely. Pure water has nothing in it to leave a streak, so it dries spot-free even in the Georgia sun.

Myth #5: "Clean glass is clean windows."

The glass is only part of it. If the frames and sills are caked in pollen and dirt, the first good rain splashes all of it right back on your glass.

When we do windows, we scrub the glass, the frames, and the sills. Otherwise what's the point?

So how often should you clean your windows in Atlanta?

For most homes around here, twice a year does it.

• Late spring, once the pine pollen finally gives up and your car isn't yellow anymore.
• Fall, before the holidays, so the house looks good when the family shows up and you can actually see the Christmas lights through the glass.

If you live near a lot of trees, a dirt road, or construction, you might want to bump that up. Same if you've got sprinklers hitting the glass. And if you just moved in? Do it now. Trust me, you have no idea what the last owner was looking through.

Let us handle it

Look, you can absolutely clean your own windows. I'm not going to stop you. But if you'd rather spend your Saturday doing literally anything besides standing on a ladder with a squeegee, that's what we're here for.

Your windows will thank you. Your neighbors will be jealous. That's the truth.

James Mahone, owner, JR Pressure Pros