Cleaning the exterior windows at your house can be a serious pain, especially if you have multiple stories. If you want to clean the windows on the second floor or in hard-to-reach places, you can use a ladder or a pressure washer. A pressure washer is one of the best ways to clean exterior windows, but there are some things you should be aware of.
Setting the Right Pressure and Nozzle
If you already have the pressure washer, you need to prepare it properly to clean your windows. Cracking the glass or loosening the wood putty are the biggest dangers when using a pressure washer to clean your windows. To avoid that, you should use no more than 2,000psi on your pressure washer. If you can set it to about 1,500 psi, that would be even better. Secondly, you should choose a 40-degree or 65-degree nozzle; you never want to spray water directly at the window pane. If you’re shopping at a store, 40-degree nozzles are white and 65-degree nozzles are black.
Choose The Right Detergent
Secondly, you should choose the right detergent for your pressure washer. You need a detergent that is designed for pressure washers. Fill up the reservoir in your pressure washer; when you turn it on, it will mix with the flow of water to create the right proportion of water and detergent. If you don’t choose one recommended for your washer, it can cause problems with the proper functioning. It can also reduce the effectiveness of the cleaning solution.
Spray at an Angle
Even with the wide nozzle on the pressure washer and the pressure turned down, you should avoid spraying water directly at the window. Spray at an angle to the glass. Start at the edges of the window and work your way inward.
Avoid spraying the putty if you can. You don’t want to loosen the putty; if you do, it will eventually loosen the pane in the window frame and undermine the integrity of the window. Finally, you want to spray the window with clear water. Turn off the detergent reservoir and wash the window with clear water. Do this before the detergent has a chance to dry, which will leave streaks.
If you are cleaning your windows on a particularly hot day, you should rinse each window right after washing it to ensure that it doesn’t dry too quickly. In this way, homeowners can wash dozens of windows in an afternoon.
