Cleaning Interior Windows
Interior window cleaning is one of the tasks most often skipped in routine cleaning and most noticeable when done properly. Ontario homes — especially those that run furnaces through a long winter — accumulate a thin film of dust, moisture, and cooking vapour on interior glass surfaces that significantly reduces the quality of natural light. Here's the professional approach.
What Creates Window Film in Ontario Homes
- Forced-air heating: Forced-air furnaces circulate fine dust particles that settle on all horizontal and vertical surfaces including windows
- Condensation cycles: Ontario winter condensation on cold window glass leaves mineral deposits when it evaporates
- Cooking vapour: Kitchen windows and glass near the kitchen accumulate a thin grease film faster than bedroom or bathroom windows
Streak-Free Window Cleaning
- The professional standard: Spray bottle with a solution of 1 tbsp dish soap per quart of warm water (or a commercial glass cleaner like Windex), apply with a clean microfibre cloth, wipe in a consistent direction, dry immediately with a second clean microfibre cloth
- Newspaper method: Crumpled newspaper is genuinely effective — the newsprint is slightly abrasive and the ink creates a polishing effect. Less practical than microfibre for most households but effective
- Key principle: Dry the glass quickly — letting cleaning solution sit and evaporate creates new streaks. The streak-free result comes from complete, quick removal of the cleaning solution
Hard Water Spots on Windows
For hard water mineral deposits on windows (the white spots from sprinkler overspray or condensation): a diluted white vinegar solution (1:1 water to vinegar) applied and left for 2–3 minutes, then wiped off, dissolves calcium deposits effectively.