How to clean windows without streaks
12.09.2026
Quick facts
| Time | 15 minutes per window |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | low |
| You need | a squeegee, microfibre, warm water |
| Our price | from €12 per window |
Streaks are not a sign that you washed the window badly. They are a sign of the order you washed it in and what you used. Follow the sequence below and one window takes about fifteen minutes and comes off in a single pull.
What you'll need
- warm water
- a few drops of washing-up liquid
- a squeegee with an undamaged blade
- two microfibre cloths — one for the frame, one for the glass
- a bucket
Step by step
- Pick the right moment. Not in direct sun. The solution evaporates before you can pull it off and leaves a map behind — that is the single most common cause of streaks.
- Start with the frame, not the glass. Wash the frame and the channels where dust and insects collect. Do the glass first and you will put dirty water straight back onto it.
- Take the insect screen out and rinse it. A clogged screen blocks more light than dirty glass, and cleaning it is usually more visible.
- Wet the glass. Warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid is enough. More foam means more residue, not cleaner glass.
- Pull the squeegee in one stroke. Top to bottom without stopping, and wipe the blade on a dry cloth after each pass. The uninterrupted stroke is the whole difference between clean and almost clean.
- Dry the edges. Go round the edges of the glass and the sill with a dry microfibre cloth — that is where the water collects last.
What to use on windows — and what not to
| Product | Good for | Do not use on |
|---|---|---|
| Warm water with a few drops of washing-up liquid | ordinary glazing | more foam means more streaks, not cleaner glass |
| Vinegar diluted 1:10 | greasy film and rain marks | wooden frames with an oil finish |
| Microfibre cloth | drying edges and frames | not newspaper or paper towel — they shed fibres |
| Alcohol-based glass cleaner | dries fast, useful in cold weather | tinted and safety films |
The squeegee matters more than the product. A damaged blade leaves a straight line in the same place every time — that is wear, not technique.
How often to clean windows
Twice a year is enough unless you live on a busy road. In Bratislava a large share of households do: along Einsteinova, Prievozská or Račianska the glass dirties noticeably faster and a quarterly interval makes more sense.
There is a practical reason to do it in winter that people forget: in the darkest months clean glass lets through noticeably more light, and that is exactly when you need it.
What to watch out for
- Newspaper and paper towels leave fibres. Microfibre does not.
- A damaged squeegee blade drags a line — if you see a regular streak in the same spot, replace it.
- Below minus five degrees the water freezes on the glass and the marks can only be removed by washing again.
- On old wooden windows the hardware is often loose and the sash may not close after being opened. Check before you open it fully.
When to leave it to a professional
Windows above the ground floor that open outward, large fixed panes, glazed balconies and anything that needs working from a ladder are not worth the risk. We clean windows as a fixed-price item from €12 each including frames, seals and sills — see window cleaning.
