ABC Janelas — Window Cleaning Guide

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓pH-neutral glass cleaner and microfibre cloth with rubber squeegee on all IGU types.
• ✓On Atlantic-facing facades, rinse glass with clean water before applying cleaner to float salt deposits off the surface rather than abrading them.
• ✓Check glazing gaskets annually - Atlantic coastal exposure accelerates rubber degradation.
• ✓On timber and timber-alu windows, inspect the glazing rebate seal carefully - water tracking into the timber rebate area causes wood swelling and paint failure.
• ✓Condensation between panes means IGU seal failure and requires professional replacement.

Frames

• ✓PVC frames: warm water and pH-neutral detergent on a soft cloth. No abrasives or solvents.
• ✓Timber-alu external faces (aluminium): pH-neutral detergent, rinse thoroughly, dry, apply paste wax in coastal locations.
• ✓Timber interior faces: wipe clean with a barely damp cloth. Never soak timber frames with wet cleaning solution.
• ✓Solid timber frames: inspect paint or stain condition annually. Failing coating on timber must be addressed before moisture penetration begins.
• ✓Clear drainage slots and any weep holes in all frame types every 6 months.

Hardware

• ✓Lubricate all hinges, pivot points, and multipoint locking bars twice yearly with PTFE spray or light machine oil.
• ✓In Atlantic coastal locations, use marine-grade lubricant on all hardware.
• ✓On timber windows, hardware screws fixed into timber may loosen over time as wood moves seasonally - check tightness annually.
• ✓Inspect hinge fixings on timber frames for rust bleed - steel screws in timber in coastal conditions corrode and stain the timber around them.
• ✓Replace standard steel screws with stainless steel if rust bleed is a recurring problem on timber or timber-alu hardware fixings.

Step 2 of 2: The Orloffs Protocol

The Orloffs Protocol

Pro Tools

My daily tool list. This is what I carry to every job.

Follow these steps in order. Each one builds on the last. This is the same sequence I use on every ABC Janelas installation.

1. 1

   Preparation -- before any water touches the glass

   Fill the bucket with at least 10 litres of water. Add soap for cleaning power -- enough to cut through environmental deposits, not so much you are fighting foam.

   Before touching the glass, brush down the surface to remove loose dust, spiderwebs, and debris. Any grit left on the glass during the wash phase risks scratching during agitation.

   Check the aluminium frame condition before you start. Confirm which cleaning product is safe for that surface before opening any bottle.

   Cover anything below the windows that cannot be moved.

2. 2

   Agitation -- apply and work the solution

   Dip the microfiber T-bar completely into the soap water, both sides. Remove excess water with your hand so it does not drip. Apply the solution across the entire glass surface with overlapping passes.

   The goal is to fully dissolve and release every deposit from the glass surface. Anything not released during agitation gets transported across the glass by the squeegee as a smear.

   For stubborn spots -- insect marks, salt residue, environmental deposits -- re-apply soap water and allow it to soak for a full minute before agitating again. Use more soap water, not more pressure.

   For panels above arm reach: attach the T-bar to an extension pole. Work in sections -- top first, then middle, then bottom -- keeping each section wet until you squeegee it.

   Rinse the T-bar cover regularly during the job. A dirty applicator causes microscopic scratches that accumulate over time.

3. 3

   Detail the frame edge before squeegeeing

   Use your 100% cotton towelling rag, finger pressed into the fabric, to work into every junction and remove pooled soap water before the squeegee pass.

   This prevents drips running down onto already-cleaned areas during squeegeeing and keeps soap water out of drainage channels.

   On ABC Janelas aluminium frames, pay particular attention to the bottom edge where glass meets the frame sill -- water pooled here runs into drainage openings and leaves residue over time.

4. 4

   The squeegee

   Tilt the squeegee at a slight angle so soap water spills from one side of the channel only -- not both. If the rubber is jumping or squeaking, either the rubber is not lubricated enough or the glass surface has warmed.

   Cutting in: start with the rubber blade making first contact on a dry edge of the glass.

   Side to side: horizontal passes across the panel. Works well on wide sections. Top to bottom: vertical passes down the panel. Works well on tall narrow sections.

   The J tune: one smooth unbroken motion top to bottom, wrist rotating at each end to reverse without lifting the rubber. The most efficient method on larger panels -- but it requires training before applying it to premium glass.

   Wipe the rubber dry after every pass. Overlap each stroke by 2-3 cm.

5. 5

   Final edge detailing

   After squeegeeing, there is always a residual line of water along the bottom edge and at the panel sides. Take a dry cotton rag, fold to a clean corner, and detail these edges in one smooth pass.

   On ABC Janelas frames, the bottom edge where glass meets the sill requires the most careful attention. Water left here runs into drainage and leaves residue that affects the next clean.

   Rotate the rag to a clean section after every pass. If the rag picks up grit at any point, replace it immediately.

6. 6

   Frame wipe and hardware check

   On ABC Janelas powder-coated aluminium frames: use pH-neutral cleaner only, never abrasive pads or steel wool. Dry immediately after wiping.

   Check that all drainage openings are clear and unobstructed. Water must be able to flow freely -- a blocked channel leads to accumulation that affects seal performance over time.

   Operate every opening window through its full range. Stiff handles or resistance at locking points indicate hardware that needs lubrication. Flag it to the owner rather than forcing it.

Pro Tips

• ★ Never use the same cloth for timber interior faces and aluminium or PVC exterior faces. Residues from pH-neutral detergent left on timber faces over years contribute to surface finish breakdown.
• ★ Timber-alu composite windows are the best of both worlds in theory, but only if the aluminium-to-timber connection detail is correctly sealed at installation. Water that gets between the aluminium cladding and the timber core causes timber swelling that no maintenance can address.
• ★ On Atlantic-facing Portuguese facades, the salt load from westerly weather systems is significant. Monthly cleaning during the October-March storm season is not excessive.
• ★ Solid timber windows need their exterior paint or stain assessed every year. Failing paint on one face allows moisture penetration that causes wood swelling, which then causes the paint to fail on adjacent faces. Catching one face saves the whole frame.
• ★ Hardware screws in timber frames should be stainless steel in any location within 10km of the Atlantic coast. Standard steel screws corrode within a few years and stain the surrounding timber.
• ★ PVC windows from ABC Janelas in the Portuguese climate last well. The main age-related issue is seal compression - check the sash compression seal condition on any window over 10 years old.
• ★ The interior of timber-alu composite frames should be inspected from inside the building once a year. External aluminium cladding that appears perfect can conceal timber that has been wetting from interior condensation.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass cleaning: Monthly on Atlantic coastal, every 6 weeks inland (Storm season October-March may justify fortnightly on exposed facades.). Frame cleaning: Every 2-3 months coastal, every 4 months inland (Wax on aluminium faces at each clean in coastal zone.). Hardware lubrication: Twice yearly (Marine-grade lubricant in coastal locations.). Timber coating assessment: Annually (Exterior paint or stain condition check on all timber and timber-alu units. Full recoat every 5-8 years depending on condition.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Timber-aluminium composite windows are the most rewarding product type to maintain correctly - the combination of materials performs excellently when cared for and degrades badly when not. Portuguese Atlantic coastal buildings are among the most demanding window maintenance environments in Europe. The combination of driving rain, salt air, and UV is closer to Nordic coastal conditions than Mediterranean in terms of maintenance intensity. ABC Janelas' three-material range means a single maintenance visit to a Portuguese property may involve three entirely different frame care protocols. Preparation and the correct products for each material type is essential.”

Justin Orloff