Arbo Windows — 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 glass surfaces.
• ✓On timber and timber-alu windows, dry the glazing rebate area carefully after glass cleaning to prevent water tracking onto timber or between aluminium cladding and timber core.
• ✓Inspect glazing compound or glazing tape seals on timber windows annually - cold climate thermal cycling cracks compounds faster than in temperate conditions.
• ✓Check glazing gasket condition each autumn before winter - a failed gasket entering a Baltic winter will cause ice-related damage at the glass edge.
• ✓Triple glazing is the norm at premium tier in Baltic climate - failed triple IGU seals mean higher energy loss and should be replaced promptly.

Frames

• ✓External aluminium cladding (timber-alu): pH-neutral detergent solution, soft cloth, rinse, dry, apply paste wax twice yearly.
• ✓Timber interior faces: wipe with a barely damp cloth. Do not use wet cleaning solution on interior timber faces.
• ✓Solid timber exterior faces: inspect paint or stain condition annually. Address failing areas before winter.
• ✓Clear all drainage holes and weep slots in early autumn before freeze season. This is the most important single seasonal maintenance action.
• ✓Check perimeter frame-to-masonry sealant in spring after freeze-thaw has acted on it. Re-seal any cracked sections with neutral-cure silicone.

Hardware

• ✓Lubricate all hinges, pivot points, and multipoint locking bars with a lubricant rated for low temperature operation, applied in autumn before the first frost.
• ✓Standard summer lubrication with PTFE or light machine oil in spring.
• ✓Check hinge fixing screws in timber frames annually - timber movement through seasonal humidity cycles loosens fixings over time.
• ✓On entrance doors, check and adjust multipoint locking geometry each spring - winter thermal contraction can shift locking point alignment.
• ✓Replace any hardware showing corrosion before winter - frozen corroded hardware is very difficult to address in sub-zero temperatures.

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 Arbo Windows 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 Arbo Windows 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 Arbo Windows 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 Arbo Windows 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

• ★ Pre-winter drainage clearance on Arbo windows in Latvia is the single most important maintenance action of the year. Blocked drainage combined with freeze-thaw causes frame damage that no amount of spring cleaning fixes.
• ★ Interior timber faces on timber-alu composite windows should never be cleaned with wet cloths or spray products. Interior condensation on the aluminium face of the frame (room-side) should be dried with a cloth as soon as noticed - persistent condensation here means inadequate room ventilation.
• ★ Factory paint systems on Arbo solid timber windows are high-specification. When they need replacing, use a specialist timber window paint system and follow the full strip-prime-undercoat-topcoat sequence. Short-cutting this destroys the investment in good timber.
• ★ Low-temperature hardware lubricant is a small investment relative to the cost of a frozen multipoint locking mechanism in a Baltic January. Use it in the autumn service visit on all locking points, hinges, and pivot pins.
• ★ Spring inspection after the Baltic winter often reveals sealant cracks that were not present in autumn. Re-seal in spring before the summer rainfall season.
• ★ Timber windows in Latvian conditions last for decades when properly maintained. The economics of correct care are compelling - a well-maintained premium timber-alu window can be in service for 40 years with appropriate periodic recoating.
• ★ On export Arbo installations in central Europe or Scandinavia, the climate context shifts but the maintenance principles remain. The pre-winter drainage and lubrication protocol is still the priority regardless of how mild the destination climate is relative to Riga.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass cleaning: Every 6-8 weeks (Plus a thorough clean and rebate drying check in autumn before freeze season.). External aluminium face cleaning and wax: Every 3-4 months, wax twice yearly (Spring and autumn wax application around the seasonal service visits.). Hardware lubrication: Twice yearly - spring (standard PTFE) and autumn (low-temperature lubricant) (Critical timing around seasonal temperature transitions.). Timber interior inspection and solid timber paint assessment: Annually (Timber paint recoat every 8-12 years depending on condition and exposure.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Baltic timber window manufacturing is serious engineering. Arbo windows built for Latvian winters are overbuilt relative to what most central European climates demand - this is a quality indicator, not a mismatch. The interior timber face on composite windows is the early warning system for any moisture management failure in the window. Any discolouration or surface coating deterioration on the interior timber face warrants investigation before it progresses. Export Arbo windows in Scandinavia are well-placed - the climate is similar to Latvia and the timber window maintenance culture is strong in those markets. Export to warmer central European climates means the maintenance protocol can be somewhat less intensive, but the pre-winter drainage check is always worth doing regardless of climate.”

Justin Orloff