Capral Aluminium — Window Cleaning Guide

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓Pre-rinse glass with clean water before applying any cleaning solution - coastal salt and inland dust must be flushed, not scrubbed.
• ✓Use pH-neutral glass cleaning solution. Avoid acid-based cleaners near aluminium frames and avoid alkaline cleaners near anodised profiles.
• ✓Squeegee from top to bottom with overlapping strokes. Wipe rubber blade after each pull.
• ✓Inspect glazing seals at every visit. Cracked or separating silicone on Australian aluminium windows is a common pre-existing defect - document and report.

Powder-Coated Frames

• ✓Wipe with a soft cloth dampened in pH-neutral solution. Never use abrasive pads - powder coat on chalked frames is already compromised.
• ✓Rinse thoroughly after cleaning. Cleaning solution dried onto powder coat in Australian summer heat leaves residue that requires abrasive removal.
• ✓Check for chalking on north-facing and west-facing elevations. White, powdery residue on the frame surface indicates UV degradation of the coating.

Anodised Frames

• ✓Use only pH-neutral cleaners on anodised aluminium. Alkaline cleaners dissolve the anodised oxide layer - damage is irreversible.
• ✓Do not use abrasive pads, steel wool, or scouring compounds on anodised surfaces. The oxide layer is harder than powder coat but not scratch-resistant.
• ✓Rinse anodised frames thoroughly. Salt residue left in contact with anodised aluminium causes pitting corrosion in coastal conditions.

Tracks and Hardware

• ✓Clear track channels with a brush before introducing water. Australian dust and organic debris in tracks forms an abrasive slurry when wet.
• ✓Apply silicone lubricant to sliding track surfaces after cleaning. Avoid petroleum-based lubricants that soften rubber gaskets.
• ✓Check weep holes are clear at every service. Blocked weep holes combined with Australian summer storm rainfall cause water ingress.

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 Capral Aluminium 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 Capral Aluminium 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 Capral Aluminium 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 Capral Aluminium 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

• ★ Clean Australian aluminium windows before 10am where possible - cleaning solution applied to sun-heated glass in the afternoon dries before you can squeegee it off
• ★ On first visits to properties not recently maintained, budget double time - Australian neglected windows have hardened salt scale, silica deposits, and organic staining that needs multiple passes
• ★ Spring is the best time to flag seal replacement to property managers - glazing seals have just come through peak summer UV and are at their most degraded state

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Coastal QLD, NSW, WA (within 5km of ocean): Every 4 to 6 weeks (Salt air and UV combine for fast surface degradation). Inland residential: Every 8 to 12 weeks (Dust loading but lower salt exposure). Tropical north (Darwin, Cairns): Every 4 to 6 weeks (Wet season organic debris and year-round UV)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Queensland and NT properties on north-facing elevations show the fastest powder coat degradation - budget for shorter cleaning intervals and more frequent seal inspections on these elevations. Coastal properties within 5km of the ocean in WA, SA, and NSW accumulate salt film within 2 to 3 weeks of cleaning in windy conditions. These clients need more frequent service than inland equivalents. When a Capral-stamped window has seal failure or water ingress, the cause is almost always the fabricator's assembly work, not the Capral extrusion. Check the glazing bead fit and silicone application before concluding the frame itself has failed.”

Justin Orloff