Deceuninck — Window Cleaning Guide

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓Lukewarm water with a small amount of mild soap or a dedicated glass cleaner. No ammonia-based cleaners near PVC frames or rubber seals.
• ✓Microfibre T-bar applicator on the wash, professional squeegee on the pull. Fresh rubber blade - worn rubber leaves residue in the flush sash shadow gap on Elegant profiles.
• ✓No razor blades without confirming the glass specification. Solar control and easy-clean coatings are present on many mid-range Deceuninck-based installations.
• ✓After squeegeeing, wipe the flush sash shadow gap on Elegant profiles with a damp cloth to remove any solution that has run into the gap during the pull.

Frames

• ✓Wipe with a damp cloth and pH-neutral cleaner. Rinse thoroughly - residue in rebate grooves and the flush sash gap attracts grime and degrades rubber seals.
• ✓No bleach, chlorine, or strong alkali on white or colour-foil PVC. Test any new product on an inconspicuous area first on colour foil installations.
• ✓No abrasive pads on any Deceuninck profile surface. The outer face of colour foil profiles is particularly sensitive.
• ✓Clear drainage slots at the frame base and sash base at every clean. Use a soft brush or cocktail stick, never metal.

Hardware

• ✓Wipe hardware with a damp cloth and dry immediately. Standing water on steel locking bars and hinges causes rust staining on adjacent white or colour PVC.
• ✓Lubricate all moving hardware points - tilt-and-turn mechanisms, hinge points, espagnolette rods - with a light machine oil once per year.
• ✓Check that all locking points engage smoothly. Resistance at the handle is the first indicator that lubrication has dried out.

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 Deceuninck 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 uPVC 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 Deceuninck uPVC 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 Deceuninck 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 Deceuninck uPVC frames: solvent-free pH-neutral cleaner only -- solvents cause permanent surface damage. Avoid abrasive pads on the profile.

   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

• ★ On Elegant flush sash profiles, the shadow gap accumulates more grime per month than the main frame face - budget extra time for this detail on the first visit to an Elegant installation.
• ★ Deceuninck colour foils in dark woodgrain finishes show water marks more clearly than white PVC - work in smaller sections and dry faster on dark colour installations.
• ★ If white Deceuninck profiles have yellowed, a dedicated PVC restorer can address mild cases. Do not use bleach - it causes further yellowing and hardens adjacent rubber seals.
• ★ Recycled-core Deceuninck profiles (Twinson excepted) have identical outer surfaces to standard virgin PVC profiles - no adjusted cleaning technique is needed for the recycled-core series.
• ★ On French-market Deceuninck fabrications, hardware is often from French suppliers and may differ from Belgian or Dutch market equivalents on the same profile - check hardware operation before assuming lubricant type.
• ★ Drainage slot blockages on Deceuninck profiles in urban environments are almost always airborne dust compacted by rain, not cleaning product residue - a wooden pick clears them in seconds.
• ★ On north-facing Deceuninck installations, algae establishes in the frame rebate over winter. Diluted white vinegar removes it without damaging PVC or seals - rinse thoroughly after application.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass: 2x per year minimum (Spring and autumn. Urban and south-facing locations benefit from quarterly cleaning.). Frames: 2x per year (Same visit as glass. Elegant flush sash shadow gaps need attention at every clean.). Drainage slots: Every clean (30 seconds per window. The cost of ignoring it is water damage behind the glass unit.). Hardware lubrication: Once per year (Light machine oil or dedicated window lubricant on all moving points.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“The Elegant flush sash profile is the most common source of missed grime on Deceuninck installations - the shadow gap is not visible from a distance and is regularly skipped by cleaners who do not know the profile. Colour foil damage on Deceuninck profiles is almost always concentrated at the corners of the frame where the foil wraps - inspect corners on the first visit to any colour foil installation and flag any pre-existing lifting. Drainage slot blockages on Deceuninck profiles cause water ingress into the glass rebate - the first sign is usually a tide mark of dried mineral residue on the inner face of the glass unit, just above the bottom frame rail.”

Justin Orloff