GEALAN — 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 mild dish soap or purpose-made glass cleaner.
• ✓Microfibre T-bar applicator on wash, professional squeegee on pull. Fresh rubber.
• ✓On CONCEPTLINE flush-fit profiles, do a cloth edge pass along the glass perimeter before squeegeeing.
• ✓No razor blades on coated glass. Check glazing specification before using hard tools.

Frames

• ✓pH-neutral cleaner on a damp cloth. Safe on both standard PVC and IQ-PROTECT surface.
• ✓No bleach, solvent, or strong alkali products - even IQ-PROTECT surfaces are affected by these over time.
• ✓No abrasive pads on any GEALAN profile surface.
• ✓Clear drainage channel exits at the frame base at every clean, from inside and outside if accessible.

Hardware

• ✓Identify hardware manufacturer before lubricating - GU, Siegenia, and Winkhaus hardware have slightly different lubrication points.
• ✓Wipe hardware dry after cleaning. Steel hardware on white PVC causes rust staining if left wet.
• ✓Lubricate tilt-and-turn mechanisms and hinge points annually with light machine oil.

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 GEALAN 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 Gealan 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 Gealan 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 Gealan 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

• ★ IQ-PROTECT surface GEALAN profiles have a slightly different visual quality when clean - the enhanced surface clarity shows fingerprints and cloth marks more clearly than standard PVC. Use a lint-free cloth for the final pass.
• ★ The flush joint on CONCEPTLINE profiles collects airborne dust in the joint gap. A dry soft brush drawn along the joint before wetting is more effective than trying to rinse this debris out.
• ★ On Polish-fabricated GEALAN windows, the hardware brand is often not marked on the profile face - check the locking point covers for a moulded brand name or look at the hinge face.
• ★ S 9000 profiles in white can show a yellow tinge on heavily sun-exposed south-facing elevations over time. This is UV-related and not a cleaning damage issue. A purpose-made PVC restorer can reduce the yellowing.
• ★ Drainage channel exits on GEALAN profiles are often at the very corner of the frame base - they are easy to miss in a general frame wipe. Run a finger along the frame base to feel for the slot position.
• ★ GEALAN profiles are manufactured in batches, and colour foils can vary slightly between production batches. On a property where windows have been added at different dates, the foil colour may be a close but not exact match. This is a manufacturing tolerance, not a cleaning issue.
• ★ On GEALAN sliding and lift-and-slide profiles, the wider bottom sill rail requires the same drainage clearance attention as the tilt-and-turn frame base - larger debris accumulates in the wider sill channel.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass: 2x per year minimum (Spring and autumn. Urban and roadside: quarterly.). Frames: 2x per year (Same visit as glass. IQ-PROTECT surface benefits from regular cleaning to maintain its surface clarity.). Drainage channels: Every clean (Clear from inside and outside where accessible. GEALAN internal drainage is a two-direction system.). Hardware lubrication: Once per year (Identify hardware brand first - lubrication points vary by manufacturer.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“GEALAN profiles are among the most commonly encountered PVC systems in Central European residential stock. The IQ-PROTECT surface on newer installations is noticeably cleaner after a standard clean than older standard-surface profiles. Polish-fabricated GEALAN windows are often well-made products but with hardware variability that requires a quick assessment on first visit. The CONCEPTLINE flush-fit joint is the one aspect of GEALAN cleaning technique that differs from all other PVC profile systems. Build the flush-joint cloth step into your standard CONCEPTLINE protocol.”

Justin Orloff