Hydro Building Systems — Window Cleaning Guide

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓Residential: lukewarm water with mild dish soap, microfibre T-bar, professional squeegee with fresh rubber.
• ✓Commercial curtain wall: specialist access and industrial cleaning equipment as per the building maintenance contract.
• ✓Skylight glass: increased dwell time on mineral and organic deposits. More frequent cleaning schedule than vertical glass.
• ✓No razor blades on any coated or toughened glass without confirming glass specification first.

Frames

• ✓Identify finish first: powder coat or anodised aluminium. Both require pH-neutral chemistry only.
• ✓Powder coat: pH-neutral cleaner on soft cloth, rinse, dry with lint-free cloth.
• ✓Anodised: pH-neutral only, rinse immediately, dry immediately. Never acid or alkali.
• ✓No abrasive materials on any aluminium finish.

Hardware

• ✓Wipe hardware with a damp cloth and dry immediately.
• ✓Lubricate residential window hardware (Technal tilt-and-turn) annually.
• ✓Commercial WICONA hardware is maintained under the building maintenance contract by a specialist contractor.

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 Hydro Building Systems 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 Hydro Building Systems 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 Hydro Building Systems 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 Hydro Building Systems 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

• ★ Technal and WICONA products are premium aluminium systems. The premium status means clients expect premium results. Every mark on an anodised frame is more visible than on painted PVC.
• ★ REDUXA low-carbon aluminium from Hydro has no different surface properties from standard aluminium - it cleans identically. The environmental credential is in the production, not the surface.
• ★ Anodised aluminium finish on Technal products in bronze or gold tones is particularly sensitive to alkaline products. Even a product that is slightly alkaline leaves a visible bloom on these tones.
• ★ Skylight glass on Technal roof glazing needs more frequent cleaning than wall glass in the same property. Organic debris, bird droppings, and mineral deposits accumulate faster on horizontal glass.
• ★ Commercial WICONA facade cleaning is a specialist discipline. If you are a residential cleaner approached to clean a WICONA commercial facade, be honest about whether your equipment and access setup is appropriate before taking the work.
• ★ On Technal installations with integrated Somfy or Bubendorff motorised shutters, apply the same motor exclusion protocol as on heroal - keep solution away from the blade slot and any motor access point.
• ★ Technal residential curtain walling elements in contemporary French houses (full-height glazing with minimal aluminium framing) require extended squeegee channels and careful water management to prevent runoff staining the external wall cladding.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Residential glass: 2x to 4x per year (Premium French and German residential typically specifies quarterly cleans.). Residential frames: Same schedule as glass (Anodised aluminium benefits from regular cleaning to prevent soiling from bonding to the surface.). Commercial facades: As per building maintenance contract (Typically 4x to 12x per year depending on building location and use.). Residential hardware: Once per year (Annual lubrication of Technal tilt-and-turn and casement mechanisms.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Hydro Building Systems is the parent company behind two major aluminium brands. In the field, you encounter Technal labels on French residential windows and WICONA labels on German commercial projects. The cleaning protocol is determined by the application scale, not the brand name. The distinction between a Technal residential window and a WICONA commercial facade panel is not always immediately obvious when looking at an installation. Curtain wall panels have no opening sash - they are fixed glazing in an aluminium frame. If there is no handle, it is a fixed panel. Anodised aluminium finish identification is the most important pre-clean step on any Technal or WICONA installation. A product decision error on anodised aluminium produces permanent visible damage.”

Justin Orloff