Janelas Exóticas — Window Cleaning Guide

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓Clean roller shutter housing before touching the glass on any property with integrated shutters.
• ✓Lukewarm water with mild dish soap or glass cleaner. Microfibre T-bar, professional squeegee, fresh rubber.
• ✓In coastal locations, rinse glass with clean fresh water after the squeegee pass to remove any salt residue from the cleaning solution.
• ✓No razor blades on coated glass.

Frames

• ✓Aluminium frames: pH-neutral cleaner on a soft cloth, rinse with clean fresh water, dry immediately.
• ✓In coastal locations: rinse aluminium frames with fresh water after cleaning, even if the cleaner is pH-neutral. Salt residue from the cleaner drying on the frame accelerates chalking.
• ✓PVC frames: pH-neutral cleaner, damp cloth, rinse, dry. No bleach, no solvent.
• ✓Clear bi-fold track and sliding door tracks at every clean.

Hardware

• ✓Wipe hardware dry after cleaning. Coastal Portuguese climate - salt air and hardware moisture is a fast corrosion combination.
• ✓Lubricate casement hardware, sliding door rollers, and bi-fold hinges annually.
• ✓Check rubber seals at every clean. In coastal and high-UV locations, seal life is shorter than in northern European climates.

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 Janelas Exóticas 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 Janelas Exoticas 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 Janelas Exoticas 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 Janelas Exoticas 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

• ★ Within 500 metres of the Portuguese Atlantic coast, every clean should include a fresh water rinse of all aluminium surfaces after the cleaning product has been applied and wiped off. This removes any residual salt from the cleaner before it can dry on the frame.
• ★ Bi-fold door tracks in Portuguese coastal properties accumulate a mixture of fine sand and salt that compacts into a paste under the roller mechanism. Brush it out dry, then rinse the track with clean water and dry before closing the doors.
• ★ Aluminium powder coat in coastal locations develops a chalky bloom over 5 to 10 years from salt air and UV combined. A purpose-made aluminium restorer can reduce the chalking. Increased cleaning frequency slows it down.
• ★ Portuguese residential buildings in historic city centres (Lisbon, Porto) often have windows from multiple eras - original wrought-iron casements, 1970s non-thermally-broken aluminium, and new products in the same building. Identify each product before applying any cleaning approach.
• ★ Folding systems with multiple sash panels need each panel cleaned individually. The sashes overlap when folded - unfold each panel to access the full glass face.
• ★ Rubber seals on Portuguese aluminium windows should be inspected at every clean and replaced every 5 to 7 years in high-UV coastal locations. A brief seal condition note in the client record helps track seal age.
• ★ Salt air corrosion on non-thermally-broken aluminium frames appears first at the joins between frame members and at any fixing point. A torch inspection of joins and fixings at the annual service visit catches early corrosion before it spreads.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass: 4x per year minimum in coastal locations (Atlantic coastal properties accumulate salt and organic soiling fast. Quarterly minimum. Monthly on properties within 200 metres of the sea.). Frames: Same schedule as glass (Fresh water rinse after every clean in coastal locations.). Tracks (bi-fold, sliding): Every clean (Salt and sand in tracks is the leading cause of roller wear on Portuguese coastal bi-fold systems.). Hardware lubrication and seal check: 2x per year in coastal locations (Annual lubrication is insufficient in high-salt-air environments.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Portuguese coastal window maintenance is the most demanding environmental context in which standard window cleaning technique is expected to apply. Salt air, UV, and Atlantic rain create a combination that tests every product and seal faster than Central European climates. Bi-fold door systems are very popular in Portuguese coastal villa architecture. They are also the highest-maintenance window product in the range due to the multiple sash panels and the track accumulation issue. The fresh water rinse step after aluminium frame cleaning is not optional in coastal locations. It takes 90 extra seconds per window and prevents years of accelerated powder-coat degradation.”

Justin Orloff