Reynaers — Window Cleaning Guide

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Reynaers Official Care Guidance

• ✓Use a mild neutral pH detergent and warm water for all frame surfaces.
• ✓Apply with a soft cloth or sponge - no abrasive pads, scouring sponges, or wire brushes.
• ✓Rinse frames thoroughly with clean water after cleaning to remove all detergent residue.
• ✓Use Reynaers Clean and Care Wax to restore and protect the powder coat after cleaning.
• ✓Use Reynaers Aluminium Renewer for oxidised or dull anodised surfaces.
• ✓Lubricate moving parts (hinges, handles, locks, sliding tracks) with Reynaers Aluminium Lubricant every 12 months.
• ✓Reynaers Deepclean is available for heavy deposits and environmental buildup.

Textured (Structura) Finishes

• ✕Use a soft natural-bristle brush only - never abrasive pads or hard scrubbing.
• ✓Light pressure and neutral detergent with a thorough rinse.
• ✕Scrubbing flattens the texture permanently - there is no recovery from this.

What Not To Do

• ✕Do not use abrasive cleaning products, scouring pads, or wire brushes on any Reynaers surface.
• ✓Do not use acid-based cleaners - they etch and discolour the anodised layer.
• ✓Do not use solvent-based cleaners on powder-coated frames.
• ✕Do not pressure-wash thresholds or drainage channels.
• ✓Do not use silicone lubricant on sliding tracks - use only manufacturer-specified products.

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 Reynaers 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 Reynaers 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 Reynaers 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 Reynaers 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

• ★ Never use abrasive pads on textured (structura) finishes - the texture flattens permanently and the damage is visible in side light from across the room.
• ★ Wear nitrile gloves when handling bronze anodised frame edges - fingerprints show immediately on this finish.
• ★ Vacuum tracks before washing glass - wet debris becomes paste in the drainage channels.
• ★ Do not use silicone lubricant on sliding tracks - use Reynaers Aluminium Lubricant only.
• ★ On Hi-Finity panels, use lighter squeegee pressure - the triple-glazed panels are heavy and the contact point is different from standard glass.
• ★ Clean threshold drainage channels at every visit - blocked drainage is the most common Reynaers service call.
• ★ Do not let acid-based cleaners touch anodised frames - the etching is instant and irreversible.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass: 2-4 times per year (Twice per year minimum. Four times for urban, coastal, or high-traffic locations.). Frame surfaces: Every glass clean (Clean frames at every glass visit to prevent deposit buildup on the powder coat or anodised surface.). Track and drainage channels: Every clean (Clear at every visit - blocked drainage is the most common cause of water ingress on Reynaers sliding systems.). Hardware lubrication: Annual (Reynaers recommends lubricating all moving parts every 12 months with Reynaers Aluminium Lubricant.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Bronze anodised finishes are very common on Reynaers - particularly easy to mark with a fingerprint. Wear nitrile gloves when handling the frame edges.”

Justin Orloff