WICONA — Window Cleaning Guide

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓pH-neutral glass cleaner in warm water. Commercial-grade applicator and long-channel squeegee.
• ✓Work bay by bay from top to bottom. Complete each bay before moving to the next.
• ✓On solar control glass, check whether the glass coating is on the external surface before using any scraping tool.
• ✓Control solution run-off to lower bays. Solution dripping from an upper bay onto cleaned glass below is the primary source of rework.

Frames

• ✓Powder-coated aluminium: pH-neutral cleaner, soft cloth, immediate rinse, dry.
• ✓Anodised aluminium: pH-neutral cleaner with confirmed compatibility to Hydro Colour specification if applicable.
• ✓Clear weep holes in horizontal transom members at every clean. Use a soft tool. Never block weep holes.
• ✓Check pressure-equalised baffles and weatherstrip condition on accessible sections.

Hardware

• ✓Commercial windows in the facade: lubricate all accessible mechanism points annually.
• ✓WICSTYLE entrance doors: high-cycle hardware needs bi-annual lubrication.
• ✓Structural sealant condition check at every clean visit. Report any cracking or adhesion failure immediately - commercial facade sealant failure is a water penetration risk.

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 WICONA 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 Wicona 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 Wicona 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 Wicona 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

• ★ Commercial WICONA facade cleaning is a planned operation, not a reactive one. The building manager and the maintenance contractor should have a coordinated schedule with access equipment booking, weather windows, and building occupancy considerations planned in advance.
• ★ Weep hole clearing on WICONA curtain walling is the most important single maintenance action on a drained pressure-equalised system. Every blocked weep hole is a potential water penetration point. Build weep hole checking into every bay of the cleaning sequence.
• ★ Hydro Colour anodised finishes on WICONA products have specific cleaning product compatibility requirements. Verify the product you are using is on the approved list before applying it to anodised sections. The Hydro Building Systems technical department can confirm compatibility.
• ★ Solar control glass coatings on commercial facades are sometimes on the external surface rather than an internal surface - check the specification before using any abrasive tool or scraper on commercial glass.
• ★ BMU gondola cleaning technique is a learned skill. Working from a suspended gondola with a 90cm squeegee, managing the gondola position, and maintaining consistent coverage requires specific training. Do not attempt commercial high-rise WICONA cleaning without the appropriate access and cleaning training.
• ★ Post-construction cleaning of WICONA facades requires specialist products for cement and silicone contamination removal. Standard facade cleaning products do not address these deposits. Confirm the post-construction cleaning specification with the project team before starting.
• ★ Commercial WICONA maintenance contracts should include a structural sealant condition assessment at every clean. Sealant inspection on a curtain walling system is the difference between a preventive maintenance programme and a reactive water damage response.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass: 2 to 4x per year (Commercial building context and location determine frequency. Urban office buildings: quarterly. Prestige retail and hospitality: monthly.). Drainage channel and weep hole clearing: Twice per year minimum (Autumn leaf fall and spring pollen are peak blockage periods. More frequent in urban locations with heavy atmospheric deposits.). Structural sealant inspection: Once per year (Annual condition report required under most commercial maintenance contracts.). Window hardware lubrication: Annually (WICSTYLE entrance doors: bi-annually due to high-cycle use.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“WICONA is a commercial specification product. Cleaning contracts for WICONA facades require the capabilities of a commercial facade maintenance company, not a residential window cleaning operative. The Hydro parent company gives WICONA access to specific finishing technologies and material certifications. These certifications have cleaning product compatibility implications that are more prescriptive than for standard powder-coat aluminium. Weep hole blockage is the most common and most consequential maintenance failure on WICONA curtain walling. It is also entirely preventable with correct protocol. Building managers who understand this will value a maintenance contractor who treats weep hole clearing as a priority.”

Justin Orloff