Windows are an impressive combination of utility and aesthetic beauty that can affect everything from a room’s appearance to its’ ventilation, and like everything else, has its own cleaning needs. Clean windows attract attention, elevate the mood of a room, and amplify the impact of a room’s design by beautifully complementing its interior decor.
This is part of why having dirty windows is so detrimental. Windows have a subtle but important impact on many things that people don’t often realize. Claritas wants to share with you some of the ways clean windows benefit your home or business. Here are six different reasons to keep your windows squeaky clean (and there are more than those, of course).
1-Longer Window Lifespan
If you want windows that last a long time, you need to clean them pretty consistently. If you’ve ever wiped a surface that looked clean to you and been surprised to find how much dirt gathered on the surface of the cloth you just used, you know that grime can get onto surfaces in thin layers that look invisible to the naked eye. The same thing happens to windows. Even if a window doesn’t look particularly dirty, there could be a significant buildup of residue on the surface. These little particles of dirt and grime can damage the surface of the glass of a window, causing microscopic scratches that build up over time into larger ones. These scratches can grow continually larger to the point that you can see them, and can even wear down the surface of the window until it needs replacement. So it is no exaggeration when we say that regular cleanings can end up saving you the cost of a new window. Cleaning your windows frequently will remove dirt before it can get caught in the grooves of the window glass, keeping it looking brand new.
2-Better Heating Efficiency
A layer of ick covering up your windows can do more than just make it look unattractive; it can keep the heat of the sun from warming up your room. Instead of helping to heat your home or office, the rays of the sun get blocked by dust, dirt, and other debris. The more mess there is on your windows, the more of an impact it has, which can add up to a heating bill. Frequent cleaning keeps the dirt from building up on the surface of the glass, and that can end up saving you more than you’d think.
3-Time-Saving
There are definite advantages to not just cleaning your windows, but cleaning them frequently. Many types of window stains become harder to remove if given time to settle, and should the window in question be left long enough without cleaning, it could result in hard-to-remove substances, like mold, developing in hard-to-clean places. The key to saving yourself extra time and working on window cleaning is to not give these stubborn messes a chance to set in or grow in the first place. And if the worst that means is a cloth (we recommend microfiber, of course) and some cleaning solution, that’s a good trade-off in our book.
4-A Good First Impression/More Inviting
This one is a reason for you business owners out there: a customer or guest seeing a clean, orderly storefront will have a better initial evaluation of that business. A storefront or office is like the face of your business. It should portray what you want it to be about yourself. A workplace that is well maintained indicates a responsible and hardworking crew. Conversely, an office that is dirty or sloppy could give the client an unfavorable impression of the employees working there. Now, this obviously applies just as much to general cleaning as it does to windows. But that’s a topic for a different post.
5-More Aesthetic Appeal/Better View
This is the most obvious one, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. No one should discount the importance or impact of a window just looking beautiful. Looking outside through a clean window doesn’t just make the scenery outside look good; it can make it look even better than it did before. We’ve all seen a business or home with beautiful windows that brighten the whole room and change the whole feel of the interior design. Everyone wants windows like that, right? Especially when fall and winter come around, you want a nice clear view of the colors of the leaves and of the snow. It really lets the seasons affect the feel of your room.
6-Workplace Morale
Everyone likes it better when the place they work is clean. There are numerous studies that confirm the positive correlation between workplace cleanliness and workplace productivity. If you’re a business owner, a clean business is important, not just for your customer’s first impression of your business, but for your workers’ satisfaction and efficiency. People feel more motivated to work when their workplace looks orderly and respectable. An employer’s respect for their own business passes down to their employees.
And there are Clarita’s six reasons to keep your windows clean. We hope this will inspire people to put more thought into their windows, and how they can add so much to their homes and businesses. If you want to keep your windows clean, you can grab your favorite window cleaner from the store or mix up between 1/2 and 1 cup of vinegar, depending on how stubborn your stains are, with 2 cups of water, as well as a good squirt of dish soap in a spray bottle (leave some citrus peels soaking in it if you’re not fond of the smell) to make a cheap, homemade window cleaner. Happy cleaning.
