by Steve Langell, owner Mr. Clean & Shine, 10/01/07

Windows allow light into your home which helps heat your home in winter, helps keep electricity bills low as they brighten your home, and provide your own little picture boxes of the world. You sit at them to read by natural light, you watch your kids play outside, and you place your plants next to them to grow. They bring warmth to your home in many ways.

Regular outside window cleaning can protect the quality and extend the life of your windows by removing abrasive or corrosive substances such as dirt and oxidation before accumulation can cause permanent damage to the glass. Regular inside window cleaning can benefit your health by removing dust, soot, and mildew buildup from the inside of your home’s glass surfaces.

The most important reason for glass maintenance is degradation. Glass will, over time, become permeated with a variety of contaminants:

1. Hard Minerals (from sprinkler systems and building run-off)

2. Oxidation (from windows encased in metal frames and screens)

3. Acid Rain

4. Overspray (from paint, chalking, mortar and more) Windows aren’t just windows anymore.

Knowledge is essential. As glass composition becomes more complex, window cleaning is being raised from a simple service to a technical skill. It’s no longer enough to just clean windows. Now you need to know what you are cleaning.

Today’s windows combine tempering techniques with reflective and absorptive chemistry to create safer, more energy efficient windows, commonly known as IG units, double paned glass, and tinted windows. It is imperative that your window cleaning professionals understand the latest in glass technology and the methodology to clean the glass.

Steve Langell, owner Mr. Clean & Shine, has been in business since 1985. He is a member of International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA), Association of United Window Cleaners (AUWC), and Master Window Cleaners of America (MWCoA). Steve and his team are active members of all three associations and adhere to their policies and practices for professionalism, safety and training.