Window Track Cleaning Hacks

Don’t overlook your window tracks and window sills when cleaning your home. These places can quickly build up grime, but with these tips, you’ll have them sparkling clean in no time.

Why do window tracks and window sills get so dirty? When your window is open, dust drifts in. The grooves are inevitable receptacles for dirt, dust, bugs and even water. An accumulation of dust and condensation is a recipe for mould or mildew. See further down for tackling mouldy window tracks. 

Easy Steps to Successful Window Track Cleaning

• Use a vacuum with a nozzle attachment to remove loose debris and dust. A mini vacuum with smaller attachments is best. 
• Mix a solution of vinegar and baking soda. Then, scrub the tracks with a toothbrush or small brush, such as a grout brush dipped in a cleaning solution. 
• CLR® can also work wonders.
• You can try cutting grooves in a sponge to make the job easier. 
• Wipe off the loosened debris with a paper towel or a wet cloth.
• Dry the tracks.
• For a Video option, see Window Track Cleaning by Hometalk.

Tackling the Difficult Spots

• If you have stubborn debris in the tracks, use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser cut to size. 
• Is dirt stuck in the corners? Try a Q-tip! Alternatively, use a butter knife or putty knife wrapped in a damp rag or J-Cloth.
• If the grime is super stuck on, try using a handheld steamer to loosen things up. Bissell makes a reasonably priced one. 

Cleaning the Window Sills and Ledges

• You have a bit more area to work with here, and the process is similar for vinyl or painted sills.
• Remove loose debris and dust by using a vacuum with a soft brush or duster attachment.
• Mix your favourite cleaning solution as above and use this to wipe the sill.
• Wipe off the loosened debris with a paper towel or a wet cloth.
• Dry the window sill.
• Crayola has suggestions for removing any ‘temporary artwork’ such as colouring on window sills your child may have gifted you with. 

Cleaning Sills Made of Wood.

First, you will want to remove any watermarks from your wooden sills. Reader’s Digest gives six options to try. Then use a wood-safe cleaner. Polishing the wood adds a nice finishing touch. Finally, you want to be careful not to soak the wood with water. Remove water used for cleaning as soon as possible. 

Window Track Cleaning for Mold Removal

If you see any signs of mould in your tracks or sills, you may have a water entry issue. Call a remediator right away. They can do a few tests to see if a leaky sill has let water into your walls. If so, that is a significant health risk. Take care of any mould issues promptly. Mould may be an indicator that your windows are leaking around the edges. Your remediator can recommend a contractor to fix this.

Before cleaning up surface mould, take photos to show a professional the extent of the issue and the type of mould. When cleaning mould, you need a robust solution but carefully be careful not to mix cleaners. Some, like bleach and ammonia, create a toxic gas.

Best Way to Remove Mold from your Window Tracks

• Work in a ventilated area – i.e. work with the window open.
• Put on a mask and gloves to protect yourself from spores and harsh cleaning solutions.
• Use a heavy cleaner such as bleach, borax, ammonia, or hydrogen peroxide. But, again, be careful not to mix these types of cleaners! Tea tree oil is a more natural option if you prefer to clean without chemicals.
• Clean up the residue with warm water.
• Dry the area.
• Don’t put off calling in the professionals to check for mould inside the wall and under the sills. However, if the visible spread of mould is quite severe, skip the steps above and have a professional come in first to remediate the area. They may need to set up a negative air pressure machine to keep the spores from spreading.

Professional Window Track Cleaning as an Add-On Service

Here at Dang Good Carpet and Furnace Cleaning, we do more than just clean carpets and furnaces! If you live in Calgary or the surrounding areas, Call us for all your interior and exterior window cleaning needs. Window Track Cleaning is an add-on service with prices detailed under our Window Cleaning Package. 

When cleaning your interior windows, we use the traditional squeegee method. In addition, we clean your Exterior Windows with a mix of two processes: again, the squeegee method but more often (where we can), we use a pure water pole-fed system. The pole-fed system provides better results. You can find a fuller explanation of these processes on our Window Cleaning Page.

If you have ever tried to clean the windows yourself, you will know how hard it can be to remove the smears and streaks from the glass completely.

Our method guarantees the cleanest, clearest results – results that will have you saying, “dang, that’s good!”

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