Streak-Free Window Cleaning in Wellington's Wind, Rain and Salt

Why do Wellington windows get dirty so fast?

Wind drives grit onto Wellington glass, and near the coast it brings salt spray too. Rain doesn't wash either away. It loosens the grime, then leaves it behind as spots when each drop dries.

Wind-blown grit

Strong winds pick up dust from roads and building sites and throw it at whichever side of the house faces the weather. After a run of dry, gusty days, a fine grey film on the windward glass is normal.

Salt spray in coastal suburbs

Homes in Island Bay, Eastbourne, Petone, Titahi Bay, Plimmerton and Paraparaumu Beach catch salt spray whenever the wind comes off the water. It dries to a hazy film, and because salt draws moisture from the air, salty glass often looks smeary on damp days.

The salt settles on frames as well as glass. BRANZ advises cleaning aluminium joinery every 6 months, or every 3 months in severe marine environments, because atmospheric salts and dirt contribute to the deterioration of metal building elements.

Rain spots

Rain spots are mostly the dirt that was already on the glass. The water gathers dust and salt into each drop and leaves a ring behind as it dries.

Condensation inside

Single-glazed windows in older villas and bungalows run with condensation on cold mornings. The drips leave tide marks on the inside of the glass and pool on the sills, and those marks are easy to mistake for outside dirt.

How often should windows be cleaned?

Most Wellington homes need their windows cleaned every 3 to 6 months. Coastal homes need it about every 3 to 4 months, and street-facing shopfronts look their best with a monthly clean.

The first three rows are Apex's own rule of thumb. Go to the shorter end of each range if your home is on a busy road or catches the full force of the wind; sheltered homes can usually stretch to the longer end.

How do you get streak-free windows yourself?

Clean on an overcast, still day, do the frames and tracks before the glass, and squeegee the water off instead of wiping it. Dry the edges last with a microfibre cloth.

1. Wait for an overcast, calm day. Sun dries the glass before you can squeegee it, which is where most streaks come from, and wind blows grit onto the wet pane.
2. Clean the tracks and frames first. Vacuum grit out of the tracks and check the drainage holes are clear, then wipe the frames with a damp cloth so dirty water doesn't run onto clean glass.
3. On salty glass, rinse with plain water before anything else so you're not dragging salt and sand across the pane.
4. Wash with warm water and a small squeeze of dishwashing liquid. Keep scourers away from the frames, and don't use solvent cleaners on powder-coated aluminium, which BRANZ advises against.
5. Squeegee from the top, keeping the blade flat to the glass and overlapping each stroke slightly. Wipe the rubber with a dry cloth after every pass.
6. Dry the edges and the bottom of the pane with a lint-free microfibre cloth, since water left along the seals dries into a dirty line.

Inside glass gets the same treatment with less water. Lay an old towel along the sill first, especially on painted timber.

Squeegee the inside horizontally and the outside vertically, and the direction of any streak tells you which side it's on.

Which windows should you leave to a professional?

Leave second-storey exteriors to a professional, along with any window you'd have to lean out of or climb high to reach. Clean glass isn't worth a fall.

ACC's home safety advice is to use the right size and type of ladder, make sure it's balanced and fully extended, avoid the top rungs, and get a professional if a job is too tricky or needs special gear. Wellington adds wind to that list. A strong gust can catch a ladder, or the person on it, with little warning.

• Upstairs exterior glass on two-storey homes
• Windows above decks, steps or steep banks, which are common on Wellington's hillside sections
• Large panes you can't reach comfortably from the ground
• Anything you'd have to lean out of a window to reach

Apex cleans interior and exterior glass wherever it can be reached safely, along with frames, sills, tracks, glass doors and ranch sliders. Two-storey exteriors are assessed on site for safe access. See window cleaning in Wellington for everything that's included.

How do you stop condensation and mould on window frames?

Wipe condensation off the glass and sills every morning through the colder months, and air the house daily. Water that sits on frames and seals is where mould gets started.

Tenancy Services lists wiping condensation off walls and windows among the everyday ways to prevent mould, along with opening windows and curtains during the day. BRANZ testing found that opening windows wide for just 10 to 15 minutes a day can lower moisture levels inside a house.

Single glass is a poor insulator. On a cold night its inside surface gets cold enough for moisture from cooking, showers and breathing to condense on it, which is why older single-glazed homes fog up more than double-glazed ones.

• Keep an absorbent cloth or small squeegee by the worst windows and wipe them first thing.
• Wring the cloth out into the sink, not onto the sill.
• Check rubber seals and the corners of timber frames for black spots.
• Treat small patches early, before they stain paint or seals.

If mould has already taken hold, Apex offers mould treatment as an add-on to a house clean. There's more on causes and prevention in mould and damp in Wellington homes.

Booking window cleaning in Wellington

Spring is a sensible time to get the glass done, once a winter of southerlies and salt has left its mark. Apex cleans windows across Wellington City, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast, where beach sand joins the salt. There's more on that in cleaning a Kāpiti Coast home.

Quotes are free and fixed. Call 022-606-4460 or ask for a free window cleaning quote.

Frequently asked questions

How often should windows be cleaned in Wellington?

Most Wellington homes need a window clean every 3 to 6 months. Coastal homes in suburbs such as Island Bay, Eastbourne and Plimmerton need it about every 3 to 4 months because of salt spray, and street-facing shopfronts look best with a monthly clean. Inside glass that fogs up needs wiping daily in winter.

How do you get salt spray off windows?

Rinse the glass with plain water first so you don't drag salt and sand across it, then wash with warm water and a little dishwashing liquid. Squeegee in overlapping strokes and dry the edges with a microfibre cloth. Rinse aluminium frames too, as salt left on metal contributes to deterioration over time.

Why do my windows streak after cleaning?

Streaks usually come from cleaning in direct sun, using too much detergent or leaving water along the edges. Clean on an overcast day, use only a small squeeze of dishwashing liquid in warm water, wipe the squeegee blade after every stroke, and dry the edges and bottom of each pane with a lint-free cloth.

Can you get second-storey windows professionally cleaned?

Yes, where they can be reached safely. Apex cleans interior and exterior glass wherever it's safely accessible, and two-storey exteriors are assessed on site first. Wellington's wind and steep hillside sections both affect what's safe, so that check matters. Interior glass, frames, sills and tracks upstairs can be cleaned as normal.