How to Clean uPVC Window Frames
UPVC is a wonderfully robust material, making it ideal for use in construction. Largely resistant to rotting and degradation, this lightweight and strong material can be found on practically every home in the UK. uPVC window frames, doors, fascias and soffits, conservatories and cladding are just a few examples of how uPVC is employed as a building material. But, as with anything in this life - IT GET’S DIRTY! Now, shiny, polished plastics can really bring out the best in a property but, when those plastics are soiled with algae, lichen and traffic dirt, the opposite can be said to be true!
Oftentimes uPVC window frames are high up, difficult to access and require ladders to clean. This means they can often be left neglected, gathering dirt year on year. But you’re here because you’ve decided enough is enough, you want the shine back in your plastics, and you’re going to roll your sleeves up and get cleaning!
As always, safety is paramount. If you are going to undertake any ladder-based work, please understand the risks involved. A high-quality, well-maintained ladder is essential. You can find best-practice for ladder use at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/using-ladders-safely.htm.
uPVC cleaning is best undertaken with specialist equipment, reducing the dangers involved and allowing the job to be carried out at the highest possible standard. However, you can achieve great results at home following these 3 easy steps:
Rinse
Excess dirt and dust will gather on the frames and panes of glass. Rinsing the excess off will help make things easier and helps prevent scratching the uPVC and glass panes whilst cleaning. A hose pipe should suffice to carry this out. Be careful not to shoot water into any openings on the frames where sealant may have degraded as this can allow water to enter the window itself. A hand brush such as an alloy-wheel cleaning brush can be useful in getting the excess dirt and spider webs trapped in tight spaces.
Clean
If you were hoping for some magic bullet for uPVC window frame cleaning - we apologise. The biggest input here is elbow grease! We recommend using a cream cleaner such as CIF uPVC cleaner or The Pink Stuff cream cleaner, along with a high-quality microfibre cloth. Dampen the cloth, and add a squirt of the cream. You then want to rub the uPVC surface in a circular motion with the cloth, to help pull away the ingrained dirt. Keep wetting the cloth and adding cream cleaner as required. Be careful not to rub any grit or stones between the cloth and uPVC, as this will damage the uPVC surface and take away it’s shine. Your uPVC surface should start to brighten before your eyes!
Rinse & polish
Once you have cleaned the uPVC surface and restored it’s former glory, you want to rinse away the remaining pollutants and cleaning product - again a hose-pipe should suffice for this. With a separate, clean microfibre cloth, polish the uPVC surfaces dry to really help them shine.
And there you have it! Repeat this process for each UPVC window frame you’re cleaning and the job is done - don’t forget to give the glass panes a good clean afterwards as well.
Other things to consider:
We do not recommend using high-pressure washing for window frame cleaning as the pressure can damage the seals around the windows.
You can use solvent-based chemical cleaners for window frames, but we do not recommend this. Used incorrectly, they can cause staining to uPVC surfaces, and they rarely bring about better results than a cream cleaner.
Your safety. Unless competent with ladders, please do not try working-at-height yourself, especially whilst alone.
Our team of trained and uniformed staff make light-work of all manners of uPVC cleaning. If you’d rather leave it to the experts, get in touch today for a quote.