How to Clean Windows, Sills and Tracks Before Winter

Before the storm windows go down and the house closes up for winter, give your windows a proper clean from the inside: the glass, the grilles, the sills and the tracks that have collected a whole summer of dust, pollen and dead bugs. With the right order and a few simple tools, a typical room takes about 15 minutes. Here's how to do it.

Why Clean Windows in the Fall

In New England, November is the last comfortable chance to open the windows wide. Once the heat is on, most windows stay shut until April, and whatever is sitting in the tracks stays there all winter.

Clean windows also matter more as the days get shorter. Every bit of daylight counts in December, and a film of summer grime on the glass makes rooms feel darker than they need to.

And if you have older double-hung windows, as many colonials and Cape Cods around Norwood do, clean tracks help the sashes slide and seal properly when you close and lock them for the season.

What You'll Need

• A vacuum with a crevice tool and a brush attachment
• An old toothbrush or a small detail brush
• Microfiber cloths (at least three: one damp, two dry)
• A spray bottle with warm water and a few drops of dish soap
• A second spray bottle with a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar, or your usual glass cleaner
• Cotton swabs or a cloth wrapped around a butter knife for corners
• A small towel to lay on the sill

Skip paper towels on the glass if you can. Microfiber leaves fewer streaks and no lint.

Step 1: Start With the Tracks and Sills

Always clean the dirtiest parts first. If you do the glass first, the dust you knock loose from the tracks lands right back on it.

1. Open the window and raise the lower sash as far as it goes.
2. Vacuum the tracks with the crevice tool. Get as much dry debris as you can before adding any water. Wet dust turns into mud.
3. Loosen what's stuck with a dry toothbrush, then vacuum again.
4. Spray the soapy water into the track and let it sit a minute or two.
5. Scrub the corners with the toothbrush, then wipe with a damp cloth. A cloth wrapped around a butter knife reaches into the narrow grooves.
6. Dry the track completely with a clean cloth.
7. Wipe the sill with the soapy water, then dry it.

If you see black spots in the tracks or on the sill, it's often mildew from condensation. Clean it with soapy water and dry thoroughly. If it keeps coming back, it's a sign the room may need better ventilation in winter.

Step 2: Clean the Frame and Grilles

Grilles (the strips that divide the glass into panes) are dust collectors, especially on older windows.

• Dust the frame and grilles with the vacuum's brush attachment.
• Wipe them with a cloth dampened in soapy water. Wring it well, especially on painted wood, since water sitting on old paint can lift it.
• Use a cotton swab for the corners where the grilles meet the glass.
• Removable grilles: if yours pop out, take them out and wash them in the sink. Check the manufacturer's instructions first.

On older wood windows, look for peeling paint or soft spots while you're up close. If your home was built before 1978, don't scrape or sand old paint yourself, since it may contain lead. Ask a qualified professional.

Step 3: Streak-Free Glass

Now the part everyone sees.

1. Pick a cloudy day or a shaded window if you can. Direct sun dries the cleaner too fast and leaves streaks.
2. Dry-dust the glass first with a microfiber cloth.
3. Spray the vinegar mix or glass cleaner lightly. Less is more.
4. Wipe in an S-shaped pattern from top to bottom with a clean microfiber cloth.
5. Buff with a second dry cloth to finish.
6. Check from an angle. Streaks show up best when you look across the glass, not straight at it.

Don't use vinegar or glass cleaner on window tint films or specialty coatings without checking the manufacturer's guidance.

Step 4: Screens and Storm Windows

Most New England homes swap screens for storm panels around now. Before you store the screens:

• Lay them flat on a towel or a clean driveway.
• Brush off dust with a soft brush or vacuum with the brush attachment.
• Wash gently with soapy water and a soft brush, rinse lightly, and let them dry completely before storing.
• Store them upright in a dry spot so they don't bend.

If you have triple-track storm windows, vacuum and wipe the storm tracks too. They collect the same grit as the main window tracks.

We don't wash windows from the outside, so for second-story exterior glass, look for a dedicated window-washing company.

A Room-by-Room Plan

You don't have to do every window in one day. Spread it out:

• Weekend one: living room, dining room and kitchen, the rooms guests see over the holidays.
• Weekend two: bedrooms and bathrooms.
• Any time: basement and attic windows, which often have the worst tracks but the fewest visitors.

Bathroom windows usually need the most attention because of moisture. Our bathroom cleaning routine covers keeping mildew down year-round.

Fit It Into Your Fall Cleaning

Window tracks and sills are one item on a longer pre-winter list that includes radiators, baseboards and the mudroom. Our fall cleaning checklist for New England homes has the whole list.

Interior window sills and tracks are also the kind of detail a deep cleaning covers along with baseboards, fixtures and the kitchen, so you can head into the holidays with the whole house reset.