That hard-to-reach spot.

June 7, 2008 3:14 PM

How do you clean these windows properly when you live on an upper floor of an apartment building?

First you have to understand the dynamics of these windows. The side that's on the inside of the building is of course no problem, it's cleaning the outside-face of the windows that gets tricky. You would think logically that you just slide one pane over, reach outside, wipe it, and then slide the other pane over and do the same.

The problem is that one pane sits in front of the other one, so you cannot do this for one of the sides. You end up cleaning one pane entirely, and with the other pane you just cannot reach about 1/4th of it, so there's still this soot-filled section of my window that's driving me nuts!

This picture here may give a better idea.

The most obvious answer is "use a ladder" and go from the outside, but I don't have one and I don't even think my landlord does nor will he spend his precious time cleaning my windows.

Are there any special tricks to getting that hard to reach spot from the inside with a tool or something?

posted by tybeet to home & garden (7 comments total)

Typically the sliding pane is on the interior, and you can remove it. Grab it by both sides, push up and the bottom will be free from the track. Pivot out and remove.
posted by found missing at 3:50 PM on June 7, 2008

It may be easier to lift out if you have the pane in the centre of the track (IE: half open).
posted by Mitheral at 4:14 PM on June 7, 2008

I second trying to remove one of the panes. it might not be easy but i just did that with 7 windows in my house. it was a bastard chore, but well worth it in the end. For days afterwards my wife and I were convinced the windows were open when they weren't. I loves me a clean windah.
posted by Frasermoo at 5:47 PM on June 7, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

If you have access to a hose, I would suggest using outdoor window wash . You just attach the hose to the bottle and spray the windows with it. I've used it and it works really well. It will also clean siding.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 6:02 PM on June 7, 2008

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try to wedge it out tomorrow, I think it may be fixed in the track but we'll see.
posted by tybeet at 6:16 PM on June 7, 2008

Look carefully - there are often times small latches that allow you to release the window from the track. Sometimes these latches are only accessible through holes that you poke a screwdriver in.
posted by odinsdream at 9:12 AM on June 8, 2008

Thanks guys. I yanked it out with a bit of effort, and it's now spotless!

Now I can look out onto the mid-town congestion like never before.
posted by tybeet at 10:17 AM on June 10, 2008