Special Tricks for Cleaning Windows at Waterfront Homes in Ocean City

Ocean City Maryland is one of the most beautiful locations on the planet to live. There certainly is a reason why during the warmer summer months the population of Ocean City seemingly explodes. Being right on the ocean in Maryland is a place like no other. 

But living right on the ocean in Maryland can also bring with it some interesting added home maintenance tasks that some people may not be aware of. One of the unique tasks of beachfront living in Ocean City is cleaning your windows. It is a little bit different from cleaning windows in a traditional landlocked home.

Living within the humid and salty air of the ocean you may notice that your windows take on a milky white coating with time. As the salt water evaporates into the air and is blown onto your windows it can leave behind a milky white film and make it hard to see out of your windows. This unsightly film is of course from the salt that has made its way from the ocean into the air and onto your windows. If left uncleaned for a long period of time it can cause damage to the window including the frames and seals and cause your windows to be less efficient with air leaks.

Here are some tips for cleaning your oceanfront property windows in Ocean City

A vinegar solution and microfiber cloth work great on windows

If you have smaller windows that are within your reach they can be cleaned with a solution of vinegar diluted into tap water to dissolve the salt away. All you need to do is fill a spray bottle with equal parts of vinegar and warm water and gently mix them together. Spray the vinegar solution directly onto the salty film on your windows or on a microfiber cloth.

Use the microfiber cloth as an extra level of scrubbing power without being so harsh that it scratches your windows. You can also opt to use a squeegee-type blade to help avoid streaking.

Follow up with a dish liquid solution

Now that you have used the vinegar to cut through the salty film on your beachfront windows you will want to follow up with a dish soap solution to get any left behind spots. To some people's surprise, simple hand-washing dish soap works better than commercial window cleaners. This is especially true for windows that are sitting in the salty ocean air. Simply grab a bucket with some warm water and place a few drops of liquid into it mix it up and you are ready to go.

Another option is pressure washing

It is perfectly OK to use a pressure washer on your beachfront windows as long as you have the proper pressure and nozzle. If you have wooden window frames in your Ocean City home you want to avoid pressure washing them. It is always a better option to hand wash windows but with updated vinyl framed windows pressure washing is a good alternative. You want to make sure you use a 40° white nozzle. The pressure washer also allows you to reach areas you would not be able to by hand such as second-story windows.

If you have an extremely stubborn crusty salt film

If there is salt and dirt on your windows that do not seem to go away no matter the efforts you can use a number 0000 steel wool very gently on your windows. You also want to make sure that with the steel wool, you are using a cleaner or window polish to avoid scratching your windows. With steel wool, the more lubrication you have the better chance you have of not scratching and getting your film cleaned up

For more information on home ownership in Ocean City and surrounding areas please contact us anytime.