No, We Don't Use Windex: What Professional Window Cleaners Actually Use
A lot of people assume professional window cleaning is just a bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels, scaled up. It's a fair guess, but it's not how the pros do it, and there's a good reason why.
Why store-bought spray falls short
Household glass sprays and paper towels work fine for a quick wipe of a single window. For a whole home, they create problems:
- They streak. Spray cleaners leave a residue that smears in the sun and shows every missed spot.
- They leave residue that attracts dirt. That film grabs dust and pollen, so windows get dirty again quickly.
- Paper towels and rags leave lint and can trap grit that scratches the glass.
- They don't reach. None of it solves the real challenge, cleaning second- and third-story windows safely.
In short, the household approach is built for a single pane, not a house.
What we actually use
At Rexterior, exterior windows are cleaned with a purified-water (deionized) system and a carbon-fiber water-fed pole, no Windex, no household sprays, no soap film. Here's why it works so much better:
- Purified water dries spot-free. Tap water is full of dissolved minerals that dry into spots. Our system strips those minerals out, so the water rinses the glass and dries perfectly clear, with nothing left behind to streak or attract dirt.
- No residue means windows stay cleaner longer. Because there's no soap or chemical film, dust and pollen have nothing to cling to.
- We clean upper floors from the ground. The water-fed pole reaches high windows safely, no ladders leaning on your house.
For interior glass and some storefronts, we use professional squeegees and tools, the right instrument for the job, never a paper towel.
The takeaway
If your window cleaner is just spraying and wiping, you're getting a method built for a single window, with the streaks and quick re-soiling that come with it. Professional purified-water cleaning gets glass clearer, keeps it clean longer, and reaches what a ladder shouldn't.
Want to see the difference spot-free windows make? Request a free quote or call (626) 545-3132. Learn more about our window cleaning service.
Frequently asked questions
Do professional window cleaners use Windex?
Generally no. For exterior windows, professionals use purified-water systems that dry spot-free without residue. Household sprays leave a film that streaks and attracts dirt, which is why they're not used for whole-home cleaning.
Why are my windows streaky after I clean them myself?
Usually it's residue from spray cleaners or minerals in tap water drying on the glass. Purified water leaves nothing behind, which is why it dries clear.
What makes purified water clean better?
It has the dissolved minerals removed, so it rinses glass completely and dries with no spots, no soap needed.