Your home needs the best protection against the extreme heat and UV rays exposure. This is especially true in Australia, as it’s a country known for its sunniness. Excessive exposure to sunlight will damage your appliances and your skin. Many studies support the claim that unprotected exposure to UV lights can cause skin cancer, and that’s not what you want for yourself and your family.
This is why window films are important, as they protect your house from direct sunlight. Not only that, but they also keep your house cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. You want this effect to last as long as possible, which is why you need to know how to care for your window films. This is what we will be discussing in this article.
How To Care For Your Residential Window Film
The first thing to keep in mind is that you should never use cleaners with hard edges to clean tinted windows. Rough or harsh cleaning materials such as scourers or bristle brushes as this can scratch the window film and leave permanent marks. The damage will add up over time, leaving your films looking cheap and sketchy.
After the application, the film will need about a week to cure. During this time, you can clean your window, the suggested solution for window cleaning is a vinegar-based glass cleaner. These will not seep into the adhesive, which means that no bubbles or air pockets will form under the film. If vinegar-based cleaners aren’t available, you can use a mild soap as an alternative. Your window film should last between 10 and 15 years if it is well maintained, so you want to make sure you use the correct cleaning materials.
Listed below are the recommended steps to clean tinted windows. Follow them closely to avoid scratches and marks.
- Use distilled water. It is worth the extra cost than using tap water, (or other types of ‘hard water’). Hard water contains traces of lime, iron, and minerals which can end up leaving a layer of build up on your window film which over time will scratch it.
- Pour a few drops of baby shampoo into a spray bottle and fill it up with distilled water. Fill another bottle with plain distilled water for rinsing.
- Spray the solution thoroughly on the window surface, and rinse it off with plain distilled water.
- Use a rubber squeegee to get rid of the water that still remains. A common mistake When using the squeegee is to wipe it horizontally. This will build up streaks, and it makes excess moisture sticks to the window more. Instead, wipe in diagonal and vertical directions.
- Once the cleaning process is complete, spray plain distilled water onto the residential window film and squeegee using the same vertical and diagonal movements to remove any remnants of soap. Make not sure to allow water to puddle for too long at the bottom of the window as it might leave a stain.
Additional Tips For Cleaning
- Do not use newspaper when drying as they contain wood fibers which will scratch your window film.
- Clean your windows during the cooler part of the day, as the heat will soften the film surface, making it susceptible to damage.
- Lastly, make sure you use a different cloth for cleaning the outside and inside of your window. Exterior windows have more dirt on its surface, this could damage the window inside.
Your residential windows are important for your health and the health of your family. You need to take good care of it to reduce the likelihood of wear and tear. This will ensure the longevity of your window films, keeping your family safe for longer. Get in touch with Premier Film today to see how we can help.