A home is much more than four walls, it is the place where we are allowed to be our truest
selves, the place where we can find comfort and support, the place we look forward to coming back to after an exhausting day or journey, but most importantly, ultimately, it is where the heart is.
Many times, we forget how meaningful having a space like this can be. We get caught up in what we don’t have and forget to appreciate what we do have. Practicing mindfulness and gratitude can help us, and there’s no better time than November to start implementing these kinds of habits!
At Orlando T Group, we pride ourselves in providing practical, long-lasting solutions, not temporary fixes. From sourcing our products to installing them in your homes, we aim for excellence. However, there is only so much we can do. We've created this guide on how to take care of your windows, blinds, and awnings so that they can be enjoyed for as long as possible. We hope that these tips help maintain your home while encouraging you to implement gratitude, sustainability, efficiency, and care in your routines.
Windows
In South Florida, water is high in calcium and magnesium; an excess of these minerals in water makes it ‘hard,’ which can lead to calcification and deposits that stain windows and appliances alike. If left untreated, these stains can become permanent and will require the window be replaced.
Avoid costly repairs by practicing good habits; don't wait for the problem to happen, proactively prevent it. This will not only save you time and money down the line, but it will also spare you headaches caused by stress.
Click on the arrow to see the difference between hard water stained windows and clean windows!
Tips for Care
1. Reposition sprinklers in a way that they are no longer hitting your windows.
This will help reduce the amount of hard water that gets on your window, meaning that cleaning will be less frequent.
2. Squeegee windows when there are water drops on them.
While this may seem like a tedious task, it will save you time and effort
down the line. By wiping your windows whenever water accumulates,
you are preventing it from calcifying and creating a deposit that can be
hard to remove later.
3. Clean your windows frequently.
While Windex and other traditional cleaning sprays are great, we
recommend using a 1:1 solution of rubbing alcohol and water and to not
only remove mild water spots but also to keep up with maintenance.
Because part of our mission is to provide worry-free solutions to your home, our impact windows’ film coatings are between the glass layers so you don’t risk ruining your windows when cleaning them with certain solutions.
More set-in stains will require a more intensive cleaning, and for these kinds of stains we recommend using a microfiber towel or a soft bristle brush to really break through the deposits.
We recommend cleaning once a week, but we understand this may not be possible for many. As long as you are keeping up with the other tips, you probably won’t need to clean them more than twice a month.
Blinds
Blinds are great at blocking out light, helping keep a room’s cool temperature, and providing privacy, but they are great at collecting dust, pet hair, and other kinds of tiny dirt particles.
The accumulation of dust over time can trigger allergy symptoms and even be detrimental to your overall lung health, as dust decreases the air quality in your home. On top of that, dust can act as a mating ground for mold, bacteria, and mites.
Because of this, we recommend dusting with frequency, to prevent any large accumulations from forming. For light cleaning, we recommend using either a duster or a damp towel so the dust gets trapped into the towel and doesn’t just go flying elsewhere.
For stains, we recommend using a damp towel and dabbing the spot gently until the stain is no longer visible.
Awnings
Awnings are a great way to add some extra space to your lawn, but as with anything that resides outside, they are bound to get dirty. To make sure you get the most out of your awnings before you need to replace the fabric, you have to take care of them!
Tips for Care
Brush off any loose dirt
Hose down the awning
Prepare a 1:4 solution of water and a mild soap- it can be dish soap or detergent
Using a soft bristle brush, clean the awning with the solution
Allow the solution to soak into the fabric to tackle more set-in stains
Rinse awnings until water runs clear, leaving no soap residue on the fabric
Let the awnings air dry
Like with our other tips, these tips are more for maintenance than deep cleaning. Keeping your awning clean in the short term will also keep it cleaner in the long term, as mildew won’t have as much dirt and particles to grow on.
Instead of dreading cleaning day, consciously take care of things before they become a problem. Being proactive and diligent in the short term saves you time and energy long term! From our family to yours, we wish you a happy, healthy, and fulfilling holiday season!
Comments