If you live on the beach or near the ocean for long enough, you probably noticed your windows tend to turn a milky white after some time. When water evaporates, the salt left behind can cause a milky-white film to form; left uncleaned, salt may even cause damage to window frames and seals—which can cause leaks.
The good news is you have a few good options to clean your beach house windows..no matter if they are huge picture windows or casement windows.
In this post, I’ll cover how to clean beach house windows based on the type of house you have and your preferences.
Option 1: Use vinegar and a microfiber towel for small windows
If you have small windows on your beach house that are easy to reach, you can use a dilution of vinegar and water to clean off the salt. Simply fill a water bottle with equal parts vinegar and warm water and mix them together.
Apply the vinegar and water mixture directly to the window or on a soft microfiber cloth. I like to use microfiber cloths (like those used in detailing) because designed to lift particles from any surface. You can also want to use a blade if you prefer to avoid streaks.
Use dish liquid instead of Windex for a streak-free finish
After you use vinegar (or a commercial salt remover) to remove the salt buildup, you may also want to use dish soap and a microfiber towel for a spot-free shine.
Dish detergent does a better job at removing dirt and grime than Windex, especially for windows exposed to salt, so give it a try! You can use a water blade after this step. Just add a few drops of dish liquid in a bucket and you’re good to go.
Option 2: Use a pressure washer
You can use a pressure washer to clean beach house windows safely so long as you use the right nozzle and avoid old wooden window frames. It’s better to hand wash windows, but most modern aluminum or vinyl-framed windows will be okay so long as you use a 40-degree white nozzle.
If your beach house is large or elevated on stilts, a pressure washer is the best way to remove salt and dirt from windows for areas you can’t clean by hand.
If you have hard water, use purified water to clean windows. Oftentimes spots on your windows may actually be hard water spots and not salt. If you have hard water, be sure to use a water deionizer or a water purification system.
My favorite you can also use to wash your car—called the C.R. Spotless you can check out here on Amazon.
Option 3: Hire a window cleaning company
I highly recommend finding a local window cleaning company and adding window cleaning to your list of maintenance items. Make sure the company you select is insured and bonded, especially if you have a luxury home.
Most companies will clean your windows for around $200 for smaller homes, or $200-300 more if you have a larger home with a ton of windows.
Many of these window companies will also clean the entire exterior of your beach home, so keep that in mind as well.
How to remove salt stuck on your windows
In extreme cases where salt and dirt won’t come off with a window cleaner, you can use #0000 steel wool. Use a cleaner or window polish to avoid micro scratches whenever using something like steel wool…the more lubrication the better.
Some people use products like Diamond Magic to remove baked-in dirt in combination with steel wool or a rag.
View our beach home maintenance checklist
Salt and oxidation are bound to occur and eventually will begin to rust furniture and other exposed metals. Even though window frames are made of non-metal materials, this is one item that’s absolutely worth preserving your windows from decay, yet easy to neglect.
For more tips like this one, check out our post, 21 Routine Beach House Maintenance Checklist Items.
