The Spring Window Cleaning Checklist for Illinois Homeowners

Spring is the natural reset point for windows after a Chicagoland winter. Here's a full checklist to make sure nothing gets missed.

1. Interior Glass

Start inside, where dust, fingerprints, and pet nose prints accumulate over the winter months with windows kept closed. Use a lint-free cloth and a proper glass cleaner, working top to bottom to avoid drip marks.

2. Exterior Glass

Exterior glass takes the brunt of winter — road salt spray, grime, and water spotting all build up here. This is usually the more time-consuming half of the job, especially on second-story windows.

3. Screens

Remove screens carefully and clean the mesh to clear out a winter's worth of dust before you start opening windows for spring air.

4. Tracks and Sills

Vacuum out debris and grit from tracks, then wipe down sills. This step is easy to skip but makes a noticeable difference in how smoothly windows open for the season ahead.

5. Sequencing the Work

Work in this order for the best results: interior glass, then screens and tracks, then exterior glass last — so any dust or debris from the tracks doesn't undo work you've already done on the glass.

When to Call a Professional

If your home has multiple stories, a lot of windows, or has gone more than a year without a full cleaning, it's usually worth handing spring cleaning off to a professional crew.