It is spring and the sun shines brightly into your living room... beautiful, you would think, until you see what those sun rays reveal: dirty plastic window frames full of dust, stains from last winter and here and there a fingerprint (thanks to the little ones pointing outside with peanut butter hands). Time for action! Cleaning plastic window frames seems simple, but there are some do’s & don’ts. As a home manager (also known as: mom who cleans everything loose and fixed) I like to share my tips to clean your PVC frames without damaging them. This way they stay looking new longer.
Do’s: How to clean plastic window frames?
- Start with dusting: Before you start with soapy water, first remove the worst dirt. Go over the frames with a soft duster or feather duster, or lightly use the vacuum cleaner (with a soft brush head). Don’t forget the corners, hinges and any ventilation slots; dust and spider webs like to accumulate there.
- Use lukewarm soapy water: Less is more! Often warm water with a splash of mild dish soap or all-purpose cleaner is enough. Fill a bucket with warm (not boiling hot) water and add, for example, a capful of a nice all-purpose cleaner. My favorite: a fragrant Fabulosa all-purpose cleaner (this one is concentrated and biodegradable, so good for the environment and your wallet). Stir until some foam forms – your soap solution is ready. (Tip: instead of all-purpose cleaner you can also use a splash of old-fashioned green soap; gentle on the material and wonderfully natural smelling.)
- Soft cloths or sponges: Use a soft microfiber cloth or sponge to clean the frame. Never scrub hard with a scouring sponge. A scratch-free option is the cheerful Scrub Daddy sponge. It is sturdy enough to remove baked-on dirt but does not scratch surfaces. Moreover, with its round shape and handy smiley face it easily reaches corners and around window handles. (And bonus: it makes cleaning just a bit more fun for the kids, because “cleaning with a little face” has a high cuddle factor here at home!)
- Work from top to bottom: When washing frames (and windows too, by the way) it is smart to start at the top. This way dirty water drips down onto parts you still have to do, instead of on your already clean spot. This saves you from having to do the same work twice. (Learn from my mistake: once I started at the bottom and dirty drops ran down over my clean frame... what a waste of effort!)
- Tackle stubborn stains: Do you have something stubborn on the plastic, like black marks from shoes or dried paint? First try if it comes off with the soapy water and your non-scratching sponge. If that doesn’t work, use a specific cleaning product. A The Pink Stuff all-purpose cleaner spray is, for example, safe for many surfaces and helps loosen grease and dirt. Spray on the stain, let it sit for a moment and wipe off. For really tough spots you can very carefully use a bit of cleaning paste like The Pink Stuff, but test this first on an inconspicuous corner – some plastic frames can become dull from abrasives. So: gentle is the key. If you have green algae on the outside frames (that green haze from algae)? Add a splash of cleaning vinegar to your soap and scrub it away (but rinse with water afterwards).
- Finishing touch: wipe and dry: After cleaning all frame edges with soap and sponge, take a clean damp cloth to wipe everything again. This removes soap residues. Then rub dry with a dry cloth (or old towel) until everything is dry. This prevents streaks on the frame surface and immediately gives a nice shine. (Especially with dark frames drying is a must, otherwise you might see dried soap streaks later.) Et voilà, your frames are fresh white again (or anthracite, or whatever color plastic you have) without haze.
Small confession: Once I cleaned the frames in a hurry while the bright sun was shining on them, just before guests arrived. Not a good idea! The soap dried almost immediately and I was left with streaky stains. Lesson learned: cleaning frames works best on a cloudy day or a cool moment of the day. Then you have all the time to wipe off the soap before it dries, and you get a streak-free result.
Don’ts: Things to avoid with plastic window frames
- No aggressive products: It sounds tempting to grab the bottle of turpentine, acetone or bleach for that one dirty stain, but don’t do it! Solvents and bleaches can damage or discolor the plastic. Your beautiful frame can become dull or blotchy. Also always dilute cleaning vinegar well if you use it; pure vinegar is too acidic. (Better yet: choose a mild all-purpose cleaner or soapy water, that usually works just as well.)
- Don’t sand or scrape: Do not use scouring sponges, steel wool or sandpaper on plastic. Sounds logical, but you wouldn’t believe how many people enthusiastically make scratches. I once caught my partner with a green scouring sponge on our frame – *scream*! Result: fine scratches that you always see in certain light. Also with hard plastic scrapers you can cause scratches. Do you have paint splatters or stickers on the frame? Soak them loose with warm water and soap, and if needed use a plastic spatula (or your nail) to carefully remove them.
- Avoid hot temperatures: Don’t use a steam cleaner full blast on your frames, and soapy water doesn’t need to be boiling hot. Too high temperature can deform the plastic or damage the finish. Lukewarm to warm water is more than enough for cleaning.
- No high-pressure washer up close: If you are going to spray clean the outside frames, keep distance with the high-pressure cleaner. A strong water jet from very close can damage sealant joints or “sandblast” the surface. Better: garden hose or a bucket of soapy water and a soft brush for the outside. If you still want to use the high-pressure cleaner? Use a wide spray nozzle, keep at least 30 cm distance and move quickly over the surface instead of staying in one spot.
- Watch the hardware: Be careful with water around hinges and metal locks. You better clean those with a cloth and dry afterwards, to prevent rust and mechanical problems. And never spray cleaning product directly into the gap of a tilt-and-turn window; it might run inside the frame.
Maintenance tips: keep plastic window frames beautiful longer
Now your frames are sparkling clean again, you naturally want to keep them looking nice as long as possible. Fortunately, plastic is relatively low maintenance (yes!), but a little love now and then works wonders:
- Make it a routine: Wipe your frames once a month during cleaning. Just a cloth with soap over them before the worst dirt accumulates. Monthly maintenance prevents you from scrubbing like crazy once a year.
- Be careful with garden work: Are you going to clean the facade or terrace (for example with cleaning vinegar against algae)? Make sure it doesn’t stay on the frames, rinse them afterwards. Some outdoor products (against green algae etc.) are corrosive to plastic if left too long.
- Remove stains immediately: Bird droppings on the frame? Mud splashes after rain? Remove them as soon as you see them. The longer dirt and stains soak in, the harder they are to remove. Just wiping with a damp cloth prevents a lot of hassle later.
- Check the rubbers and sealant edges: Also check the sealing rubbers and sealant around your frames. If they are full of sand or mold, clean them (mild soap) and keep them supple with, for example, a bit of silicone spray. This way your windows close well and stay leak-free.
With these do’s & don’ts you have everything you need to keep your plastic window frames neat. I always find it a rewarding task when the frames shine white again: it refreshes the whole house! (Recently the neighbor even asked if we had 'new frames' installed – haha, that’s the difference a cleaning session makes.) And if you keep up this cleaning routine a bit – for example wiping away the worst fingerprints weekly – your kitchen stays showroom-fresh all the time without too much effort.
Cleaning plastic window frames is not rocket science, but you just need to know what you should and shouldn’t do. With lukewarm soapy water, soft cloths, and gentle cleaning products you keep your frames like new. Avoid aggressive stuff and scouring sponge dramas, then your frames stay beautiful and intact for years. You’ll see: with a little care plastic window frames last surprisingly long without weathering. Happy cleaning!