A straight answer about purified-water cleaning
Why do window cleaners leave windows wet?
Because purified water is designed to dry naturally. The minerals that normally leave spots have been removed, and there is no detergent on the glass, so properly rinsed windows do not need wiping or squeegeeing.
The short answer
Your windows have been left wet on purpose.
- The clean is complete. The final purified-water rinse is the last stage of the job.
- No soap is left behind. There is nothing to polish off the glass.
- Let it dry naturally. The glass should dry to a clean, clear finish.
If you are used to a window cleaner working with a bucket and squeegee, seeing water left on the glass can look as though the job has been abandoned halfway through. With modern purified-water cleaning, that wet rinse is actually the finished job.
Traditional window cleaning works differently
With a traditional clean, water and detergent are applied to the glass before being removed with a squeegee. The edges are often detailed with a cloth. It is a familiar method and, when it is done well, it can produce a very good result.
Our window cleaning service in Barnsley uses a water-fed pole system instead. A specialist brush loosens dirt from the glass, frames and sills, then purified water rinses that dirt away. The clean water is left on the glass to dry by itself.
What makes purified water different?
Ordinary tap water contains dissolved minerals. You might notice the same minerals as pale spots around a tap, on a shower screen or on a glass left to air-dry. That is why simply spraying a window with tap water and leaving it would not give the same result.
The water we use has been professionally filtered to remove virtually all of those dissolved minerals and impurities. We do not add soap or detergent. Once the loosened dirt has been thoroughly rinsed away, the remaining droplets can evaporate without leaving the usual mineral residue behind.
The three stages
Brush, rinse, then let it dry.
- 1
We brush the glass, frames and sills to loosen the dirt.
- 2
We rinse everything thoroughly with purified water.
- 3
We leave the clean rinse water to dry naturally.
Why don’t we wipe or squeegee the glass?
Once the window has had its final rinse, wiping it would add an unnecessary extra step. A cloth or squeegee can carry lint, dust, detergent or minerals from ordinary water. Leaving the purified water alone helps keep the freshly cleaned surface free from anything that could cause a smear or mark.
So if you see droplets when we leave, there is no need to wipe them from the outside. Give the windows time to dry and judge the result then.
How long will the windows take to dry?
There is no single drying time because it depends on the weather, temperature, shade and airflow around your home. On a warm, breezy day the water may disappear quickly. On a cool or still day it will take longer. Neither is a problem—the drying time does not change how the system works.
What if I can see a mark after the glass has dried?
Always allow the windows to dry fully first. If something does not look right once they are dry, let us know within 24 hours. We stand behind our work and will return to put it right free of charge.
The bottom line
Please leave the droplets to do their job.
Wet windows are a normal and intentional part of purified-water cleaning. The dirt has been brushed and rinsed away; all that remains is for the clean water to evaporate and reveal the finished result.