A Seasonal Window Cleaning Schedule for Coastal Homes
Windows get dirty in different ways at different times of year in coastal BC, so a sensible cleaning schedule works better than cleaning at random. Knowing what each season throws at your glass helps you time cleanings for the biggest, longest-lasting effect. Here is a simple seasonal schedule for keeping windows clear year-round.
What each season does to your windows
Spring brings the heavy pollen that coats glass in a yellow-green film. Summer is generally kinder, though dust and the occasional wildfire-smoke haze settle on the glass. Fall and winter bring the rain grime, the mineral spotting from constant wet, and the salt film on homes near the ocean. Each season leaves its own signature on the glass.
That pattern is why two well-timed cleanings a year suit most homes, catching the two heaviest periods rather than cleaning on a random date.
The core schedule: spring and fall
For most Lower Mainland homes, the backbone is a spring clean and a fall clean. The spring clean clears the pollen load once the worst of the season passes, so the glass stays clear through summer. The fall clean removes the summer dust and sets the windows up before the winter rain grime, and it pairs naturally with other fall exterior prep.
Doing the full window unit each time, glass, frames, sills and screens, is what makes those two cleanings hold, since the screens and tracks otherwise re-dirty the glass.
When to add more
Some homes benefit from more than twice a year. Oceanfront homes take constant salt film and often want quarterly cleaning, homes on busy roads collect traffic grime faster, and homes surrounded by heavy pollen-producing trees may want an extra spring touch-up. Conversely, a sheltered home with little around it can sometimes stretch to once a year.
The simplest approach is the spring-and-fall core, adjusted up if your setting, ocean, busy road, heavy trees, dirties the glass faster. A quick look at your home and surroundings gives a tailored recommendation.