Squeegee Technique
Squeegee technique refers to the controlled hand-motion pattern used to remove cleaning solution and water from interior window glass without leaving streaks, drips, or wet edges. A professional squeegee technique uses an 18 or 22-inch stainless channel with a fresh rubber blade, a consistent angle (typically 30-45 degrees to the glass), overlapping strokes that catch the entire wet field, a final detail swipe along the bottom edge and sill, and immediate detailing of any missed water around frames and corners with a chamois or lint-free cloth.
In depth
The most common failure modes in amateur technique are: blade nicking from debris left on glass (requiring regular blade replacement), arc-path inconsistency that leaves dry unswept zones in the middle of large panes, and skipped detailing around trim that leaves water to drip down and pool on sills. For interior windows on hardwood floors, squeegee discipline also means zero drips — a damp cloth on the sill and a controlled wrist-flip at the edge of each stroke are standard professional habits.
How this shows up on our jobs
Interior windows on older Madison homes — crown-molded Victorians, ranch homes with painted wood trim — demand precise squeegee technique. A drip on a hardwood floor or a streak on plantation shutters is a callback, and we don't do callbacks.
Services where this matters
Related terms
Water-Fed Pole (WFP)
A water-fed pole is a lightweight telescoping pole — typically carbon fiber, 20 to 45 feet long — with a soft brush and water jets at the tip, fed by a hose connected to a pure-water filtration system. The technician agitates the glass with the brush while pure water rinses away the loosened dirt, leaving zero mineral residue to dry into spots. When done correctly, windows, frames, and screens air-dry crystal-clear without ladders or squeegees.
Deionized Water
Deionized water — often shortened to DI water — is water that has had essentially all of its dissolved mineral ions removed by passing it through specialized ion-exchange resin beads. Positive-charge ions (sodium, calcium, magnesium) are swapped for hydrogen ions, and negative-charge ions (chloride, sulfate, bicarbonate) are swapped for hydroxide ions. The result is near-pure H2O with a TDS reading at or near zero.
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids — the concentration of dissolved minerals, salts, and metals in water, measured in parts per million (PPM). A TDS meter is the single most important tool in professional window cleaning because it determines whether rinse water will dry spot-free. Standard Madison tap water measures roughly 250-400 PPM, which leaves visible mineral spots on glass when it dries. For streak-free, squeegee-free results with a water-fed pole, rinse water must be at or below 10 PPM, and ideally 0-2 PPM.
Hard Water Stain
A hard water stain is the crystalline mineral deposit that forms on glass, metal, and stone when water high in dissolved calcium, magnesium, iron, or silica evaporates and leaves its dissolved minerals behind. The stain starts as a cosmetic film that rinses off easily; over weeks or months, it bonds chemically to the surface and etches into it, becoming progressively harder to remove. On glass, severe hard-water staining is technically etching — the minerals have chemically fused into the silicate surface and cannot be washed off without specialty chemistry or mechanical polishing.
Soft-Bristle Brush
A soft-bristle brush is the wash head of a water-fed pole or the hand tool used to gently agitate a surface during cleaning without damaging the substrate. For glass, a double-row flocked nylon or hog-hair brush is standard. For painted siding, soffit, and screens, a rotary or flagged polypropylene brush of medium-soft density is the norm. The goal is always enough mechanical action to lift dirt from the surface without micro-scratching the paint, glass coating, or finish.