Best Ways to Keep Pollen Off Your Windows

New windows transform a house, but what’s more annoying as catching a glimpse in just the right light only to see pollen and water stains on your brand new, expensive investment?  The fact is you’re always going to have to wash your windows to keep that perfect view, but there are things you can do to curb the amount of pollen your windows are subjected to.

What is Pollen?

For the unfamiliar, pollen is a fine dust released into the air from a plant, tree, flower, grass, or weed. It’s composed of organic matter and its objective is to spread and become fertilized so that more plants can take root and grow.

Sometimes, droughts and drier seasons can allow pollen to thrive, making a mess on your windows more so than other years.  Heavy rainfalls and the occasional storms tamper down pollen’s ability to travel, so a wet spring may reduce the number of times you’ll need to clean your windows.

Ways to Keep Your Windows Pollen-Free

Your windows will be exposed to pollen, but that doesn’t mean they have to stay dirty.  Here are a few tips to keep your windows free of pollen and beautiful to look out (and at).

Pressure Washer

A pressure washer is your best friend in the fight against pollen.  You can get one yourself at any local hardware and home improvement store, making it a DIY job that can be completed at your leisure.  You can even rent them if you don’t feel like putting down the dough to buy one yourself, or you can hire a professional to do the job.

A pressure washer is an effective and easy method in not just cleaning your windows of a pollen-heavy layer, but also cleaning the entire exterior of your home.  A pressure washer removes the debris buildup off of your siding as well. 

Be sure to read the manual on how to properly operate the pressure washer.  There’s a little more to it than simply pointing the water jet at your home and zapping off dirt and pollen.  Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be using the sheer force of the stream to dislodge dust and pollen, and your windows will sparkle once again.

Garden Hose

You can use a garden hose if you don’t want to get involved with a pressure washer, but it doesn’t do as powerful of a job.  Garden hoses may not be as effective in removing a layer of pollen on your windows because they run at a lower pressure.  Pollen that’s been coating your windowpanes all season long will need to be removed with something stronger.

More Than Water

Sometimes you’ll need something with a little more oomph than just plain old water.  You don’t need to get into serious chemicals to remove pollen from your windows; simply add a few squirts of dishwasher detergent mixed with water in a large professional spray bottle.  Shake a few times to mix until suds form inside, then apply your concoction to the windowpanes.  Follow the application with a scrub brush to remove layers of pollen from a particularly nasty pollen season.

Using this basic mix of detergent and water can cut through the pollen on your windowpanes, patio furniture, siding, porch or deck, and walls.  This method is good quick fix for when you don’t want to do a full power wash with a pressure washer or a garden hose.

Landscaping

Pollen is a natural part of a plant’s life cycle, so no matter what you do, you’ll always have pollen dust your house.  It’s a good thing, even if it does cloud up your windows.  Keeping a healthy garden by trimming your trees, maintaining garden beds, and encouraging pollinators like bees and butterflies will promote a stable environment. 

Sure, you might see more pollen depending on the season, what you plant, and weather conditions, but as long as you keep up with window cleaning and a yearly power wash, you’ll keep your home’s exterior neat and tidy.

Maintaining Pollen-Free Windows

How often should you enact these methods to keep your windows looking clean?  Although this chore can be time consuming and tedious, it’s best to clean your windows frequently to stave off pollen.  For pollen-heavy seasons, aim for a light window cleaning with a garden hose or spray bottle and scrub brush at least once a month—usually this is needed during the summer or spring seasons.  Pressure washing can be done at the conclusion of each season if the pollen is particularly bad.

You won’t permanently get rid of pollen, which is ultimately a good thing because it means the plants, flowers, and trees are doing their job.  Modern windows are designed to make cleaning them much easier, as they are manufactured with a tilting feature so you can clean both sides while inside your home.

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