Folding windows, despite their slightly greater popularity among our western neighbors, are gaining interest in Poland as well. Formerly made of low-quality materials and unhappily shrouded in disrepute, innovative approaches are now winning the hearts of decorators. We have been convinced of their unique advantages for many years, but methods of cleaning and refreshing this type of construction are still inconclusive. How to properly care for accordion windows? We dispel your doubts!
Types of accordion windows
The care of accordion windows should be selected based on their type. Depending on the material they are made of and any additives, we distinguish here the following items:
- wooden models
- woodgrain models
- models made of plastic
Care of accordion windows
Minor dirt on accordion windows, we always remove with water and a dry or damp cloth, while periodic, more meticulous cleaning is left to proven care products, the choice and application of which depend on the type of windows.
Models made of plastic
Most often chosen, models made of plastic are best cared for with preparations suitable for this type of surface. Cleansing lotions for PVC parts are perfect, as well as gasket cleaners or oils for hardware maintenance. It is important that in the case of cleaning lotions, use neutral detergents to avoid damage to window profiles. Maintenance of hardware requires some knowledge of the location of the appropriate holes, so this activity is more convenient to leave to specialists. It’s different when caring for gaskets; just wipe the gaskets with a damp cloth before applying the cleaning fluid.
Models made of wood
The wonderful aesthetic qualities and durability of wood, invariably for hundreds of years, place this material among the most valued on the market. In case the windows contain glass elements, when washing the glass, we must choose a detergent specially designed for this purpose, (free of ammonia and other corrosive substances!). We clean wooden windows 2 to 3 times a year. Before any such treatment, we first remove dust and minor dirt from the wooden frames. For this, we use soft fabrics made of natural materials, such as cotton. Then we move on to the care of the frames; we use special products designed for cleaning wood or dish liquid with a little water. We maintain the seals and hardware analogously to plastic windows, again avoiding only caustic preparations.
Woodgrain models
An economical substitute for wood are windows made of wood-like materials, such as PVC with a wood veneer. These models can replace any species of wood and remain extremely difficult to distinguish. They also require no specialized maintenance; cleaning is limited to the use of veneer frame fluid and gasket cleaner. As with plastic windows, we clean the hardware with special oils or leave these activities to professionals.
Summary
Cleaning wooden pieces of furniture or maintaining metal parts, can often be problematic. However, the care of accordion windows is not a very demanding task and, except for some of the more challenging elements, anyone can manage it.
