How to Clean Reynaers Aluminium Windows: A Professional Guide

Reynaers Aluminium, founded in 1965 in Duffel, Belgium, is one of Europe's leading producers of aluminium systems for windows, doors, sliding systems, and facades. Its CS 68, CS 86-HI, and Hi-Finity systems are installed in homes and buildings across more than 40 countries.

A set of Reynaers windows is not a small purchase. Getting the cleaning right protects both the glass and the investment behind it.

Reynaers is one of the few window system manufacturers that produces its own branded care product line. That alone tells you something: the company takes post-installation maintenance seriously enough to develop dedicated products for it. This guide combines those official Reynaers recommendations with the professional glass-cleaning technique I use when I clean Reynaers windows across Vienna.

Why Reynaers Windows Need a Specific Approach

1. Powder-coated surfaces that react to the wrong products.

Reynaers frames are finished with a powder coat that gives them their colour and protects the aluminium underneath. This coating is built to last, but it responds to the products you use. Ammonia, baking soda, tri-sodium phosphate, and bleach all damage powder-coated aluminium over time. Reynaers names each of these specifically in its care documentation. The wrong cleaner does not wash off. It builds up on the surface, dulling the finish.

2. Precision hardware and drainage systems.

Reynaers windows and sliding systems use engineered hinges, multi-point locking, brush seals, and drainage channels built to close tolerances. These parts need annual lubrication with the correct product. High-pressure water forces water into the drainage channels and hardware cavities where it does not belong.

3. Multiple system formats with different scale challenges.

Reynaers produces systems ranging from the thermally improved CS 68 window and door system to the high-insulation CS 86-HI and large-format sliding doors like the Hi-Finity. The glass-cleaning technique is consistent across all of them, but the scale differences matter. A Hi-Finity panel needs pole work and a different squeegee sequencing approach than a standard CS 68 window.

Before We Go Further: The Foundation

Before getting into Reynaers-specific care, the foundation matters. If you are not yet confident with a squeegee, the free Window Cleaning Manifesto covers the core technique in five minutes. Everything in this guide builds on that foundation.

What Reynaers Recommends

The following is sourced directly from Reynaers' care and maintenance documentation. These are the manufacturer's own recommendations. Full documentation at reynaers.com.

Glass

1. Clean glass surfaces with lukewarm water and a pH-neutral (pH 6-8) detergent.
2. Use a soft cloth. Do not use abrasive materials.
3. Avoid cleaning agents containing ammonia. Ammonia discolours powder-coated aluminium surfaces and can damage coatings.
4. Do not use baking soda or tri-sodium phosphate. Both are too alkaline for aluminium coatings.
5. Do not use bleach, harsh detergents, or steel wool on any surface.

Aluminium Frames

1. Clean all frame surfaces with lukewarm water and a pH-neutral detergent using a soft microfibre cloth.
2. For additional frame care, treat profiles with Reynaers Clean and Care Wax.
3. Once per year, apply Reynaers Aluminium Renewer to restore the original surface appearance.
4. For stubborn contamination, Reynaers Deepclean is available through the installer network.

Hardware

1. Inspect and lubricate hardware accessories and moveable parts once per year.
2. Use Reynaers Aluminium Lubricant on hinges, locks, brush seals, and sliding rails.
3. Check all multi-point locking mechanisms for smooth operation.

Drainage

1. Inspect drainage holes in the frame and clear any blockages.
2. Blocked drainage causes water to pool inside the frame, which can damage hardware and seals over time.

Sliding Systems (MasterPatio, Hi-Finity, SlimPatio)

1. Clean brush seals gently with a damp cloth. Do not force water into the seal cavity.
2. Vacuum debris from tracks and rails before wiping down.
3. Lubricate sliding rails with Reynaers Aluminium Lubricant annually.

A note on warranty: Reynaers provides a 10-year system warranty on profiles, the lacquer and anodisation layer, and integrated insulation, plus a 5-year warranty on hardware accessories. Using prohibited cleaning agents risks damaging the powder-coated surfaces that this warranty covers.

What I Add as a Professional

Reynaers' care documentation covers what products to use and what to avoid. Here is what I add as a professional, having cleaned Reynaers aluminium windows across Vienna for years: the specific technique for applying these principles on the glass and getting streak-free results every time.

You chose Reynaers for the quality of the system. The technique below is how you match that quality every time you clean.

Tools I Use on Reynaers Windows

• A T-bar applicator with microfibre cover (a handle with a horizontal bar covered in microfibre, designed to distribute soap and loosen dirt).
• A professional squeegee with a fresh rubber blade.
• A bucket with lukewarm water and one drop of mild pH-neutral dish soap per litre.
• 100% cotton towelling rags for detailing the edges.
• A soft microfibre cloth for the aluminium frame surfaces.
• An extension pole (aluminium or carbon fibre) for Hi-Finity panels and high-level glazing.
• A vacuum for clearing track debris on sliding systems.

Step-by-Step Professional Technique

Preparation

Fill a bucket with at least 10 litres of lukewarm water. Add one drop of pH-neutral dish soap per litre and mix until dissolved. Check that the soap is fully dissolved before dipping your applicator. Too much soap leaves residue on the glass. Too little soap means the dirt does not dissolve.

Check the weather. Never clean in direct sunlight. The soap water dries before you can squeegee it off, baking residue onto the surface that is harder to remove than the dirt you started with.

Detail the Frame First

Before touching the glass, wipe down the window frame edges with a microfibre cloth dampened in mild soapy water. This removes the dust, pollen, and grime sitting on the powder-coated frame.

When you run the squeegee across the glass, the rubber edge makes contact with the frame. If there is dirt on that frame, the squeegee picks it up and drags it across the clean glass as a streak.

Clean the frame first. Every time.

For Reynaers sliding systems with brush seals, wipe the seal gently with a damp cloth. Do not force water into the seal cavity.

Agitate the Glass

Dip your T-bar applicator completely into the soapy water on both sides. Apply the solution across the whole glass area. Agitate the dirt with up-and-down or side-to-side motions. The idea is to dissolve the dirt, ready for the squeegee to shave away.

If the dirt is not fully dissolved in the soap water and released from the glass, the remaining dirt still stuck will be transported over the glass, leaving smudges or smears.

Take your time with this step. On large Reynaers sliding panels, cover the whole surface with overlapping strokes. Do not rush to the squeegee.

Detail Before Squeegeeing

Once the glass is agitated, run a dry corner of your 100% cotton towelling rag along the top edge and both side edges of the window. This removes the pooled soap water sitting on the frame. When the squeegee reaches those edges, it will not pick up dirty residue and drag it back across the glass.

The Squeegee

There are three professional squeegee turns. Mastering each one and combining them is what produces consistent, streak-free results.

Side to side. Start at the very top edge of the window with a dry rubber. Cutting in is the first connection of the squeegee rubber to the glass. Work across the glass in a straight horizontal line. Tilt the squeegee at a slight angle so the soap water spills from only one side of the channel. Wipe the rubber dry after each line. Overlap slightly into the next line down. Repeat until the window is complete.

Top to bottom. The same principle, but working down the glass in vertical lines. Start in the top corner with a dry rubber. Tilt to direct water to the lower side. Wipe the rubber dry after each line. Overlap into the next line across. Repeat to the bottom.

The turn with a twist (J tune). This is the professional continuous motion. From the top of the window to the bottom in one endless, smooth movement. There are no stops. Your thumb is your guide. As you reach the end of a horizontal pass, rotate your wrist so the squeegee turns and continues down. At the bottom, rotate back and return across. When you have this in your muscle memory, it is the fastest and most consistent turn for any window size.

For large Reynaers sliding panels or floor-to-ceiling glazing, use the top-to-bottom turn with a pole first for the upper section, then finish the lower section with the side-to-side turn at arm height. Make sure that the angle of the squeegee on the pole is roughly 45 degrees, not flat. If it is flat, you will not be able to remove the soap water correctly.

Bumping the rubber from the squeegee will help reduce any chance of lines or drips falling onto the clean glass. It is good practice to bump down the bottom of the glass, keeping the dirty soap water away from the clean glass.

Edge Detailing

After squeegeeing, there is always a thin line of water along the bottom edge and at the sides where the squeegee cannot close out completely. Take a dry 100% cotton towelling rag, fold it to a clean corner, and detail these edges in one smooth pass.

Get your finger into the edge where the glass meets the frame seal. Remove any pooled soap water sitting there. If this is left to dry, it leaves a residue mark that shows up as soon as the sun hits the glass.

Rotate the rag so you are only ever touching the glass with a clean, dry section. Replace the rag with a fresh one every few windows.

Frame Surface Care

After the glass is complete, wipe down all aluminium frame surfaces with a clean microfibre cloth and lukewarm soapy water. For regular maintenance, apply Reynaers Clean and Care Wax. Once per year, apply Reynaers Aluminium Renewer to restore the original surface appearance.

Tracks, Drainage, and Hardware

For sliding systems (MasterPatio, Hi-Finity, SlimPatio), vacuum the bottom track to remove grit and debris before wiping it down. Check that the drainage slots in the frame are clear. Blocked drainage causes water to pool inside the frame, which damages hardware and seals over time.

Apply Reynaers Aluminium Lubricant to hinges, locks, and sliding rails once per year. Check all multi-point locking mechanisms for smooth operation.

Seals and Gaskets

Inspect rubber seals around the glass and frame for cracks or compression. Wipe seals clean with a damp cloth. Do not apply solvents, oils, or petroleum-based products to rubber seals.

Cleaning Frequency

• Glass and frames: minimum twice per year, inside and out.
• Urban environments (traffic pollution, pollen, construction dust): quarterly cleaning recommended.
• Coastal locations or anywhere with salt air: four times per year. Salt deposits on aluminium frames need to come off before they cause surface damage.
• Hardware inspection and lubrication: once per year.
• Reynaers Aluminium Renewer application to frames: once per year.
• Drainage hole inspection and clearing: once per year, or after heavy storms.
• Sliding system track clearing: every cleaning session.

What NOT to Do

The following is sourced directly from Reynaers' care and maintenance documentation:

1. Do not use ammonia-based cleaning agents. This rules out most commercial glass sprays. Ammonia discolours powder-coated aluminium surfaces.
2. Do not use baking soda or tri-sodium phosphate. Both are too alkaline for aluminium coatings.
3. Do not use bleach or harsh detergents on any surface.
4. Do not use steel wool, abrasive pads, or scouring powder on frames or glass.
5. Do not direct high-pressure water at frame joints, drainage channels, brush seals, or hardware.
6. Do not use sharp tools or razor blades near the glass or frame surfaces.
7. Do not allow drainage holes to remain blocked. Pooled water inside the frame damages hardware and seals.
8. Do not force water into brush seal cavities on sliding systems.
9. Do not clean glass in direct sunlight. The soap water dries before you can squeegee it off, baking residue onto the surface.

Why Professional Technique Matters

Reynaers builds its systems to close tolerances and backs them with a 10-year warranty. The engineering holds up. What often lets the system down is the cleaning. The wrong product on the frame, too much pressure on the seal, water forced into a drainage channel. The technique does not need to be complicated. It needs to be correct.

Your Reynaers windows represent a serious investment in your home. The Skill gives you the professional technique to keep them looking exactly as they should, without the risk of getting it wrong. Lifetime access for $69 at orloffs.com/the-skill.

If you have a window cleaner who maintains your Reynaers windows, this guide is worth forwarding. It gives them the professional glass-cleaning foundation they need, and the care documentation link covers the Reynaers-specific care requirements they should know about. Better still, The Skill gives any cleaner the professional technique your windows deserve. At $69, it costs less than one cleaning job and protects a window system worth far more.

Protecting Your Investment

Reynaers builds aluminium window systems that are designed to perform for decades. The powder coat protects the frame. The engineering protects the performance. The cleaning protects both.

The free Window Cleaning Manifesto covers the foundational squeegee technique in five minutes. The Skill adds the full professional method, correct soap-water ratios, and safe handling for large-format aluminium-framed glass. Lifetime access for $69 at orloffs.com/the-skill.

For Reynaers' full care documentation, visit reynaers.com.

If you are in Vienna and prefer to have your Reynaers windows cleaned by a professional, Orloff's Window Cleaning Service (orloffs.at) has been caring for premium windows across the city for over 15 years.