GEALAN

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓Lukewarm water with mild dish soap or purpose-made glass cleaner.
• ✓Microfibre T-bar applicator on wash, professional squeegee on pull. Fresh rubber.
• ✓On CONCEPTLINE flush-fit profiles, do a cloth edge pass along the glass perimeter before squeegeeing.
• ✓No razor blades on coated glass. Check glazing specification before using hard tools.

Frames

• ✓pH-neutral cleaner on a damp cloth. Safe on both standard PVC and IQ-PROTECT surface.
• ✓No bleach, solvent, or strong alkali products - even IQ-PROTECT surfaces are affected by these over time.
• ✓No abrasive pads on any GEALAN profile surface.
• ✓Clear drainage channel exits at the frame base at every clean, from inside and outside if accessible.

Hardware

• ✓Identify hardware manufacturer before lubricating - GU, Siegenia, and Winkhaus hardware have slightly different lubrication points.
• ✓Wipe hardware dry after cleaning. Steel hardware on white PVC causes rust staining if left wet.
• ✓Lubricate tilt-and-turn mechanisms and hinge points annually with light machine oil.

Step 2 of 2: The Orloffs Protocol

The Orloffs Protocol

Pro Tools

My daily tool list. This is what I carry to every job.

Follow these steps in order. Each one builds on the last. This is the same sequence I use on every GEALAN installation.

1. 1

   Preparation

   Identify the profile series - S 9000, S 8000, or CONCEPTLINE. The CONCEPTLINE flush joint and the S 9000 wide frame face both need adjusted technique.

   Check the hardware manufacturer on each installation. A quick look at the locking point covers or hinge face usually reveals the brand.

   Brush down glass and frames to remove loose debris. On S 9000 installations, brush the deeper rebate channel thoroughly.

2. 2

   Glass wash

   Apply solution with T-bar in overlapping passes. Full coverage before squeegeeing.

   On CONCEPTLINE windows, apply the solution generously to the glass edge to lift any soiling from the flush joint.

   30 to 60 seconds dwell on any heavy soiling.

3. 3

   Edge detail

   Standard profiles: wipe the rebate with a damp cloth before squeegeeing.

   CONCEPTLINE profiles: run a cloth firmly along the flush joint line. This step is critical on flush-fit systems - solution left in the flush joint shows as a line after drying.

   Dry the top frame rail before squeegeeing.

4. 4

   Squeegee

   Side-to-side passes from top to bottom. Cut in carefully at the glass edge on flush-fit systems.

   Wipe rubber on a clean cloth after every pass.

   Finish with a bottom-edge pass.

5. 5

   Frame wipe-down

   pH-neutral cleaner on a damp cloth. Work top to bottom on all frame faces.

   On S 9000 installations, spend extra time on the wide frame face and the deeper rebate channel.

   Clear drainage channel exits with a soft brush from the outside and, if accessible, from the inside through the chamber openings.

6. 6

   Hardware service

   Run each window through full operation. Note the hardware brand from the locking point or hinge identification.

   Dry all hardware after the frame wash.

   At the annual service, apply light machine oil to the appropriate lubrication points for the installed hardware brand.

Pro Tips

• ★ IQ-PROTECT surface GEALAN profiles have a slightly different visual quality when clean - the enhanced surface clarity shows fingerprints and cloth marks more clearly than standard PVC. Use a lint-free cloth for the final pass.
• ★ The flush joint on CONCEPTLINE profiles collects airborne dust in the joint gap. A dry soft brush drawn along the joint before wetting is more effective than trying to rinse this debris out.
• ★ On Polish-fabricated GEALAN windows, the hardware brand is often not marked on the profile face - check the locking point covers for a moulded brand name or look at the hinge face.
• ★ S 9000 profiles in white can show a yellow tinge on heavily sun-exposed south-facing elevations over time. This is UV-related and not a cleaning damage issue. A purpose-made PVC restorer can reduce the yellowing.
• ★ Drainage channel exits on GEALAN profiles are often at the very corner of the frame base - they are easy to miss in a general frame wipe. Run a finger along the frame base to feel for the slot position.
• ★ GEALAN profiles are manufactured in batches, and colour foils can vary slightly between production batches. On a property where windows have been added at different dates, the foil colour may be a close but not exact match. This is a manufacturing tolerance, not a cleaning issue.
• ★ On GEALAN sliding and lift-and-slide profiles, the wider bottom sill rail requires the same drainage clearance attention as the tilt-and-turn frame base - larger debris accumulates in the wider sill channel.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass: 2x per year minimum (Spring and autumn. Urban and roadside: quarterly.). Frames: 2x per year (Same visit as glass. IQ-PROTECT surface benefits from regular cleaning to maintain its surface clarity.). Drainage channels: Every clean (Clear from inside and outside where accessible. GEALAN internal drainage is a two-direction system.). Hardware lubrication: Once per year (Identify hardware brand first - lubrication points vary by manufacturer.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“GEALAN profiles are among the most commonly encountered PVC systems in Central European residential stock. The IQ-PROTECT surface on newer installations is noticeably cleaner after a standard clean than older standard-surface profiles. Polish-fabricated GEALAN windows are often well-made products but with hardware variability that requires a quick assessment on first visit. The CONCEPTLINE flush-fit joint is the one aspect of GEALAN cleaning technique that differs from all other PVC profile systems. Build the flush-joint cloth step into your standard CONCEPTLINE protocol.”

Justin Orloff