SULKO

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓Clean insulating glass with standard mild cleaning products and warm water.
• ✓Fingerprints and grease stains can be removed with mild soap solutions.
• ✕No abrasive cleaners, abrasive pads, or rough cleaning agents - these roughen the glass surface.
• ✓No products containing sand or abrasive particles.
• ✓No solvents, petrol, or paint thinner on glass surfaces.

PVC Frames (Synego range)

• ✓Clean with standard cleaning products and warm water applied with a soft cloth.
• ✓No products containing sand or abrasive particles.
• ✕No abrasive cleaners or scouring pads - these permanently roughen the PVC surface.
• ✓No petrol, paint thinner, acetic acid, nitro solvents, or any solvent-based products - these dissolve and permanently damage PVC.
• ✓Do not use cleaning agents with a pH other than neutral - acidic or alkaline cleaners damage the PVC surface texture.
• ✓Rinse thoroughly after cleaning.

Composite Frames (ARTEVO range)

• ✓Clean with mild soapy water and a soft cloth.
• ✕The same prohibitions as PVC apply - no solvents, no abrasives, no acidic or alkaline cleaners.
• ✓Do not use products intended for actual aluminium on the ARTEVO composite surface - follow PVC care rules for this material.
• ✓Contact SULKO directly for cleaning products approved for the ARTEVO composite surface.

Aluminium Frames (ProfiAl range)

• ✓Clean with mild soapy water and a soft cloth.
• ✓No abrasive cleaners or abrasive pads - these scratch the powder-coated finish.
• ✓No strong alkalis or acids on the aluminium surface.
• ✓Rinse with clean water after cleaning to remove soap residue.

Hardware

• ✓Lubricate all moving parts with a drop of Teflon oil once to twice per year.
• ✓Wipe excess oil immediately with a clean absorbent cloth - excess oil attracts dust.
• ✓Check all hinges, locks, and handles annually for proper operation.
• ✓SULKO offers a free adjustment service within 6 months of installation - use it to set hardware correctly from the start.

Gaskets and Seals

• ✓Inspect seals and gaskets once per year for cracks, hardening, or gaps.
• ✓Inspect after heavy storms.
• ✓Clean seals with mild soapy water only - no solvents.
• ✓If seals show significant deterioration, contact your SULKO installer for replacement.

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 SULKO installation.

1. 1

   Clean the frame edges before touching the glass

   Before squeegeeing, wipe all frame edges with a damp soft cloth and mild soapy water. Remove the accumulated dust, pollen, and grime from the frame surface.

   When the squeegee rubber moves across the glass, it rides along the frame edge. Dirt on that edge gets picked up and dragged across the clean wet glass as a streak. Frame-first, every time.

   For PVC and composite frames, make absolutely certain your cloth has no solvent residue from other cleaning tasks. Even trace amounts of solvent on a cloth can mark PVC surfaces.

2. 2

   Agitate the glass surface

   Dip the T-bar applicator into the soapy water on both sides until fully saturated. Apply the solution across the entire glass surface using overlapping horizontal strokes. The aim is to dissolve the bonded dirt from the glass so the squeegee can shave it cleanly away.

   If the dirt is not dissolved first, the grit remaining on the glass will be dragged across it by the squeegee, leaving smears or micro-scratches. Do not rush this step. Let the soapy water dwell on the glass for 20 to 30 seconds on heavily soiled windows.

   Never clean SULKO windows in direct sunlight. The soap water evaporates before you can squeegee it off, baking a residue onto the glass that is harder to remove than the original dirt.

3. 3

   Dry the frame edges before squeegeeing

   Once the glass is fully agitated, run a dry corner of your cotton rag along the top edge and both side edges of the window frame. This removes the pooled soapy water sitting on the frame.

   If you leave that water there, the squeegee picks it up on every pass and deposits it back onto the glass as a dirty streak. This step takes 10 seconds and prevents most of the streaks that ruin an otherwise clean window.

4. 4

   The three squeegee turns

   Side to side: start at the top corner of the window with a dry rubber blade. Work across the glass in a straight horizontal line. Tilt the squeegee slightly so the water spills from one side of the channel only. Wipe the rubber dry after each pass. Overlap slightly into the line below.

   Top to bottom: the same logic, but working in vertical lines from top to bottom. Start in the top corner. Tilt to direct water toward the lower end. Wipe the rubber dry after each pass. Overlap into the next column.

   The J turn: the continuous professional motion. From the top of the window to the bottom in one unbroken, fluid movement. Your thumb guides the rotation as you move - at the end of each horizontal pass, rotate your wrist to turn the squeegee and continue down. Especially effective on ARTEVO's large-format windows where side-to-side passes alone require many repetitions.

5. 5

   Detail the edges

   After squeegeeing, a thin line of water sits along the bottom edge and at the sides where the glass meets the frame. Take a dry cotton rag, fold it to a clean corner, and detail these edges in one smooth wipe.

   Push the cloth lightly into the gap where the glass meets the frame seal. Any soapy water left here will dry into a white residue visible in low sunlight. Rotate the rag so you are always working with a dry section.

6. 6

   Hardware lubrication

   Apply a single drop of Teflon oil to all hinges, locking points, and handles once or twice per year. Wipe off any excess oil immediately with a dry cloth. Excess oil left on hardware attracts dust and grime that works its way into the mechanism over time.

Pro Tips

• ★ Identify the frame material before you start - Synego PVC, ARTEVO composite, or ProfiAl aluminium. The cleaning rules for the frame differ by material.
• ★ ARTEVO looks like aluminium but must be cleaned using PVC rules. Do not use aluminium-specific products on it.
• ★ Never use solvent-contaminated cloths on PVC or composite frames - even trace amounts can mark the surface permanently.
• ★ Dwell time matters on heavily soiled SULKO glass - let the soapy water sit for 20 to 30 seconds before the squeegee touches the surface.
• ★ SULKO offers a free hardware adjustment service within 6 months of installation. If hardware was stiff from day one, use that service.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass and frames: 2x per year minimum (Spring and autumn. Quarterly in urban or construction-adjacent locations.). Hardware lubrication (Teflon oil): 1-2x per year (Wipe excess immediately after application.). Seal and gasket inspection: 1x per year (And after any severe weather.). Hardware operation check: 1x per year (Use SULKO's free 6-month adjustment window from installation date.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Glass and frames: 2x per year minimum, quarterly in urban or construction-adjacent locations. ARTEVO composite: follows PVC care rules, not aluminium rules. Do not use aluminium products on it. Hardware: Teflon oil once or twice per year. Wipe excess immediately. SULKO offers free adjustment in the first 6 months post-installation. Seals: inspect annually and after storms. Mild soapy water only for cleaning.”

Justin Orloff