XS-ALU

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓pH-neutral glass cleaner. Microfibre T-bar and professional squeegee.
• ✓Inner face in tilt position, outer face in turn position.
• ✓Squeegee top to bottom. Edge wipe in rebate before final pull.
• ✓Keep solution away from the aluminium frame faces during glass cleaning.

Frames

• ✓pH-neutral aluminium cleaner on soft cloth. No alkaline, no acid, no abrasive.
• ✓Rinse immediately after applying cleaner. Dry with soft cloth.
• ✓Clear sash drainage slots at every clean.
• ✓Do not use PVC cleaning protocols or products on XS-ALU aluminium frames.

Hardware

• ✓Annual lubrication: hinge scissors, corner transfer pieces, espagnolette rod guides, locking cam faces.
• ✓Wipe hardware dry at every clean. Dry aluminium hardware immediately after any contact with water.
• ✓Check all locking points engage cleanly. Report stiff or incomplete engagement.

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 XS-ALU installation.

1. 1

   Material check for renovation buildings

   In renovation building contexts, confirm the windows are aluminium, not PVC. The cleaning product must match the material.

   Identify whether any previous cleaning products were used that may have been PVC-specific (some PVC cleaners contain solvents that are not appropriate for powder-coat aluminium).

   Note the powder coat condition - any chalking, bloom, or scratching before cleaning indicates previous maintenance issues.

2. 2

   Glass cleaning

   Apply solution with T-bar. Inner in tilt, outer in turn.

   Squeegee top to bottom. Edge wipe before final pull.

   Keep solution away from aluminium frame faces during squeegeeing.

3. 3

   Frame cleaning

   pH-neutral aluminium cleaner on soft cloth. Straight strokes.

   Immediate rinse with clean water. Dry with soft cloth.

   Clear drainage slots.

4. 4

   Hardware lubrication

   Annual lubrication at all mechanism points.

   Operate full tilt-and-turn cycle.

   Check cam-to-keep engagement.

5. 5

   Final visual check

   Check powder coat for any alkaline bloom or abrasive marks from this or previous cleans.

   Confirm all windows close and lock smoothly.

   Note any hardware wear or sealant issues.

Pro Tips

• ★ In Hungarian apartment renovation projects, the switch from PVC to aluminium windows sometimes results in cleaning damage because the building management continues to use PVC-specific cleaning products. Check what products are in use and replace them with aluminium-appropriate alternatives at the first maintenance visit.
• ★ Aluminium powder coat that has been cleaned with alkaline products develops a chalky white bloom that appears after the product dries. This is a warning sign - switch to pH-neutral product immediately to prevent accumulation of coating damage.
• ★ Central European summer temperatures in Hungary reach 35 degrees C regularly. At these temperatures, glass cleaning solution on south-facing aluminium windows evaporates faster than in cooler conditions. Clean south-facing elevations in the morning.
• ★ XS-ALU aluminium drainage slots are in the same position as PVC drainage slots but may be slightly different in size. A plastic drainage tool that works on PVC slots may be slightly loose in an aluminium slot. Confirm the tool clears the slot fully rather than just passing through the centre.
• ★ Hungarian apartment building windows on multiple floors from the same renovation project are all the same specification. Once you have confirmed the frame material and established the correct product, the same protocol applies to every window in the building.
• ★ New powder-coat aluminium windows on a renovation building may still have residue from the fabrication process on the frame - a slight oily film that attracts dust in the first months. The first maintenance clean removes this film and establishes the clean base condition for ongoing maintenance.
• ★ Lift-and-slide terrace doors on Hungarian apartment balconies are operated in the full temperature range of central European climate. PTFE lubricant maintains better viscosity across this range than standard oil. Use PTFE on lift-and-slide running gear.

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Glass: 2 to 3x per year (Hungarian residential standard. South-facing elevations in summer: adjust timing to morning.). Frames: Same visit as glass (Regular cleaning prevents powder coat deposit bonding that eventually requires more aggressive cleaning.). Drainage slots: Every clean (Standard aluminium window maintenance.). Hardware lubrication: Once per year (Lift-and-slide terrace doors: twice yearly in high-use Hungarian apartment contexts.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“XS-ALU represents the mid-range Hungarian aluminium window manufacturer category. The products are competent and reward correct maintenance. The primary maintenance risk in the Hungarian market is alkaline cleaning product use by building management teams unfamiliar with aluminium care requirements. Hungarian apartment building renovation projects are the primary context for XS-ALU installations. These projects replace large numbers of windows simultaneously, creating maintenance contracts with multiple identical windows - efficient and consistent protocol matters here. The Hungarian market for aluminium windows is growing. More building managers and occupants are learning the specific maintenance requirements for aluminium as the product becomes more common in the renovation market.”

Justin Orloff