How to Clean Window Tracks | Molly Maid

Person wearing a rubber glove dusting a window track
It’s easy to forget about window tracks. Months go by before you even give them a second thought. You may notice a window doesn’t slide like it used to. By the time you do, the window tracks are rusty, dusty, and buggy.

  1. Vacuum up dust, loose debris, and dead bugs stuck in the window track with the brush attachment.
  2. Sprinkle a little baking soda on the remaining stuck-on gunk.
  3. Pour some vinegar over the baking soda. The chemical reaction will cause foaming and bubbling.
  4. For vertical window tracks, apply the baking soda on a sponge to scrub.
  5. Next, saturate the sponge in vinegar and scrub.
  6. Let the baking soda and vinegar work their magic for five to 10 minutes.
  7. When you return, scrub the loosened gunk with an old toothbrush. Guide the debris toward the center of the window track so it forms a little pile. Or use a shop-vacuum to suck up the wet gunk.
  8. Scoop up as much gunk as you can with a paper towel.
  9. Wrap a damp rag around a butter knife to wipe up any gunk that remains.
  10. Wipe down the track one last time.

Dirty window tracks don’t just look bad, they make opening and closing a window a pain. If you need to use excessive force to open the window, you may damage the window components or the trim. What a pain! Fortunately, Molly Maid is here to show you how to clean a window track. A sprinkle of baking soda and vinegar is the key to restoring beautiful window tracks with minimal scrubbing required.

Supplies Needed to Clean a Window Track

  • Vacuum with a brush attachment
  • Baking soda
  • White vinegar
  • Old toothbrush
  • Paper towels
  • Wet rag
  • Butter knife
  • Silicone or wax for lubricant

How to Lubricate Window Tracks

Now that your tracks are clean, a little bit of lubricate will make them glide like new. Don’t ever use grease, which will only trap more debris. For vinyl window tracks spray a small amount of silicone lubricant on a rag and wipe the tracks. Operate the window several times to spread the lubricant and apply more as needed. To lubricate wooden window tracks, use plain wax from a candle or a specific dry lubricant. Beeswax also works well. Rub the wax into the track like you would a crayon. Operate the window several times to create friction to warm the wax and spread it into the track.

Help When You Need It

Cleaning window tracks is one of those chores you don’t have to do all that often, but when you do, these tips will make the job much easier! It’s best to save this cleaning task for the spring to remove winter build up and before you start opening and closing windows. At Molly Maid, our team has decades of experience dusting, mopping and vacuuming as part of our house cleaning services. Request a free cleaning estimate today!