Europe · Window Manufacturer
Rationel: Window Cleaning Guide
🇩🇰 Denmark · Last reviewed by Justin Orloff
Quick Facts
founded
1954
hq
Denmark (sales offices in Denmark, England, and Ireland)
primaryMaterials
Timber (FORMA, AURA), Timber/Aluminium (FORMAPLUS, AURAPLUS)
glazingPartner
In-house
marketTier
Premium - DOVISTA Group
Brand at a Glance
- Dansk træ- og træ-aluminium-vindue producent, del af Inwido-gruppen
- Nordisk design og høj håndværksmæssig kvalitet
- Energiglas og termorude til lavenergibyggeri
- Bred produktportefølje til bolig og erhverv
Product Range
- FORMA — slankt profil, minimalistisk nordisk design
- AURA — klassisk træ-aluminium til boligbyggeri
- VARIO — fleksibelt system til renovering og nybyggeri
- Terrassedøre og skydedørssystemer
Why This System
Rationels vinduer kombinerer traditionelt dansk træhåndværk med moderne aluminiumbeskyttelse. Profilerne er optimeret til nordisk vejr, og energiglasset er integreret i systemdesignet for maksimal U-værdi. Produkterne fås i et bredt sortiment af træsorter og overfladebehandlinger.
Aluminiumprofiler kræver pH-neutrale rengøringsmidler for at undgå oxidation. Træoverflader indvendigt må ikke udsættes for overdreven fugt. Tætningerne er vinduesets svageste punkt energimæssigt; regelmæssig pleje forlænger tætningens levetid og effektivitet markant.
Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations
Official Care Guidance
Source: RATIONEL OFFICIAL CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Glass
- Clean glass a minimum of 4 times per year.
- Use a soft brush and a squeegee with mild soapy water.
- Add rinse aid to the water to prevent limescale formation.
- For sticker removal, soften the sticker with water first, then use a ceramic hob cleaner very gently.
- No harsh chemicals on the glass surface.
- No abrasives or scouring tools.
FORMA and AURA Timber Frames (Exterior)
- Carry out a visual inspection of the exterior painted surface every year.
- Pay particular attention to south-facing and west-facing surfaces.
- If cracks or splits appear in the paintwork, repaint immediately - do not wait.
- Painting conditions: wood humidity approximately 12% (plus or minus 2%), air temperature between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.
- Do not paint in the evening (risk of dew) or in the morning before the dew has dried.
FORMAPLUS and AURAPLUS Aluminium Cladding (Exterior)
- Clean the external aluminium cladding a few times per year, ideally at the same time as the glass.
- Use water with a mild pH-neutral soap.
- No solvents on aluminium surfaces.
- No abrasive cloths or pads.
Interior Frames (All Ranges)
- Clean interior frame surfaces at least every 6 months.
- In kitchens, clean more frequently due to grease and smoke buildup.
- Use a cloth with mild pH-neutral soapy water.
Hardware and Moving Parts
- Lubricate all moving parts once per year using acid-free oil. Sewing machine oil is suitable.
- For side swing and side-guided windows, use Interflon Finelube (Teflon spray) specifically.
- For windows within 5 miles of the coast, lubricate more frequently.
- Keep glide rails free from dirt to maintain smooth operation.
Rubber Gaskets and Seals
- Clean gaskets with a cloth and soapy water.
- Apply a small amount of silicone care product to keep the rubber strips soft and flexible.
- Never apply paint or wood preservative to the rubber strips - this causes loss of flexibility and premature seal failure.
Step 2 of 2: The Orloffs Protocol
The Orloffs Protocol
This is how I clean Rationel windows. The tools and technique below come from 25 years of daily professional work on the glass. Every step has been tested on real installations and adapted specifically for Rationel systems.
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 Rationel installation.
- 1
1. Tør forhåndsrengøring: Fjern løst støv og snavs med blød børste eller tørt klæde.
- 2
2. Afløbshuller: Hold afløbshuller i underkanten åbne med en blød plastikpind.
- 3
3. Rengøring af aluminiumprofil: pH-neutral rengøringsmiddel og lunkent vand; tør med blød svamp i profilets retning.
- 4
4. Rengøring af glas: Rent vand eller glasrengøringsmiddel og vinduesskraber.
- 5
5. Vedligeholdelse af tætning: Tør af med fugtigt klæde; plejeprodukt en gang om året.
Pro Tips
- Rent vandssystem er særlig effektivt til Rationels store glasflader; ingen kalkstriber bagefter.
- Kontroller træets indvendige overflade halvårligt for ridser eller misfarvning.
- Rengør på overskyede dage; direkte sollys tørrer rengøringsmidlet hurtigt og efterlader spor.
What NOT To Do
- Undgå basiske rengøringsmidler og chlorprodukter
- Brug ikke ståluld eller hårde skuremidler
- Undgå opløsningsmidler på aluminium og træ
- Ret ikke højtryksrenser mod tætninger eller glaslister
- Undgå overdreven fugt på træoverflader indvendigt
Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations
Bundle Kit
Cleaning Frequency
Boliger: glas hver 4-6 uger, ramme og profil hver 3. måned. Erhverv: månedligt. Tætninger og afløb: årlig kontrol.
Frequently Asked Questions
Field Notes
“Rationels vinduer bruges i mange ældre danske bygninger som led i energirenoveringer. Vær opmærksom på at eksisterende trækonstruktioner kan have behov for ekstra pleje ved overgang til nyt vinduessystem.”
Justin Orloff
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