Window Cleaning Time

Yes, it’s that time of year when we all have to face the fact that when we look out our windows, we cannot see things as clearly as they should be.  So what does this mean for us?  It’s time to do some serious window cleaning.  True, no one like to do that job, but it really doesn’t have to be all that bad, especially if you have the right cleaning equipment to help make that job easier.   In fact, most people would rather hire someone to come and do it for them, but I’m here to tell you that you can do it and do it very inexpensively.  I bet you probably have everything you need already in your home without having to go out and buy any expensive cleaning solutions.

Sure, every place you go sells some kind of expensive or maybe not so expensive window cleaning solutions that are supposed to be streak free.  Well you can make your own solution at less than half of what you would have to pay for something from the store.  All you need is a bucket or large spray bottle depending on how many windows you have, vinegar , antibacterial liquid dish soap , water and plenty of old newspapers.    I prefer distilled water as it will cut down on the minerals in the mix and prevent water spots from appearing later on.  The dish soap will remove any wax buildup that may be on your windows from previous cleaning solutions bought from the store which causes your windows to streak.  That’s right – the wax buildup causes the window streaking!  So don’t be afraid to add the soap.

If you have a lot of windows I would suggest that you do half of the house one day and the other half the next and be sure to do this on a day when it is not too sunny as the sunlight will tend to make it more difficult to tell if you are doing a good job and if you are getting off all the streaks.  Also, it is good to wipe off the dust and debris from the window seals and frames before you start your actual washing of the glass.   It is easier to use a bucket of your solution if you have a lot of windows to clean on the outside.  If using a bucket, add about one cup of vinegar to very warm water and about 1/4 cup of dish soap.  If using a spray bottle, use about 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and about 8-10 drops of liquid soap.  If you don’t like the idea of using vinegar or can’t take the smell, try using lemon juice or club soda instead.

Now that you are ready to go to work, just wrinkly up the old news papers and dip them in the solution and start cleaning.  I suggest that you do the outside windows in a horizontal direction and the inside of the window in a diagonal direction as this will help you see if there is any streaks in the windows.  Once you wash one, go behind it with a dry newspaper.  If you don’t like the idea of using newspapers, you can also use large coffee filters which are relatively inexpensive and work very well as they are lint free.

As an added bonus and a great shine to your fresh clean windows, use a chalkboard eraser (the real ones make with wool) on them after you have dried them and see if anyone notices!