Windows

Cleaning your windows can be quite a chore. They are not always easy to reach and what should be a one-time job turns into multiple times due to streaks. This article will look at a few simple ways of cleaning your windows, without leaving streaks. It also contains a few recipes for window cleaning solutions that you can make at home.

How To

Before cleaning your windows be sure to clean your window sills and frames first. As it could be just dust, dirt and cobwebs that are sitting in your window sills and frames, start by sweeping, dusting and/or vacuuming the sills and frames first. This way there is no chance of wetting and smearing the dust, dirt and cobwebs, making a larger mess for yourself.

There are many different methods for cleaning windows. The one thing that you must remember, despite which method you will choose, is to always clean your windows from top to bottom. This way you don’t have water, glass cleaner or window cleaning solution dripping down over your already cleaned areas.

One method that is used for cleaning windows is using paper towels and glass cleaner. This method is quite popular however, it usually requires using lots of paper towel, which can become wasteful. Also, the glass cleaners are generally not natural and so can be harmful to the environment-not to mention the trigger on the spray bottle can end up cramping your hand.

Another method of cleaning your windows is simply using newspaper and water. The only thing to remember, when using newspaper, is to have gloves on. This way your hands do not get covered in ink. Simply wet the windows and wipe them down with the newspaper.

Usually squeegees are used for larger windows, but you can utilize this method at home. Again starting from the top, you pull the wet squeegee across from side-to-side, lower it down a few inches and repeat until you reach the bottom of the window. You may need to clean around the window edges when you’re done.

Tips & Takeaways

If you need to buy some glass cleaner, a good place to do so is here. You can purchase a squeegee here. Here are some tips on how to avoid streaks. First of all, never clean your windows in direct sunlight. Before you are able to wipe it away, the sun has dried the cleaner to the window. Wiping across the dried cleaner will cause streaks.

When cleaning your window, clean up-and-down on one side and side-to-side on the other. This way you can tell which side of the window you have to clean again (judging on whether your streaks run vertically or horizontally).

The following are a few window cleaning solution recipes. This first one is natural. You can use one gallon of water and a cup of vinegar (white). If your window is quite greasy, simply add a small amount of dishwashing detergent.

If your window has quite a bit of dirt on it, use 1/2 cup of ammonia and 2 qrts of water. It is VERY important that you remember to never mix ammonia and vinegar together. So, if you use the vinegar solution first and need to switch to the second, be very careful.

Rubbing alcohol is a good way of avoiding streaks. It is also good to use for windows that are quite dirty. The recipe for this solution is 2 cups rubbing alcohol, 2 tbsp of ammonia and 2 tbsp of dishwashing detergent. It is important to remember to completely rinse off the mixture from your window after you are done cleaning.