Step 1. Wash Windowsills and Frames:

On the exterior (or on unusually dirty interiors), wash the windowsill and the frame of window before you do the glass. If it's particularly grimy, keep a separate bucket of cleaning solution and sponge so you don't soil the glass-cleaning solution and sponge.

Tip: If you have gray or black mildew spots on your window frames, clean them and kill the mildew with a 1:16 solution of household bleach and water, plus 1/8-cup laundry detergent. Wearing rubber gloves, sponge it on and rinse well with clean water after 10 minutes. (Bleach is not good for paint).

Caution: Caution: Do not mix bleach and ammonia (or mix any cleaners that contain these chemicals). A toxic gas is produced.

Step 2. Wash the Window:

Mix cleaning solution according to instructions on the label. Apply with a sponge and scrub. If necessary, use a razor scraper to remove paint, sap, or other stubborn dirt. To avoid streaks, don't clean windows when the sun is shining on them.

Tip: Here are some homemade cleaning solution recipes. Regular-duty cleaner: one gallon water plus 1/4 cup white vinegar or 1/2 cup ammonia Heavy-duty cleaner: one gallon water plus 1/2 cup ammonia and 2 cups rubbing alcohol.
To avoid hard-water deposits on glass, don't let your lawn sprinkler water your windows. You can remove these spots and streaks with white vinegar.

Step 3. First Drying Stroke:

Using an appropriate-size squeegee, make your first stroke across the top of the pane, with the blade angled so you only clear the top two inches of the glass. Wipe the blade clean with your chamois or cloth. Wipe up drips at the bottom of the window with a damp sponge.

Tip: If you don't want to use a squeegee, you can wipe the windows with lint-free cloth, imitation chamois, or crumpled newspapers. Keep one dry for the final drying and polishing.

Step 4. Complete Drying:

Starting on one side of the just dried area at the top of the window, draw the squeegee down to the bottom of the glass, dry the blade and repeat. The trick with a squeegee is to always start in the dry area and overlap each stroke. When your chamois or cloth gets dirty, wash it out in the cleaning solution and wring it out well.

Tip: To clean the exterior of a double-hung window working from indoors, reach over the sash to make your first horizontal pass with the squeegee blade in full contact with the glass; then reposition the sash so you can complete the pane with vertical passes as described in Step 4.

Step 5. Polish to a High Shine:

One of the best ways to make use of old newspapers is to polish windows with them. Crumple a page or two up like a rag and briskly buff the window for a shiny, streak-free window. As a bonus, newsprint leaves a dirt-resistant film so your windows will stay clean longer.

Materials List :

• Bucket(s)
• Cleaning solution
• Sponge
• Razor blade scraper
• Window squeegee
• Imitation chamois
• Cleaning cloths
• Step ladder
• Newspapers