Brighten up your outlook on the world by cleaning your windows. Every time
you look outside you'll think your eyes got sharper! There's also an energy-saving
benefit to clean windows. For those of you in cold climates, pay particular
attention to those south-facing windows - clean glass admits much more solar
energy, and that's free heat. I know, it's a pane, but here are some tips to
help you get the job done quickly and with great results.
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
(by Roy Barnhart)