What’s the best thing to clean windows with?
We recommend washing your windows with
soapy water. Fill a bucket with a simple solution of washing-up liquid and warm
water, but avoid creating too many soap suds as these will leave further
marks if allowed to dry. Start washing windows using a non-abrasive sponge.
Alternatively, try a specific window-cleaning fluid, but be careful that strong
formulas don’t damage surrounding paintwork.
How to cleaning windows without streaks –
wipe off any excess cleaner
To remove soapy water from glass, use a
clean squeegee to work from top to bottom in a reverse S pattern. Periodically
wipe the squeegee blade on a clean rag to avoid smearing dirt around. Remove
remaining water with a damp chamois or microfibre cloth and dry the windowsill.
Avoid paper towels or cloths that might leave lint on the glass. For exterior
upper-floor panes, it’s worth investing in a gadget with a U-shaped pole to
avoid reaching out of top-floor windows!
HOW TO MAKE
THE BEST WINDOW CLEANER
MATERIALS
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dish detergent
TOOLS
- bucket
- scrub brush
- optional extension pole
- water hose
- optional sprayer attachment
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine water, white vinegar
and dish detergent in a bucket. Increase amounts as needed.
- Using a soft bristle scrub
brush on an extension pole handle thingy, dip the brush in a bucket of the
solution, and scrub it on the window.
- Before it has a chance to dry,
spray/rinse it off with clean water. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. A hose fitted
with a sprayer attachment is helpful.
Don’t neglect window screens
If you have metal window screens, write a
number on each window in erasable pencil. Write a corresponding number on the
screen before removing it from the window so you know which screen goes back
where.
Remove the screens and dust the mesh and
frame with the soft brush attachment of a vacuum cleaner. Scrub both sides of
the screen with a stiff brush dipped in detergent solution (if you are
doing this in the bath, line it with towels to prevent scratching the finish).
Rinse using a shower attachment or the fine spray nozzle of a hosepipe. Leave
to dry thoroughly in a sunny spot before refitting to the window.
Warnings
and Precautions for Using Cleaners
Always label the contents of your cleaner
bottles. Label it clearly in big letters with what is in the bottle.
“Vinegar Glass Cleaner” or “Rubbing Alcohol and Vinegar Glass
Cleaner” are good labels. It is also wise to add the date when you mixed
the ingredients. If you aren’t getting good results, that date might tell you
why. Store cleaning products separately from cooking ingredients. You
don’t want to confuse rubbing alcohol with drinking alcohol or use diluted
vinegar in a recipe.
Warning
Do not reuse empty cleaner bottles. Buy a new bottle for your glass
cleaner. Both vinegar and alcohol act as solvents and will pick up any traces
of other chemicals that were in an old spray bottle. Even if you have a degree
in chemistry, it’s wise to avoid unwanted chemical interactions. With a new,
clean bottle you won’t have to worry about unintended reactions. Keep all glass
cleaners out of the reach of children and pets. The ingredients can be
irritating, and rubbing alcohol is flammable.
Truth or myth? Is newspaper the
best glass cleaner?
Get a bang for your buck with these unusual newspaper uses.
Claim:
Newspapers are an effective way to wipe glass windows clean, sans
streaks.
It’s True!
Compared to paper towels, newspaper fibers are more rigid and will
not separate and cause lint. According to The Daily Reporter, more than 90% of
U.S. papers switched from petroleum-based ink, which caused stains and smears,
to the cheaper, smear-free alternative of soy-based ink by 2000. The switch
rendered the newspaper perfect for multi-purpose use!
Want to try this cleaning method out yourself? Grab your local paper
and look for the official Soy Ink Seal to see whether the ink is
petroleum-based or soy-based. You can also test by holding the paper between your thumb and index finger for a minute or more. If your
fingers are stained, the paper uses petroleum-based ink and is no good for
glass cleaning. If your fingers are stain-free, mix equal parts vinegar and
water for your cleaning solution then use the newspaper to clean the glass as
you would with a paper towel. You can also use old newspapers to ripen
tomatoes, deodorize food containers, kill weeds and more, according to Friends
of the Earth!