One of the pitfalls of entertaining during the daylight hours is that the sun can sneak in and reveal “less than clean” windows, as a member of my family couldn’t wait to point out on Thanksgiving Day.
Oh, gee, one more thing to worry about. I live in a 19th farm house with windows so tall, no latter I’ve seen can reach.
Not that I’m so inclined anyway. Besides the grime makes it less likely anyone can see through, right? But I read you can add value to your home just by having sparkly windows, so I looked in the Yellow Pages. The only listing for window washers has a 202 prefix – isn’t that New York?
I made a half-hearted to effort to clean the pains on my French doors but ended up with streaks that looked worse than when I started the project.
Here are a few things I learned:
•Don’t clean windows in direct sunlight: It heats the glass and promotes streaks.
•A 12-inch squeegee is a good size; an 18-incher covers a lot more territory but can be unwieldy. If you have divided light windows with multiple panes, you need a small squeegee to fit inside the grilles. Measure the window before you buy.
•General squeegee nuggets: Make sure the blade is wet when you start; if you stop in the middle of a swipe, you’ll leave a line.
So I guess I’m off to buy a Squeegee – with a 15-foot handle!
The “trick” of the trade is the solution used to clean the window.
My window cleaner shared his homemade recipe. Take a large spray bottle (mine is 22 oz) and fill the bottom with approximately 1/4 inch of household ammonia. Add 3-4 drops of Dawn dishwashing detergent. Slowly fill the bottle with water. Shake gently.
He uses old white towels to clean the windows. I use baby diapers that have been washed many times to remove lint, etc.
I use this on my mirrors, too.
Try this and see what you think!
I can tell you how I clean windows. It’s called a professional Window Cleaner. She comes by once a month and leaves them sparkie Clean. Sure solves the problem of dirty windows.
Inside and out?
I figured you’d have a good recipe – on line everyone says to use a vinegar solution, but that didn’t work so well for me. Will try ammonia and Dawn. Must be Dawn, huh?
Years ago, I used paper towels to dry/polish cleaned window panes, mirrors and picture glass. Streaks everywhere. Then the guy who did my windows at that time told me to never use paper towels because most of them have oil in them. He told me to use old newspapers. Works great. Happy polishing! If nothing works, you can always tell your guests that you are trying a new, slow acting recipe for frosting your windows for the holidays.
I vote for Chet’s method! However, with 4 grandboys under 7 years of age, sticky fingers always wind up on all the windows! So I “spot” window wash!
It does kind of look like that – good idea.