Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Window Washing 101

Tell me I am silly, but I will not open my windows in the spring until I put the screens in - and I won't put the screens in until I wash the windows. When the warm spring weather comes and the house begins to get too warm (especially upstairs) I get motivated to get the windows washed.

One of the things I do to get ready for winter is take all the screens out of the windows and store them in the garage. I take my screens out in the fall because it just makes things easier in the spring. One year I decided to leave the screens in all winter and discovered it makes more work.  A lot of extra crud collects between the window and the screen over the winter, therefore making more of a mess to clean up in the spring. I also have the hassle of hauling the screens out of the house, washing them and letting them dry before I put them back in the windows.  If the screens are already out of the windows, it just makes things simpler and I can get the job done quicker.

Last week we had beautiful weather to wash windows.  The ideal time to wash windows is on an overcast day and about 60-70 degrees outside.

To begin with I get all the screens out of the garage and line them up along the van.  I know, it seems silly, but it really works well. I can rinse the screens on the concrete driveway and the van holds them from blowing over in the wind.  I rinse both sides and then wipe the outside edges with an old rag.

I give each screen a little tap or two to get the excess water off and then I let them air dry. 



While the screens are drying, I start washing my windows.  I use newspaper and vinegar to wash my windows. It may seem like an odd combination, but it is something my mother taught me. Newspaper and vinegar cleans windows and mirrors much better than paper towels.  It is also environmentally friendly - you don't waste tons of paper towels and you are giving your newspaper another purpose. But the biggest plus to using newspaper and vinegar is it really makes the windows "squeaky" clean.  


Yes, the glass really squeaks as you wash and what's better -  
there are no streaks!

It's pretty simple.....

 You will need a bottle of white vinegar and some newspaper.


Fill an old squirt bottle with vinegar and crumple up your newspaper.


 Squirt your window with vinegar and wipe with your wad of newspaper.  


You don't need to change your newspaper all that often, but when it becomes too saturated you will need to get a new piece.

The black ink from the newspaper won't get on your windows but will make your hands kinda messy.



But it is worth it - my windows are sparkly clean and I am HaPpy!



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12 comments:

  1. I remember doing the same "Spring Thing" with your Grandmother...We would lay the screens flat on the concrete driveway and gently wash them, both sides, with a broom and soapy water. Then we took the hose and rinsed the soap off. When your Grandfather got home from Alcoa he would put them back in the windows and then your Grandmother would open them all up. It was a sure sign that spring would soon be here! It's pretty safe to assume you are a "CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK!"

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  2. Wow, that is a great idea! Whenever I go window washing, I always end up with the big streaks! It is a good time for spring cleaning now, so I think I'm going to have to try out your method! Thanks a bunch!

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  3. Nice job, Grassy! :) It’s cool that you have a passion for washing windows. Vinegar can also discourage ants just by spraying outside doorways and windowsills, around appliances and wherever you find the pests coming in, you know.

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  4. It’s really hard to clean windows during the winter season, especially with the screens on! The ideal time of the year to clean your windows is during spring time. If the climate is a bit harsh, you can wash them in the fall as well. Using newspaper alone can clean your windows easily. Mixing it with liquid will naturally dissolve the ink on it and just dirty-up your hands.

    Verna Lucas

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  5. That was one really interesting post. Thanks for sharing your experience with us and helped us improve our cleaning by that.

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  6. It's the same with me. I can clean happily when the weather is nice and warm, otherwise I'm not so fond of cleaning. Thanks for sharing your great article I loved it :)

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  7. No streaks are The Dream. Thanks for sharing the post and for helping me clean my windows in the best way possible.

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  8. I use rubber/latex gloves for easier cleaning my hands.

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  9. I wanted to thank you for this great blog! I really enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.

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  10. Hi!

    I’m an editor for BuzzFeed and I love your site! We'd love to include a photo of yours from this post (with full credit and a prominent link back to this original post) in a BuzzFeed roundup of eco-friendly cleaning ideas. Would that be OK with you? Let me know, and thanks!

    Natalie Brown
    natalie.brown@buzzfeed.com
    buzzfeed.com/nataliebrown

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  11. This is really a nice blog in which you discuss some useful things, thanks for sharing this and keep going on.
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