Window Cleaning Made Easy by Debbie L. Sklar
Weeding, mowing the lawn and cleaning the windows are perhaps three of the worst household tasks a homeowner has to worry about. I'm sure there are a handful of others, but there's only so much space to moan about these things in this column. Personally, I know I hate all three of these mundane chores, but heck, if you don't have the money to let someone else tackle them … well it's up to you. But no need to worry, there's a simple, effective way to clean windows and maybe even enjoy the process a bit. I know when I lived back East, I enjoyed looking out crystal clear windows, but when I moved to California, I had a tough time finding someone to wash them for me. Instead, I had to do the next best thing: learn how to clean them on my own. And now I'm passing on the secret. Step-by-Step Have you ever wondered how those professional window washers move so fast with the squeegee, and how the windows always turn out perfect? Well, there are some tricks and pointers to the madness that are simple enough to learn and also easy enough to pass on to your neighbors, friends or family members. The first trick is to invest in a good squeegee. They aren't very expensive and they are worth every cent! Caution though: those $1.99 ones just won't do. A professional squeegee has a very soft, rubber blade with no imperfections in it. You can also get extra rubber blades and simply replace the used one when it wears out. Secondly, attempt this feat of washing your own windows on a cool, or cloudy day. If you MUST wash them on a sunny day, do it in the morning. What you want to avoid here is heat. Heat works against you. Get your cleaning clothes on and here we go: To begin, get a bucket and fill it with lukewarm water (not too hot), and add between 2 and 3 tablespoons of plain ammonia. Use a sponge that has a white scrubber on the other side (don't use the green ones, they are too course). Wet your window with the sponge side, then flip to the white scrub pad side, and scrub the window. You'll be able to "feel" when it's clean. On the other hand, you'll feel rough patches, etc. when the window is still not clean. This is a step most people fail at, if the window simply isn't clean, it's going to look cloudy when done. Scrub well and take your time to get it right. Remember: Haste makes waste. You'll also need lots of clean, white cotton rags/towels/cleaning cloths. Diapers also work great here. Dry by hand a 1-inch strip at the top of the window. Keep in mind that the trick for no streaks with the squeegee is placing the dry rubber blade on a dry window. Next, take the squeegee and place it at the top of the window in that 1-inch dry strip. Pull down smoothly. Dry your squeegee blade with a towel/rag etc., between each sweep. Finish the window, and if need be, perform one last sweep from left to right at the bottom of the window Now, take a dry, clean cloth and run with your finger down each window side and across the bottom to clean and dry the edges. They should look perfect and clear enough to look out at that messy, overgrown lawn that now needs mowing! | 
