Wash windows.
There comes a time in a domesticated adult's life when they must wash their windows. Properly. Thoroughly. And not just the main one or two (namely, that one at the front door, the one you look out of most - the kitchen - and the one the parents in-law are likely to notice straight away is covered in bits of dog fur and slobber). I mean, all of them.
Dust and grime and grease off the rod is likely to have rendered most winter-battered windows barely see-through. Well, it has around here, anyway. So I thought I would pass on some ever-so-easy failsafe tips that were offered to me by a kindly gentleman at a cleaning shop, when I went in to buy an industrial sized window squeegie-thingy.
What you will need to clean your windows:
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| Good squeegie is a must. Dog optional. |
• Dish washing detergent - average, everyday liquid - nothing fancy required.
• A bucket with about 1L of warm water in it.
• A soft broom - I use my kitchen broom, it dries easily after I do this and it gets cleaned by the water at the end.
• A good quality squeegie - this is key. I forked out $20 for mine but I have not regretted it yet.
• A microfibre cloth - for cleaning down the rubber in between scrapes of the window and finishing off around the edges of the window if your squeegie doesn't quite grab in some places.
What to do:
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| Soap that baby up |
1. Use the broom, dipped into the bucket so it's all nice and soaking, to soap up the window. Really get in there and make it soapy.
TIP #1: Do not hit the top of the window with the broom! Stay away from the top, so that it doesn't drip or dribble down your nice clean window.
TIP #2: Remember, you're not cleaning the window with the broom - the cleaning is actually done by the squeegie (hence the importance of a really good one), the broom is merely going to loosen up the gunk.
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| Don't hit the top of the window with the broom. |
2. Starting from the top, scrape across the window with the squeegie, turning at the point where the end of it is going to hit the side of the window (so you're sort of doing a twirling motion with it, not straight across).
TIP #1: Just like not wanting to hit the top with your broom, you don't want to hit the sides with your squeegie if you can help it - this will only cause all the soapy water to dribble onto your window sides, which sort of makes the cleanup a bit more tedious. Not to worry if this happens, though, because you have your microfibre cloth and can give the window surrounds a bit of a rub-down.TIP #2: Clean the rubber edge of your squeegie regularly, don't let it get too gooped up with the crap off your window or it won't work as effectively.
Cleaning inside windows:
Bit of water (and a drop of methylated spirits, but not necessary) in a spray bottle. Spray it on, clean the window off with a clean microfibre cloth.
Violé! That's it, you're done. Now go grab a cuppa.
And there you have it. I tell you, I have enjoyed - yes, actually enjoyed - cleaning windows since learning these couple of easy tips. I owe that bloke a drink. He's made looking out my windows again thoroughly enjoyable, not plagued with angst-ridden thoughts of "Sheeeeet, is that dribble stain on the inside or the outside? Oh, WHY do I always miss bits and get scrape marks? I may as well have not done them."
Enjoy hopping the blogs today and have a great weekend, everyone.
