Once you’ve finished your spring cleaning and start looking outside for the sunny season, you may notice your windows need a good cleaning inside and out. Window washing can be a DIY job, particularly if you don’t have too many hard-to-reach windows.
Paper or microfiber cloths do the best job cleaning glass. Certain wood rags made specifically for the task are also good. Avoid plain, cotton rags or towels, which will leave lint behind. (Old newspapers will also work wonders on your glass! Just look out for ink on your hands.)
Store-bought spray chemicals work quite well and don’t require special mixing. If you’d prefer to make your own, try mixing one cup of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
Straight ammonia can clean up cloudy glass. However, take care never to mix it with vinegar, and don’t use ammonia on stained glass or leaded windows.
Hot soapy water can also clean glass. Rinse it with water afterwards to remove the soap residue. A splash of vinegar in the water will add a lovely shine.
Here’s a hint to get rid of streaks: go up and down on one side of the glass, and side-to-side on the other. This will help you determine where the streaks are.
If you have tilt-in windows, you’re in luck; you can clean both sides from inside the house. Otherwise you’ll need to head outside for half the job. If you have second-story windows, telescoping tools can help you clean without using a ladder.
If you use a ladder, work with a buddy to stabilize the ladder while you clean.