Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Cleaning Windows 
 
     Specific calander dates are helpful when setting up cleaning schedules. Around my home the day the clocks are turned forward an hour in the spring is my reminder to change the Co2 and smoke detector batteries and ceiling lightbulbs. The weekend before Halloween is set aside to clean windows. Everyone loves my speed cleaning tips but hard as I've tried, I just cannot find a fast way to clean windows. I do have a few handy tips to make the job easier using the most unsuspecting tools. 
 
     1) Head to a hardware store for a 1 1/2 inch paint brush, a new empty spray bottle, several sponge paint brushes in various sizes and a dividable tote tray if you don't already have one
     2) Order a Dry Sponge; Benya, an earth friendly, streak free, concentrated window cleaner and Lint Free towels from Mary Moppins or gather your collection of these items
     3) Put a new blade in your window squeegee
     4) Grab several old terry cloth towels out of the rag bag and put them in a plastic bag along with the lint free towels, then grab a spare plastic bag to use as the dirty rag bag. 
    
     First mix the Benya with distilled water in the new spray bottle and put it and the dry sponge, paint brushes and window squeegee in the tote tray. 
NOTE: Due to water quality varying from town to town, distilled water gives consistent results.
 
     *Next use a terry cloth towel over your Mary Moppins mop head or broom and dust the cobwebs around the windows, skylights etc.
     *The day before you you clean the outside of the windows clean the inside windows. Start by placing a terry towel on the window sill to catch drips.
     *Lightly spritz the window with Benya starting at the bottom of the window and spray your way to the top. Begin at the left top of the window and wipe with your lint free towel straight across to the right then back to the left. I do not like using window squeegees inside the home because a window cleaner quickly drips down the window and onto the sill. 
 
     *Never clean outside windows while the sun is shining directly on the window. You can however clean the screens so remove those and clean the windows first.
     *Open the window from the inside and remove the screen. Use the paintbrush to brush away any cobwebs in the window frame and along the bottom of the window. Then dip the sponge paint brush in sudsy water to clean the crevices of the frames. Spray any mold or mildew with hydrogen peroxide or food grade distilled white vinegar. Close the inside window.
     *On the outside, first dust for cobwebs then place an old towel down on the bottom of the window frame. 
     *Spray the window in the same manner as you did the inside window. Only this time use a window squeegee starting at the upper left coming across the top to the right and back to the left continuing to the bottom of the window. Use a lint free towel to wipe any remaining Benya from the window.
     *Finally clean the screens with the dry sponge and replace the screen. Sand the dry sponge with a fine grit sand paper as it soils. The sponge will save you hours of time and gallons of water washing screens. Now sit back, enjoy a cup of coffee and watch the display of colors as trees show off their fall beauty. 
 
This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2010 all rights reserved worldwide.