As in many homes, our kitchen sink is right in front of a window. And, more often than not, whenever I’m washing dishes, I’m paying more attention to what’s going on outside that window than the task as hand. Par for the course I suppose, but lately I’ve been blaming my fuzzy vision on cloudy contacts rather than facing the fact that the fuzzy cause was a filthy window.
After doing several tight, squinty blinks to try to clear my contacts (and those that wear contacts know exactly the blink I’m describing), I had to come to terms with my negligence and admit that it was time to clean the windows. Made me stop and think back to when was the last time I cleaned the windows. And, after wracking my brain, I realized I couldn’t remember the last time because there was no last time.
I’m Brooke Fedigan and I’ve never cleaned a window.
Well, no time like the present. Still, after such an admission, this job would take a lot more than Windex and paper towels. I needed all hands on deck. I needed a tool like the pros; like a sponge and a squeegee. Being that we have paned windows, I set out to find a squeegee that would fit the panes; anything to make things a little easier for this novice. I looked no further than Amazon and found the size needed, and I bought this exact one. (affiliate link)
I decided on a dual-purpose tool; sponge-y thing on one side, squeegee on the other, and I stuck to the tried and true dishwashing detergent (aka Dawn) for the cleanser. With a bucket of warm soapy water and a microfiber towel stuck through a belt loop, I was ready to take on those windows with my new squeegee friend and I started at that kitchen sink window. I dunked the sponge in the soapy water and then wiped it long with window, applying pressure to stubborn dirt and / or bug guts that needed a little more elbow grease removing. Once the window was soaped up, I flipped the tool over and starting at the top of the window, I used the squeegee to scrape the storm window clean, wiping down the squeegee with my microfiber towel after each swipe. After the storm window was clean, I raised it up and got to work on the panes.
Truth be told, it was far from a pain to clean the panes. Dare I say, I was having a little bit of fun. I came back inside to take a look out the window and admire my work. Though I did feel a little embarrassed that I put up with filthy windows so long, I felt a huge sense of satisfaction as well. The window was so clean, it looked as if it were open. And with that, all I could think of was that commercial with the crows that kept flying into the glass door because it was so clean. I sure hope that doesn’t happen here.
So, one window down, 37 more to go. I’ve got my work cut out for me, but at least I’ve got the process figured out; soapy water, a microfiber towel and a dual-purpose squeegee. I think I may add some iTunes into that equation as well. As the old saying goes, I’ve got to whistle while I work.
I add a little vinegar.
Love stuff that makes life easier!
I am pretty close to the worlds worst housekeeper but I too have been eyeing those windows lately. Wondering exactly where to start. Good tips and inspiration both.
My windows are always a mess! My kids’ handprints are all over them, but I can’t bring myself to clean them when they’ll just get them dirty again within minutes. This does actually sound like a really fun way to clean windows, though, so I might have to give it a try…