Every time I clean my bedroom, I've been adding one new task to my list of chores. Instead of jumping in feet first and failing miserably, I thought I'd start with the basics and work my way slowly to a picture perfect bedroom. And it's been working. I haven't even really noticed that tiny increase in work from week to week. This was a pretty intimidating mission at first, so I guess this might be a good way to approach each of the missions that intimidates me.
Last Thursday, my brand new task for the week was washing the bedroom windows. America's Housekeeping Book (1945) dedicates an entire chapter to "Windows and Window Fittings." And why shouldn't they? Windows were one way that even a stranger walking by on the street could form an impression of your skill at housekeeping. Take a look inside:
A shining, crystal-clear window is a real source of pride. How long it will stay clear and sparkling is a moot question. The answer depends on the weather, the amount of dust and soot in the air, the number of times sticky little fingers are pressed against it, and so on...
No matter what method and materials you choose, one word of caution is necessary. Don't ever sit on the window sill to wash the outside of the window panes, and do not allow a household employee to sit there either. With most windows it is possible to raise and lower the panes to get at the outside window without relinquishing a firm footing. If this isn't true of your windows, or if you live in an apartment building, then you must call in a professional window cleaner to wash the outside.
Schnikey! Should I be checking the Yellow Pages for a window cleaning service? I don't think my landlord has any plans to clean the outsides of these windows. They're pretty streaked. The manual immediately mentions the "liquid cleaners" that you could buy for windows, but here are a few alternatives. A word of caution: some of these are not for the faint of heart.
2 tablespoons household ammonia to 2 quarts warm water, or
2 tablespoons vinegar to 2 quarts warm water, or
1 tablespoon borax to 2 quarts warm water, or
1 tablespoon kerosene to 2 quarts warm water, or
1/2 cup denatured alcohol (POISON) to 2 quarts warm water
All these solutions are applied with a clean, soft lintless cloth or a cellulose or natural sponge. Wipe them off with a rubber squeegee, a clean damp chamois or soft dry cloth.
I made a solution of warm water and apple cider vinegar, and it did the job. A nice clean shine, though it didn't coax that delicious squeak from the glass that Windex makes. (How does it make that squeaky sound?) Windex has been around since 1933 and whoever owned it did a heck of a job with the marketing. Ads for Windex are everywhere in women's magazines of the '40s.
Last Thursday, my brand new task for the week was washing the bedroom windows. America's Housekeeping Book (1945) dedicates an entire chapter to "Windows and Window Fittings." And why shouldn't they? Windows were one way that even a stranger walking by on the street could form an impression of your skill at housekeeping. Take a look inside:
A shining, crystal-clear window is a real source of pride. How long it will stay clear and sparkling is a moot question. The answer depends on the weather, the amount of dust and soot in the air, the number of times sticky little fingers are pressed against it, and so on...
No matter what method and materials you choose, one word of caution is necessary. Don't ever sit on the window sill to wash the outside of the window panes, and do not allow a household employee to sit there either. With most windows it is possible to raise and lower the panes to get at the outside window without relinquishing a firm footing. If this isn't true of your windows, or if you live in an apartment building, then you must call in a professional window cleaner to wash the outside.
Schnikey! Should I be checking the Yellow Pages for a window cleaning service? I don't think my landlord has any plans to clean the outsides of these windows. They're pretty streaked. The manual immediately mentions the "liquid cleaners" that you could buy for windows, but here are a few alternatives. A word of caution: some of these are not for the faint of heart.
2 tablespoons household ammonia to 2 quarts warm water, or
2 tablespoons vinegar to 2 quarts warm water, or
1 tablespoon borax to 2 quarts warm water, or
1 tablespoon kerosene to 2 quarts warm water, or
1/2 cup denatured alcohol (POISON) to 2 quarts warm water
All these solutions are applied with a clean, soft lintless cloth or a cellulose or natural sponge. Wipe them off with a rubber squeegee, a clean damp chamois or soft dry cloth.
I made a solution of warm water and apple cider vinegar, and it did the job. A nice clean shine, though it didn't coax that delicious squeak from the glass that Windex makes. (How does it make that squeaky sound?) Windex has been around since 1933 and whoever owned it did a heck of a job with the marketing. Ads for Windex are everywhere in women's magazines of the '40s.
Here's one great tip from the manual: "Never work in direct sunlight - the window panes dry too quickly and are apt to look streaked."
8 comments:
Oh, heavens. I have no fewer than fourteen second story windows that need desperately to be washed and I have no idea how I will be able to reach the outside glass without hiring a service. I have an estimate for over $400 for just the upper story windows. As far as I can tell, they haven't been washed in years (I bought the house last year). I look forward to everyone's comments on second story windows. If I break my neck this spring cleaning, I'll let you know! Oh, and the water and ammonia combo work great for kitty nose prints on the inside of the windows.
Jitterbug and Prairieknitter - I have (11) second story windows, too. If your windows are water tight (mine aren't so I have to stuff rags around the edges) Windex makes a window wash that hooks up to the garden hose. (It doesn't hurt the plants below.) Might have to buy several bottles and wash the windows several times to get rid of the build up of the dirt, but it sure beats $400!
Jitterbug, you are amazingly dedicated. I wish I could make myself "get my rear in gear".
Oh I've never been good at cleaning windows, those streaks just won't go away!
The windows in this house have double windows but there is not enough room between the windows to get your hand and a cloth in there. So frustrating! I'm going to try the windex and garden hose to clean the outside windows this year. I certainly won't be trying kerosene or denatured alcohol!!!
Jitterbug, you are doing such an amazing job working through your missions and adding you tasks slowly. I need to take that lesson from you, and do small things and add tasks slowly.
Keep up the great work. I'm really enjoying your blog.
You mean you're supposed to wash the windows on the upper floor? LOL!
I have to admit to being unmoved by their lack of cleanliness. I cover them in curtains and never look out of them. I spend all daylight time downstairs.
Downstairs, however, I am eager to get them cleaned on a semi-regular basis. I DO look out of those puppies!
I should further justify my "reasons" for not cleaning my upstairs windows by saying that I have only six and they are so tiny and high up that looking out of them is rather pointless.
OR, I could just be inspired and make it a point to clean them.
Isn't that one of the benefits of reading each other's blogs? Inspiration??
I was told once to use old newspapers to clean windows (instead of rags or paper toweling) and if you don't mind the ink on your fingers, it works wonders and it uses up old newspapers. Of course, newspapers are sort of dying out and will most likely no longer be piling up in homes, but it is worth a try. The denatured alcohol also works really well. Good job, I, too, am trying to add more each week to my schedule, only for me I have to throw in redecorating my entire house circa 1955 on top of that, but hopefully come autumn, I will have enough done to have those rooms just be 'maintenance' and not add crown moudling, chair rail, paint, wall paper and furnish!
yes, old newspapers work swimmingly on windows...
my body corporate have window washers come twice a year to wash our upstairs windows... also the skylight if you ask nicely and pay a little extra...
but i think we are probably spoiled
prairieknitter, you must have a big house!
I must admit that I only have two windows - one in the living room and one in the bedroom. I guess there are some perks to living in a tiny apartment. :)
Packrat and Mrs G, I'm not sure why I feel so dedicated to this particular project at this point in my life. The only thing I can guess is that it's about those wonderful, but growing-up-in-leaps-and-bounds nieces. And it helps for me to take things slowly. If I tried to do it all at once - like some radical diet - it'd never work for keeps. I've just got to keep looking at this like I'm building habits --- a whole new lifestyle.
Roxanne, whatever you do, remember the manual: don't ask your household help to sit on the window sill and risk life and limb to wash your upstairs windows! :)
50sgal and weenie_elise, I've heard that tip about newspapers, so I was half expecting to see it included in the manual. I used a terrycloth rag on my windows and that worked nicely. The thing I've got to sort out now is how to clean all the metal around the window panes. I have two side-by-side panes in each window --- they rest in a track and there's lots of metal framing around the whole affair which gets grimy. I'd like to figure out a way someday to get that as clean as the window panes!
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