Frugal Spring Cleaning: Washing Windowsby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 09 Apr 2007 08:50 AM
Our new home is in some serious need of spring cleaning. As my sister-in-law said, there was probably about 20 years worth of dirt layered on everything from the previous owners. One thing that made a big difference right away was cleaning the windows. It was amazing how much light started streaming in and how much better the view was. We have great views of our wooded property, so it was a shame that the windows were so dirty. Had I used traditional cleaners, it would have cost big bucks to get everything clean. I probably would have gone through multiple bottles of windex and rolls of paper towels. Instead, I did my window cleaning the frugal way. This technique works really well with the great benefit of being very frugal. For a window cleaner, just dilute half vinegar and half water in a spray bottle. The vinegar leaves the widows squeaky clean. It even acted as a de-greaser on some of the more stubborn spots, such as the window sills and the frames of the screens. Instead of paper towels, we used newspaper and some of the blank newsprint that we used for packing. I know it is hard to believe, but the ink on the newspaper does not get on the windows when you clean with them. Using the vinegar and the newspaper, I sparkled up the windows inside and out, as well as the storm windows. For the screens themselves, we are lucky enough to have a power washer, so my husband promises to gently clean the screens that way--any excuse to use a power tool, I guess. If you don't have a power washer, try the vinegar again, with a cleaning bristle brush and a little bit of old fashioned elbow grease. Baking soda or a coarse salt such as kosher salt can act as an abrasive, if your bristle brush needs some help. Do you have any special techniques for cleaning windows the frugal way? Related Articles: The Cheap Way to Use Your Swiffer Make Your Own Bathroom Cleanser Frugal Spring Cleaning: Taking Advantage of Nature Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments jonesx6 (1607) 13 Apr 2007 06:51 AMWhen growing up mom always cleaned windows with newspaper. I need to get back to that since, I use about 2 rolls of paper towels to clean all the windows in this house. I like the vinegar idea. I think I am going to try that. Blessings, Laura  Mary Ann Romans (27200) 13 Apr 2007 08:43 AMI bet your mom's windows sparkled, too! The vinegar smell will be strong at first, but as it evaporates, it will actually help deorderize the room. Then the smell will go away. Community Tags frugal, Spring Cleaning, Windows Discuss this article
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Want to make your house sparkle inside and out? Spring cleaning doesn't require expensive products. with the following advice, you can wash your windows the frugal way!
