How to wash windows the old fashioned way

There are numerous products on the market today that will help you clean your windows, but they can be expensive. With a few household ingredients and a little elbow grease, this chore can be accomplished both inexpensively ad effectively.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Newspaper
• Ammonia
• Vinegar
• Soap and water
• Clean rags

1. Clean the glass surface with warm soapy water to remove any excess grime.

2. Spray the window down with ammonia. Use crumpled up newspaper to wipe the window clean of all dirt and grime.

3. Spray the window with vinegar. Again, use crumpled up newspaper to wipe the window. This should leave you with a steak-free shine.

4. Buff out any remaining streaks with a soft rag.

Tips & Warnings

• If newspaper isn’t available, soft, clean rags work just as well.
• To achieve maximum light from your windows, they should be cleaned often, especially if you are a smoker or have a household with pets.
• White vinegar works better than apple cider vinegar.
• Ammonia works best at full strength straight out of the container. Diluting it will make it weaker and less effective.
• Ammonia and vinegar will work for any glass surface. Use them on table tops, car windshields or any other glass surface that needs cleaning.
• Always make sure that you can open doors and other windows for circulation before cleaning. Ammonia can irritate the lung passages and cause difficulty breathing.
• Do not use ammonia on plexiglass or other synthetic glass materials as this can cause clouding and actually eat away at the surface of the imitation glass.