Washing Windows

 I put off a lot of things during the pandemic in 2020. It hardly seemed worthwhile to clean downstairs every single week when I wasn't even spending time down there, let alone entertaining guests. I didn't really keep up on the weeds in the yard. I only got the oil changed in the car every six months (well, I never really reached the mileage, but thought six months was long enough to drive on that oil). And I never washed my windows. Unfortunately, with some of my procrastination, I've had to work hard to make up for lost time.

 With the lovely view from my home, clean windows are a must. And to go a whole year without washing them means I'm looking through a lot of dirt and doggie nose streaks. But, it's been even more than a year. I didn't wash the windows the year before either because of my cataract surgery and being unable to do strenuous tasks most of the summer. Yes, I know, I could have washed them in the fall -- but I didn't. 

 So I'm ashamed to say, I haven't washed my windows outside since 2018! And the person who suffers the most is me because I've been looking through that grime all this time. 

 But no more! Today I got up early, looked up my "recipe" for window washing, and got myself out the door by 8:30. An hour later I had washed and rinsed all 13 upstairs windows outside and cleaned the screens, too. I'm resting as I write this, and will next tackle the inside of that glass. But already the view has come into focus and it's beautiful. I've missed it!

 My windows are very high, and I use an unbelievably long squeegee to clean them. But I no longer use the squeegee as it's intended, to remove the water. I allow the windows to drip dry. I discovered a drip-dry "recipe" some years ago, and swear by it now. You simple hose down the windows, then wash with the soapy water, rinse with the hose and allow to dry without squeegeeing. The squeegeeing step was a backbreaking effort for me when I did it in the past because it required a certain amount of strength and leverage to effectively remove all the rinse water without streaks. I always ended up flat on my back after the ordeal of cleaning windows. Now, the task takes less time, and I'm not exhausted nor in pain after the job is done.

So, I thought I would share my recipe here for others like me who like clean windows but would like to make the task a little easier.

Here are the ingredients:
1/2 gallon warm (I used hot) water
1-2 Tablespoons of liquid Jet Dry (Finish Rinse Aid)
2-3 Tablespoons of liquid laundry detergent or Dawn dish washing soap
Mix all of the ingredients above.

Spray your windows down with a hose to get them wet, then wipe or brush the soapy solution onto your windows, and immediately hose it off. I use my squeegee to apply the solution to the windows as it's the only way I can get the soap up to my high windows. I soak a cleaning cloth or small towel in the solution, drape it over the squeegee, and apply it to the windows. I don't actually "scrub" the glass, just make sure to get it all good and soapy. This doesn't require the strength and leverage that's needed when removing rinse water with a squeegee. Much easier on me!

After rinsing with the hose, you're done. The remaining water just sheets off and you don't need to dry or squeegee it off.

I was able to clean all 13 windows and screens with a double batch of this mixture (I used a sponge on the screens and then rinsed with the hose). There is still enough solution left to clean the glass tops of my patio furniture. It took me an hour, start to finish, including removing the screens. If your terrain isn't hilly, like mine, you might get done even faster.

NOTE: I don't guarantee your windows will be 100% spot and streak-free, but they will be mostly so. I can live with the few spots that do remain as a trade off for the easy task.

Now, I'm through resting. Let's get on to the insides of those windows.