<p>So do you squirt, then squeegee or dip squeegee in gallon bucket and apply to window?</p>
<p>I use a window cleaning service because most of my windows require a ladder to clean. One tip I got from the service–use distilled water. Water that’s treated with water softener, for example, will streak. This particular service uses its own water supply.</p>
<p>Best tip re: window washing…hire someone to do it. When we have our house power washed, we also have the windows done. They have this swanky stuff they put on it…and the rain drops just slide right off…no marks left. Worth every penny. They do the insides too.</p>
<p>Timely thread…After I pick up DD next week, I plan to have her help wash the windows. I have tried to talk DH into new ones, but I’m not having much luck with that.</p>
<p>Pay your cleanning lady additional $$. Do not have one, hire one, money very well spent, real income redistribution to the greatest satisfaction of both parties.</p>
<p>who has/can afford a cleaning lady??? ;)</p>
<p>Yes, abasket - just spray on the cleaner - use Windex or vinegar or whatever - get your windows really wet and go at it with a crumpled up sheet of the New York Times. Takes off that nasty film and no streaks!</p>
<p>Ok, the cleaning lady - oh yeah, that’s me!</p>
<p>Well, I’m going to have to try this newspaper business! I feel like the windows are fairly dirty though so we’ll see how well it works.</p>
<p>If you are using a squeegee, the process is the same as washing your car windows at a gas station.</p>
<p>But how do you use squeegees when you have tiny panes?? My windowpanes are, like, 4 inches wide and six inches long. Do they make squeegees that small?</p>
<p>Very Happy, looking back I realize that is why I started using vinegar and newspaper, because of the panes. The newspaper allows you to get into the cracks of each pane.</p>
<p>Squeegees are great, but you have to look at the window. If it is flat/flush a squeegee is great, but if you have snap insert panes, or actual panes, do the newspaper, because it is hard for a clean window with a squeegee and panes, unless you are really good, and you risk breaking the insert if you pull it off.</p>
<p>It is a preference, but I will say, without a doubt once you have cleaned the window thoroughly spray Rain X on it, because it will slow down the need for cleaning. Rain X is in the automotive aisle, at any store. It is meant for car windshields, but it has some kind of wax that the window stays clean, yet the water beads off. Works great on the shower too. No need for Tilex or Scrubbing Bubbles. Bullet and I have a seamless shower (3 walls of glass), and I have yet to see any water spots, and it is easy to see while in the shower the water is beading off,</p>
<p>I live in a mid-century contemporary with big expanses of glass. I suppose that explains why I am such a squeegee fan. :)</p>
<p>Water on a LINEN dish towel. No lint, no soap, no streaks, no smell of cleaner. I use a wet LINEN (not cotton) towel to wash and a dry one to dry.</p>
<p>As for sills, baseboards, corners, etc.: steam cleaner. I <em>love</em> my steam cleaner. I use the steam cleaner to move the dirt out of the corners (etc.) and then just wipe it up.</p>
<p>rainex on windows? makes sense.</p>
<p>I work 50 hrs/wk or more. DH is semi-retired. DH is game, but I don’t have enough days left on this earth to educate him about cleaning windows (or anything else (I don’t have a good sense of direction (this is why Garmin was invented; he has NO sense of dirty.)</p>
<p>OK. Maybe the service that has washed our windows will do rainex? It’s worth a call.</p>
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<p>I have a really small one for small panes, but can’t remember what size it is. My bet is it would do 4" panes.</p>
<p>Well, I got one room done - 6 windows -using vinegar and water and newspaper. Sure looks good to me! But the real test will be when the sun shines I suppose. It’s suppose to rain for the next few day though - surely they look better now than before. </p>
<p>I’ll be SLOWLY making my way through all my windows with newspaper in hand!</p>
<p>OK… I was wrong. Just found the mini squeegee and it’s 6". Sorry.</p>
<p>^^That’s OK, Teriwtt – I’m looking at my window panes in person now (I was in the office before) and they look to be more like 6" x 8".</p>
<p>After countless fruitless attempts at cleaning my windows, I bought a spray can of Invisible Glass at the suggestion of one of you CC sages. So far so good for my french doors that were continually dirty and streaked. Personally, I can’t stand the way that wet newsprint leaves my work gloves and painted window frames blackened. Can’t figure out how others find it easy to work with.</p>
<p>I’m willing to bet that the difference is in the type of ink with which the newspaper is printed. Some newspapers are printed with, if I recall correctly, soy-based inks, which are more environmentally friendly, but water-soluble and therefore not as useful in the cleaning of windows.</p>
<p>Also, my windows are newer and don’t have any panes stand stand out - the panes are inside the glass so the window is a smooth surface.</p>