I washed the windows: a cleaning hack

I washed the windows last week.

I need to tell you this for a few reasons.

First, I need to tell you because I don't think you would notice if I didn't tell you.  You know, considering y'all aren't here in my house and all.

Second, I need to tell you because it's a rare occurrence.  It's a lot of work to wash windows.  And it's frustrating because they always end up streaky.  Urgh.  It's true that something is better than nothing, but as a perfectionist*, I'd rather not do it at all if it's not going to be perfect.  This is also why I don't like sweeping, by the way.  I can never do it perfectly.  There's also the matter of TPAD, which makes me think that cleaning the windows is going to take a really long time.

And finally, I need to tell you because my windows are so sparkly.  No streaking!  I just keep staring at them, mesmerized by their clarity.  And I need to tell you how that happened.

So for the outside of the windows, I use the Windex All-In-One Window Cleaning Tool.  I bought it years ago on clearance, and this summer I found the refill pads on clearance, too.  I bought four, which at my current rate of window cleaning is about a 15 year supply.  I'm happy with how it works, and I'm ecstatic that I don't have to make a difficult job even difficult-er by having to haul out the ladder and carry it around with me.

On the inside of the windows I used a recipe I found online.  Unfortunately, I did not write down quantities, nor do I remember where I stumbled upon this window cleaning recipe, so y'all are going to have to wing it, like I did.

I wrote down:

windows

• squirt of dish soap
• 1/2 c. vinegar
• water

wipe; buff dry

Yeah.  Good luck, friends!

OK, if you insist on more specific quantities and instructions, I'd say I used about one tablespoon of concentrated dish soap, about one cup white vinegar, and about two quarts of water in a bucket.  I soaped up the windows using a microfiber cloth, and then I dried the windows using a dry microfiber cloth.  Yes, it smelled like vinegar while I was washing, but the smell dissipated quickly.  I'll link to some microfiber cloths here, but I bought mine from The Dollar Tree.

I'm genuinely surprised by how well this worked.  Yippee for clean windows!  Let me know if you try it.

*******

* It's true.  I'm a perfectionist, and it can be paralyzing.  I bet you didn't know that about me.  I'm much more of a don't bother if you can't do it perfectly perfectionist, though, as opposed to a get all things perfect at all costs perfectionist, so that's probably why you didn't realize.  Now that I know this about myself, I'm learning to be OK with something, even if it's imperfect, being better than nothing.