Starting the New Year with Clean Windows

A clean house on New Year’s Day is said to bring luck to your house for that year. It is also a great way to get things clean that haven’t been cleaned since spring cleaning, especially your windows.The cleaning for New Year’s Day is specifically for the inside of the house, so you don’t have to worry about braving the cold Louisville temperatures to clean the outside of your windows for this.

Clean Windows Don’t Start at the GlassWhen you are cleaning your windows, you actually start by vacuuming all of the loose dirt and bugs off the sill and out of the window tracks. If you don’t do this step first, the window cleaner will get the bugs and dirt wet, and you won’t be able to vacuum those parts later.If you fail to clean this part altogether, your windows won’t look as clean because people will notice the dirty sill and track more than how clean the glass is.Clean Window GlassNow, it is time to clean the glass in your windows.Take your favorite glass cleaner and spray on the glass making sure not to get any on the wood sill or the wood frame. The window cleaner can damage these wood parts and paint.After you have sprayed the cleaner, clean the window from the top down to prevent having to clean the bottom part of the window again after the cleaner drips into it. To clean the edges of the glass, dip a cotton swab in the glass cleaning solution or a solution of ¼ tsp. of dishwashing detergent, ½ cup of rubbing alcohol, and 2 tbsp. of ammonia.From Clean Window to Polished WindowIf you are looking for additional shine in your clean window, consider polishing the glass. You can do this by rubbing the glass down with an old tee shirt. Don’t try to polish with a paper towel or sponge as the material they are made with doesn’t work well for polishing glass.Additional Clean Window TipsHere are some additional clean window tips from The Learning Channel:

• Clean windows on a cloudy day. Without having the direct sunlight shining on your windows, your cleaning solution won’t dry up before you are ready to be done.
• Instead of cleaning corners with a cotton swab, you can also use a soft bristle toothbrush if you don’t have any cotton swabs.
• You can remove tiny scratches in your window by polishing the scratched area with toothpaste.
• A good clean window with no streaks can be obtained by using a squeegee on the window.