Some women dream of expensive purses and diamond necklaces, but I dream of a clean house and windows that aren't covered with dirt from dog paws and grime. My dogs paw at the windows when they want in and after a long muddy spring, the windows aren't pretty.
My obsession with clean windows came a couple of years ago when we moved into our house. I noticed that neighbors had window cleaners coming to clean every May. Since I knew the window cleaners wouldn't be showing up at our house I got to work cleaning with some Windex and paper towels.
Unfortunately, the dirt and grime were so heavy on the window that it just smeared it around. I didn't want to pay a bunch of money for a cleaning kit and I soon realized that I could use my mop. Yup, that's right just a plain old mop. I have used this method for the last couple of years and it works great.
You will need Dawn soap, vinegar, water, a mop or way to scrub the window. I have a Libman mop that I love. If you don't want to use your mop you can get a great tool off amazon for around $10 here. I use 8 cups of hot water, 1 cup vinegar, and 2 teaspoons Dawn soap. Add them all to a bucket and use the mop to mix it up. If you have a lot of windows to do you may want to mix up a double batch.
Start by spraying down the windows with water. I only spray down a couple at a time to make sure they don't dry too fast.
Then I use the mop with the soap mixture to scrub down the window.
You can even use the mop to clean the trim of your window while you are washing them. Because my windows are white they get really grimy looking. Just spraying them and scrubbing with a mop helps get them cleaner looking.
Once I am done scrubbing I rinse them off again with the hose.
It's best to do the windows when it isn't overly hot and sunny out so the soap doesn't dry too quickly on them. I like to use a squeegee on them to get some of the excess water off. You can usually pick up a squeegee for under $10 at the store or Amazon has some starting around $5 here.
I love this method of cleaning my windows. It doesn't take much time and they are so much cleaner that if I just used Windex and paper towels. Plus, if you have an extension pole you can do your second story windows too. No more wishing you had clean windows, you now know how to clean windows like a pro.
Materials List
- Vinegar
- Dish Soap ( I prefer this brand)
- Foam Mop
- Hose
- Squeege
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Lisa @ Fun Money Mom says
Awesome tips! I'm not too eager to clean window but I really like your method...I'll have to try it!
Thanks so much for linking up with #ShareTheWealthSunday!
xoxo
Lisa
Debbie says
When I moved to Belgium, I was 26, but had never washed a window before. Can you believe that?
And I so need to look for a mop like yours. It looks so much cleaner than the one I have.
#ShareTheWealth
Heather says
I JUST cleaned my windows this week with a similar method! I have a device that has a scrubber on one side and a squeegee on the other and used some Dawn. Wow, what a difference! It's such a small thing, but I think I'm obsessed with clean windows now! It makes a big difference! And like you said, it's so easy to do on your own...no need to pay anyone!
Jesenia says
Great tips! I'm getting ready to clean my windows soon, so this was perfect timing. Thanks!
Julie says
Your welcome!
Stephanie @ this abundant life says
Funny thing...the window cleaning people come to my neighbor's house too, but they always skip mine! 😉 I've been noticing how BAD our windows look, but wasn't sure what to do. Every time I try to clean them, they actually look worse. I am going to give this a try...I may recruit some out of school kiddos to help me as well! 🙂
Julie says
I used to have the same problem. I would try to clean them with windex and it just smeared the dirt everywhere! That's why the kids are out of school, right? 😉
Betsy @ BPhotoArt.com says
Great tips! We use vinegar for most of our cleaning needs around the house.
I've pinned your post, thanks for sharing at #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup ...hope to see you again this week!
Emily says
I have called window cleaning service once but I was not happy with their service. So I took upon cleaning the windows myself. I got some advice from the window company Landmark Home Solutions from where we bought the windows for our home. I use a homemade window cleaning mixture to clean the windows.I have found that they work better than any other branded items.
Patti says
I have been struggling with film on my back windows for months. Used your method, they are sparkling clean . I now worry about the birds hitting the glass! Thanks so much.
Julie says
So glad I could help!
Erica says
I'm glad you are happy with your method, and if it works for you that's great! But....... as a professional window cleaner, I have to tell you this is definitely not how windows are cleaned by pros. Plus, if someone lives in an area with hard water, hosing down the windows is going to leave mineral deposits that build up over time. This build up etches the glass, which leads to windows that will always look dirty. The restoration process is much more expensive than just cleaning them correctly in the first place, whether that's hiring a professional or buying the right tools and doing it yourself.
Christine says
Does the cleaning solution kill your grass since it has vinegar in it? Just wondering because I have grass under all my windows.
Julie says
I have plants below and haven't had any problems. I hope that helps.
Anna Caruana says
Can you tell me what can I use instead of dawn soap cause I don t think we have it in my country.
Thanks
Julie says
Yes, it is a dish soap for hand washing dishes. Any dishwashing soap should work just fine.
Jan Plant-Vandiver says
Great tip, I was curious about the insides of the windows and we have a large porch glass -slidING door. The hose and large amounts of fluids on wood floors are a concern. But the outside of my windows, never looked sp good. Just curious if you have a great idea about the inside of the windows. Thanks, Jan
Julie says
Jan, I use a homemade glass cleaner on the inside. You can see it at the link below. I hope that helps!
https://www.frugallyblonde.com/2015/07/homemade-glass-cleaner/
Grace says
Very nice tip. I was about to pay someone $5.00 per window to clean them. You saved me lots of money.
Grace says
Forgot my manners - Thank you so much!!!
Julie says
You're Welcome! 🙂
Julie says
Glad I could save you some money!
Eri @ Aloha Mama Runner says
Do you have any ideas for the screens and the blinds? The blinds drive me nuts because I see so much dust on them!
Julie says
I wish! 🙂 I hate how dusty the blinds get, but I have yet to find an easy way to do it. I just use a damp rag. I usually have to wash the rag off because it collects a lot of dust. It's time consuming but any other way I have tried just makes a mess.
Linda says
I read somewhere to take the mini blinds down and wash them in the tub with baking soda and vinegar, rinsing them using the shower head. Then wrap them in a large towel and carefully draped them over the clothesline to dry, or you could dry them right after you put them on the clothesline.
The thing you need to worry about is breaking or bending any of the blinds or breaking the string. If you are careful You should not have a problem.
Jean says
Re place blinds with. Shades is what i did
Alie says
I'm definitely going to try this solution, thanks! One comment though, I just received the mop/squeegee combo from Amazon (the Clean Smart Quickie Window Washer & Squeegee) that you suggested and on the packaging it says not to use with vinegar. Womp womp. I'm going to return it and try something else. Just thought you wanted to know.