Window Cleaning Tools Let the Light Shine Through

When you use the proper window cleaning tools your windows will sparkle and shine making your neighbors envious and wondering what your window-cleaning secret is.

Clean, sparkling windows are important because they let the light and sunshine in. When the sun shines through your clean windows, it provides solar powered energy that warms up your home at no cost to you. In the colder months, this is a great energy saver that helps lower your heating and electric bills.

Having the light shine through clean windows also provides you with natural light to read by and helps your plants grow. Clean windows bring warmth into your home in many ways and enable you to see the outside world clearly.

Squeegees are one of the window cleaning tools used, that work great when cleaning large windows and best for giving you streak free, sparkling glass.

Start by gathering your cleaning tools together, which should include a good quality squeegee, a large sponge, small razorblade safety scraper, drying cloth, rags and a bucket, filled with a cleaning solution.

Here are a few homemade window-cleaning solutions that you make using common household products.

* Mix together three quarts of warm water, one pint of rubbing alcohol and either a squirt of dishwashing detergent or a half cup of soapy ammonia. Use in a pail with your squeegee or put the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray your windows and wipe with a clean cloth or paper towels.

* In a gallon of warm water, add a half-cup of vinegar and a squirt of dishwashing detergent.

A sponge works great on lower windows that you are able to reach. A tip for wetting your windows is, only wet or dip your sponge in the cleaning solution approximately half way. This way, the solution only goes on the glass when you wet your windows and you do not have it running down your arms into your clothes.

Use a razor blade scraper to remove specks of old paint, tape or other stuck on grit. Simply wet your window surface and then scrape the specks off. To avoid scratching the window glass, always scrape in one direction only, never back and forth.

Now, dip half your sponge in the cleaning solution and wet the entire window but remember that it only takes a little water to clean windows. If you use too much water and soak them, you will end up with water dripping everywhere. Start at the top of the window and angle your squeegee just a little. Pull your squeegee down to the bottom of the glass, wipe the blade with a rag to remove the water and go back up to the top.

Overlap slightly and keep repeating this until the window sparkles.

If your window is very dirty, be sure to wash it well with a wet sponge before you squeegee.

Here are some other window cleaning tools that help you keep your windows clean and streak free.

* Scrubber - This looks similar to a squeegee but has a sponge/mesh scrubber, to use on stubborn dirt and dust.

* Chamois or Rags - Used to dry the window edges or help remove the water from your squeegee or scrubber.

* Extension pole - Works great for high windows.

For windows that are not too large and are easy to access, without having to climb, spray the window cleaning solution on the glass and wipe off with either a lint-free dry cloth or paper towels.

With a few window cleaning tools and a little bit of time, your windows will sparkle, shine and let the light shine through.