Cleaning windows

[mrsalwaysawake]

As a trying-to-reform slattern, my next exciting adventure is the windows.
What cleaning product and wiping device is/are best for lovely shiny clean windows?

My DS who is 8 cleans all the windows in our flat, as I hate cleaning windows and he wants to earn some mney, so he gets ten pence per side of pane (so 20p per pane inside and out). They are big panes though, we have a total of 16 panes in this flat.

He cleans the outside with warm soapy water and a cloth, then a squeegy. /

He does the inside with normal window cleaner and a teatowel.

They are rarely streaky (he won't get paid if they are streaky)

Nilglass is the best product I've used, and has a nicer smell than mr muscle type window cleaners.

I use this and an e cloth, but lots of people swear by buffing with newspaper.

Oh, if only I had an 8 year old! I'm not sure the windows can wait another 7 years 5 months...

Don't think I'll be going down the newspaper route - I'd have to buy a paper specifically for window-cleaning!
What exactly is an e cloth?

e cloth.

They are micro fibre type cloths, funny material have a wierd feel - but they are designed so that they can be used with only water and so are ecological I am not that eco and use mine with chemicals.

Thats the science bit anyway , but that are just a good cloth that is better at cleaning than a standard flannel/rag type cloth.

You can get them in pound shops and supermarkets etc called microfibre cloths, I think e cloth is a brand name (may be wrong on that).

Also good for damp dusting with just water.

Yep eCloths. Wet the flannelly looking one and wash off the smudges/dust with that and a bit of elbow grease. Then use the finer cloth dry to wipe dry, otherwise you are left with watermarks.

Think you can buy in most major supermarkets and places like Robert Dyas.

Window cleaner and kitchen roll, you can clean upvc at the same time, comes up lovely.

Ooh, might have to invest in some e cloths then
Do you think if I place a big Lakeland order it'll get me motivated to do some serious cleaning?!

Worth a try

Microfibre cloth and 50/50 mix of water and vinegar. Guaranteed streak free windows with bugger all effort.

DP did our whole house on Thursday in 15 minutes after the window cleaner did the outside.

Does the house not end up smelling of vinegar if you use that much?

E cloths the rough then the smooth. Just water, no vinegar. Takes 5 mins, no polishing, no smears.

White vinegar is best - not as strong a smell as malt!

If there is muck and/or grease marks (from little hands) on the windows you need to use some sort of detergent/soap to clean that of first, so a bucket of soapy water and a cloth to give them a good wash. Then use white vinegar in a spray bottle, spray it on and wipe with kitchen roll, this is a rinse to get off any soap residue and leave the windows gleaming.

You'll love the results.

I wouldn't bother with stuff from Lakeland - expensive, and you don't need the chemicals.

kitchen paper and window cleaner in the zoo house.clean left to riht inside.top to bottom outside.any smears its easy to see which side its on

overmydeadbody i want a useful 8yo!
my dd still cant dust properly

Hmmm, think we only have rice wine vinegar. Might have to go shopping.

White vinegar for cleaning is probably easier & cheaper to get online - I got mine from e-bay! Although I think you can probably get food grade distilled white malt from supermarkets.

I put a few drops of essential oil in my vinegar / water mix. Tea tree works well to mask any vinegary odours (I've come to associate vinegar with being clean so I don't put that much essential oil in any more). I buy my white vinegar in bulk from www.summernaturals.co.uk £4.79 for 5 litres of vinegar. Cheap!

Sorry, can't help on the window cleaning but wanted to say crustyonion thank you so much for the link to the website, I've been searching for a website to buy all my natural cleaning products in one place and that website is perfect! Thank you! :)

Method glass cleaner is fab,buffed off with the finer ecloth or a tea towel (the lineny type for glasses)

funkymonkey1983 You're very welcome. :) They're a small business, and I've found them to be really good. It's worth stocking up on a few items per order as the delivery is a flat rate for a courier.

I have recently become obsessed with cleaning my windows. However, we live in a converted bungalow, so some of them are too high to reach. Does anyone have any tips, or recommendations for equipment, to reach second storey windows?

e cloths definitely. Easiest and quickest option in my opinion.

They were half price in Waitrose last week so I bought six.... (Have OCD and e cloth fetish).

Old fashioned pink Windowlene! Wilkos still sell this and the whole house will smell clean and fresh afterwards! I won't bother cleaning the windows at all without it