Tuesday, May 8, 2007

A Streak-Free Shine!

It's spring cleaning time! Even if you don't go all out for this old-time seasonal ritual, you probably have some windows that are looking a bit grimey after withstanding the winter months. Several years ago I came across the following method for washing windows. I believe it was in an old copy of Hints from Heloise that I found in my mother's house. There is nothing easier, and I've never found anything else that leaves the glass so sparkling clean. I even think it resists dirt and streaks longer than other traditional solutions.

*** 1/2 cup of Corn Starch mixed in 1 gallon of warm water

That's it! You can add a teaspoon of mild dish detergent if you absolutely must have soap, but it really is not necessary. Use a clean, low-lint cloth (old cotton flat-fold diapers are perfect) to wipe down the glass. Allow the solution to sit for a minute or so, and then use a clean, dry cloth to rub the glass. At first it will seem to be streaking, but keep rubbing and it will suddenly dry to a sparkling, streak-free shine that no store-bought cleaning solution has yet to match, in my opinion.

Give it a try and leave a comment to let me know what you think!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great blog! Very informative and reminiscent of days gone by. Keep up the great writing....I look forward to reading more!

A Quote From My Latest Recommended Read:

"When my generation of women walked away from the kitchen we were escorted down that path by a profiteering industry that knew a tired, vulnerable marketing target when they saw it. "Hey ladies," it said to us, "go ahead, get liberated.
We'll take care of dinner." They threw open the door and we walked into a nutritional crisis and genuinely toxic food supply......We came a long way, baby, into bad eating habits and collaterally impaired family dynamics. No matter what else we do or believe, food remains at the center of every culture. Ours now runs on empty calories."

- Barbara Kingsolver
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle