How to Clean Windows Without Streaks

Back when I was managing restaurants, we paid a man $250 every month to clean our windows twice. The cost seemed extravagant, but he did a wonderful job - when he finished cleaning the windows, there was not a streak or speck to be found. One day when I had a moment I asked him what he used. He pointed to his bucket and said, "dish soap." I thought he was pulling my leg, because I thought I'd heard every way to clean a window, but I'd never heard of anyone using dish soap.

But here he was, and there was no argument that he knew of what he spoke, the windows sparkled. No newspaper, no vinegar, no ammonia - dish soap. He explained the window cleaning process to me and I'm going to share.

First, you must assemble your window cleaning tools. There is a purchase you'll need to make, but it shouldn't cost you more than $10. You'll need a bucket, water, dish soap, a clean, dry, lint-free cloth (I like to use really old t-shirts, they're perfect for windows,) and a window 'mop' and a squeegee. The last two will likely be your new purchase. They may come in a set, but if not, look for a window squeegee and something which is the same shape as a window squeegee but is covered with something like cotton terry cloth or lambs wool. Unless you intend to use these only to clean picture windows or sliding glass doors, bigger is not always better. I like one about 12 inches wide. If the squeegee is wider than most of the windows you'll be cleaning, it will be more difficult to get a streak free shine quickly. You might find these at a DIY or hardware store, or sometimes in the cleaning section of your supermarket, K-mart, or Wal-Mart.

Next, you must know when the right time is to clean windows, or rather, when the wrong times are. If it is very windy, the sun is shining directly on the window, or if it is raining, you will fail in your quest for streak-free glass. So, if it's overcast or you're cleaning windows on the shady side of your house on a dry day, it's a 'go.'

Fill your bucket half way with cool water. As long as you can dip the window mop in, you're fine. Now put 1-2 drops of dishsoap in and mix it up. You don't need bubbles. If you put in too much soap, you will create streaks and smears. Even if the windows you clean are really dirty, don't make the solution stronger because it will be difficult to get the residual soap off. If you are trying to clean particularly dirty windows, just change your soap water solution more often.

The key to shiny, clean windows is to not allow the solution to dry on the glass, so don't soap up more windows than you can squeegee off before they dry (which is why we don't clean windows in direct sunlight or on windy days.) So, now dip your new window mop in the soap water and mop the windows. Don't just wet them down,go over the surface 3 or 4 times. Fly specks and bird splatters will not come off with one pass of the mop.

Next, place your squeegee squarely against the top of the pane and with even pressure, pull it downward. You can squeegee horizontally, too, but I find that vertical pulls are easier and less messy. Remove the squeegee and tip it over the bucket to allow the water to drain off. Use your cloth to wipe the squeegee dry. This is key - if your squeegee is not dry, you'll leave stripes. Return to the top of the window and overlap the squeegee by about an inch on the already clean surface, then draw it downward to the bottom. Repeat until the entire window is squeegeed (past tense of the verb 'to squeegee' if you'll allow me to fiddle with English.) Using a dry portion of your cloth, wipe the outside perimeter of the window. If you happen to notice that you've missed a spot or left a streak, use another dry portion of your cloth to rub it, it should clean off without trouble. You should now be looking through your perfectly clean window (of course, you have to do both sides.)

The technique is not difficult, but it might require some practice to be comfortable. Once you're comfortable with it, you'll probably find that this is the fastest, easiest, and surest way to get your windows sparkling and streak free.