Some House Cleaning Hints: Dust-free Dusting and Cleaning Your Windows to a Streak-free Shine

I don't like dusting, but it is a necessary evil once a week in a city apartment. I also used to spend a good half day three or four times per year cleaning windows in the apartment. After my toiling through these chores, I would discover dust on the furniture the very next day after I dusted. As for the windows, the next day after cleaning I noticed that the sun was shining through streaks and cloudy spots. I tried different cleaners and most of them gave the same results unless I went over and over the window as it dried. Here are some cleaning hints to avoid these cleaning pitfalls.

DUSTING

Dry dusting will never get rid of the dust for very long. However, I find that before you clean and polish furniture, it is best to lessen the amount of dust on the furniture by dry dusting first. In order to reduce the effects of dusting on your allergies, use a Swifter dust cloth, or Pledge Grab-its. God bless the inventor of these cloths. These items trap the dust so that it doesn't fly around. Don't use these items on mirrors or glass because they can cause streaks. After using these cloths, you can use Pledge wipes that clean and polish, or the Pledge spray can cleaner and polish with a dry cloth. It seems that after using the polish, the dust does not return as quickly. I might have to give the furniture a quick dry dust in between dustings. However, the combination of dry dusting followed by a cleaner / polisher works very well and keeps the furniture looking good.

Swifter dust cloths or Pledge Grab-its are also great on wooden floors. Swifter sells the swifter handle for attaching the cloths. It is amazing how much dust and dirt you capture from the floors with these cloths, even after you vacuum.

WINDOWS

Regarding those pesky windows... One day I had an idea to use simple dishwashing liquid. This is not the dishwashing liquid that is used for dishwashers, but rather the bottle of dishwashing liquid that you would use with a sponge to hand-wash dishes and glasses. I have used Palmolive and Dawn, but almost any brand would do. I simply had two small pails, one with clear water for rinsing, and one in which I would put a drop of concentrated dishwasing liquid. Using a roll of relatively inexpensive paper towels, I dipped a couple of towels into the soapy liquid, washing each window, and then rinsed the solution with clear water. Don't use too much of the dishwashing liquid, as it will take you a long time to get rid of the suds on the window. In place of paper towels to wash and dry windows, you can buy a simple soft brush and fill it with the soapy solution and rinse with a squeegee. Be sure that the window is well-dried to avoid any cloudiness.

The dishwashing liquid works so well because since it is meant to cut through food and grease, it cuts through window dirt more thoroughly. It seems that since I have been using this method of window cleaning, the windows also stay cleaner for a longer period of time.

Try this out the next time you have to clean windows. I'm sure you'll be satisfied.