Green Cleaning Tips for Sparkling Windows

Go Green in 2014: Week 14

Allen McGregor / https://www.flickr.com/photos/allenmcgregor/

After a long winter, it can feel good to scrub the windows, inside and out, during spring cleaning. After I finish each window, I like to leave it open for the rest of the day (as long as it's nice outside) and air out the entire house.

But as we have discovered in the past few weeks, the chemicals in commercial cleaning products are not healthy for you or for the environment. Fortunately, it's easy to make your own green cleaning products for sparkling windows.

Green Window Cleaner Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon mild liquid dish soap

Directions:

1. For interior windows, mix the ingredients together in a large spray bottle. Fill with water (approximately two cups) and shake to combine. Spray onto windows and wipe dry with a clean, lint-free cloth.
2. For exterior windows, mix the ingredients together in a gallon bucket. Double the ingredients for particularly grimy windows. Fill the bucket with warm water and apply to the windows with a cotton rag. Wipe dry with a clean, lint-free cloth.

If you have some newspaper lying around, I have heard that you can use it to get a streak-free finish. Simply rub the cleaning solution onto the windows using a newspaper, first in a circular motion, then horizontally and vertically. I haven't tried it yet, but I will be starting my spring cleaning soon. One of these days....

That's it - sounds easy, but it's a big job if you have lots of windows!

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Your challenge: This week, get sparkling windows without harsh chemicals.

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**This post is part of a weekly challenge {Go Green in 2014}, during which the author has challenged herself - and you - to find 52 ways to lead a greener life in 2014. You can follow the weekly posts on this page.**