Um, what? Cleaning windows is exciting? Why, yes. Yes it is. Especially when I’ve never cleaned them. Ever. Not in any of the spare minutes I’ve had while dwelling in this house for the past two and a half years. I’ve clearly had more important things to do.
But I was relaxing in the living room the other day (like I said, important things happening around here) and noticed just how mortifyingly disgusting the windows were. There’s just something about smeary slimy dust and slimy cat nose residue that is not entirely endearing. “Welcome to our home; here is a cat booger for you to contemplate.”
To fix this problem, I followed the recipe found here for homemade no-streak glass cleaner, plus added a couple drops of blue food coloring to make it more official. Or something. Rick asked me why I didn’t make it pink. He said, “You had a chance to have pink cleaning products and you didn’t take it?” He’s right, of course. I blame my pregnancy brain for this unfortunate oversight.
Pregnancy brain didn’t totally conquer me, though, because I thought to make a printable for the spray bottle so that I know what the heck is in it, and a recipe for the back so I remember how the heck to make it again. And I will be making it again, because it was cheap. This whole bottle cost basically, I don’t know, twelve cents? Basically, I’ll never buy Windex again. (No smart comments predicting that this is because I don’t ever plan to clean the windows again.)
Quick print + packaging tape=instant waterproof label.
Also, it works. Cleared away the grime and left no streaks behind. (Ooh, catchy. That could be the slogan for the product.) To prove my point like an infomercial, I’d show you a picture of the cloth after I wiped off the front of one window, but you’d judge me. And never come to my house again. And wonder how two people could possibly get so much dirt to cling to their windows. It’s an art form, probably. So you’ll just have to picture the grimiest, blackest cloth ever, then multiply it by disgustingest squared, and know that’s what came off of our windows.
What household chores do you procrastinate on? Do you have any go-to homemade cleaners that work? Please share the link if you do—I want to phase out some of our other cleaners, too! To be honest, with our snazzy easy-access windows, cleaning windows doesn’t appear to be the worst chore ever, so it’s a mystery as to why I’ve waited so long. I much less prefer tasks like cleaning the shower. Blergh.
I always wonder if those homemade cleaners actually work or not - thanks for the "review" on this one!! And I think you should dump it out, make a new batch, and make it pink. Yep.
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful idea! And I love how you automatically made it blue because all window cleaners are blue :)
ReplyDeleteI never think to clean the windows either. Isn't that what blinds are for? ;)
ReplyDeleteI will confess that I skipped one window because the blinds are always down. And it's behind a couch that a cat was currently sleeping on, and who am I to disturb them? :P
DeleteI have never mopped the floors of our current apartment. And we have lived here for almost 4 years. It's so embarrassing! The problem is that when we moved in, it became really clear that no one had EVER (at least in the last 5 years or so) mopped the floors. And if there's one thing I hate doing, it's cleaning up years of accumulated dirt that I didn't put there. Eww. Obviously doing nothing has only made the problem worse though. Do you have a cute floor cleaner + printable to motivate me? :)
ReplyDeleteI HATE mopping, but I recently started using a new homemade mop solution and (begrudgingly) enjoy it more, since it smells nice, is cheap, and leaves our kitchen floor squeaky clean. here it is:
ReplyDelete1 cup white vinegar
1 T liquid dish soap
1 cup baking soda (or thereabouts)
1-2 gallons hot hot water
You don't have to rinse it away, just let it dry before you move furniture back. Expect curious kitties to mince all over the freshly washed floor simply because they can.
Thanks for this! :)
Deletehaha cats are so helpful...
DeleteThanks for the recipe!!
Ooo, this sounds great! Thank you!
DeleteWashing windows is the worst grownup chore. I do a floor each year so they get cleaned once every 3 years. Better than nothing I guess. I'm WAY to lazy to make my own cleaner but it's tempting!
ReplyDeleteNice! I've always wondered how well that homemade stuff works!
ReplyDeleteI found a great cleaner for the tub, shower and sinks on Pinterest that REALLY WORKS:
ReplyDeleteAll you have to do is fill a dish wand scrubber with half vinegar and half Dawn dish liquid. Make sure you keep the wand upright so the liquid doesn’t leak out. It’s so simple to run a little water in the shower (tub or sink), and then scrub it down with the dish wand, rinse it well, and then take your shower. Or (if you're like me) you can do it quickly AFTER you've taken your shower and it's already wet.
This formula takes off soap scum like nobody's business! I didn't even have to buy anything to try it out the first time because I already buy Dawn dish soap and vinegar for my laundry, so it was basically "free". Try it, you'll love it!
ooh thanks! Our current shower cleaner has a really strong chemically smell so I'd love to try something a bit milder that works.
DeleteWhen we moved in the oven looked like it had never been cleaned - still hasn't been and I won't say how long we've lived here.
ReplyDeleteHaha. Cat boogers on the windows are so welcoming!
ReplyDeleteI just cleaned my windows for the first time a few weeks ago too. Ewww...
LOL. I hate cleaning windows so much. I did the downstairs ones with my homemade cleaner and still hvaen't done upstairs.
ReplyDeleteToo many more important things to do. Like sleep. And watch Netflix.
I don't think I have ever cleaned out windows in 2.5 years either...I'm with you, I'd rather sleep!
ReplyDeleteI have been pretty much cleaning everything with 50:50 vinegar and water for the last month or so. I'm not sure if it's working or just making me want to eat pickles or salt and vinegar chips. ;)
I haven't washed the windows in this new house at all ever.... and I don't think the previous owner did either! At our build, my mom came over with her homemade cleaner and used newspapers to wipe with. Worked shockingly well!
ReplyDeleteWait. We're supposed to clean our windows?
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for this. I've been on a kick lately to also phase out our cancer-producing-chemicals. ;) I will be trying this for sure!
P.S. Internet-high-five for hating cleaning showers. I loathe it.
We just bought a house and so I feel like I have to clean/scrub everything a bajillion times to wipe away years of dirt/grime/germs that aren't mine. Problem is, I hate cleaning. A recent near disaster with the septic system forced some scrubbing but I still have work to do. And because we are on a cistern and septic system, I'm all about homemade/septic safe/natural cleaners and saving water. All things this city girl didn't used to think about!
ReplyDelete