I’m pretty excited to introduce a new feature we’re staring on MPMK today.
As a busy mom of three little ones, I find anything that can help me keep our home clean and healthy in an easy and efficient way is pretty much invaluable. So how bunch a whole collections of somethings that do just that?
“Project Green Clean Your ENTIRE House” is a series that is not only going to show you how to clean everything in your home using non-toxic, green methods – it’s also going to tell you how often to do it.
I know it’s just cleaning that we’re talking about here but I’m kind of geeking out over creating an extensive resource like this!
Here’s Kaley with our inaugural post in the series addressing something I think we can all collectively groan about, cleaning the windows…
Spring is here. The sun is shining, the days are getting longer, and things around the house are looking a little, well, dirty. It’s definitely spring cleaning time!
And what better place to start your spring cleaning than with the windows? After a long, cold winter of rain, snow, wind and mud, the outsides of your windows are probably looking pretty cloudy and spotted. And if your kids are anything like mine, the insides of your windows are covered with fingerprints and goodness knows what else.
We have french doors leading into our dining room that are constantly covered in food and splatter of milk since my daughter’s high chair sits right next to the doors most of the time. Not exactly the view I like when I’m sitting down to breakfast on a beautiful spring day.
Luckily, windows are super easy to clean using just a few ingredients you are sure to have in your cupboards right now.
Windows should be cleaned at least twice a year. I like to clean them at the start of spring, once or twice during the summer, and then again in late fall.
If you pick a nice sunny day, and enlist some help from your family, you can be done with the whole house rather quickly and painlessly.
You will need:
- An empty spray bottle (or two)
- white, distilled vinegar
- dish soap
- rags (I like to use nubby washcloths on the outsides of the windows because the texture gives some extra scrubbing power. And for the insides of the windows I use small, cut up pieces of old cotton t-shirts. This way they don’t leave any lint on your shiny clean glass.)
(Just look at those windows. The splatters of milk from my daughter dropping her sippy cup are especially gross!)
Start with the insides of the windows. (This method will also work on any other glass surfaces or mirrors) Fill your spray bottle with full strength white vinegar and spray your windows generously, covering the entire window. Rub with your cloth in circular motions until all of the vinegar is wiped off and there are no streaks remaining. If there are stubborn spots, repeat, focusing on those areas.
After the insides of the windows are sparkling, move on to the outsides.
In a spray bottle, mix 1 part water, 1 part vinegar, and a few squirts of dish soap. Shake to combine everything. Spray the outsides of the windows well, covering the entire window, the window sills and any molding or crevices around the windows. Wet one of your scrubbing rags and scrub the outside of the window well, focusing on the edges. Don’t forget the window sills. This is a fun activity for kids to help with, if the windows are low enough!
Spray the window with a hose until there are no suds remaining. Dry the windows with a lint free cloth like you used on the inside of the windows.
Now sit back and admire your work!
(A much better view from the breakfast table!)
There is no spring cleaning task that will make as big of a difference as cleaning your windows. So start there and you will definitely be motivated to continue on with the rest of the house.
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