I just realized I've been washing my windows completely wrong for 20 years

I always used paper towels and window cleaner spray, you know, the blue stuff. Then my neighbor (who's a window washer on the side) saw me doing it last Saturday and laughed. He said paper towels leave lint that traps dirt, and gave me a $5 squeegee and told me to use a tiny drop of dish soap in warm water instead. The difference was insane - I could actually see through my living room window for the first time in maybe ever. Has anyone else had a total "wait, I'm an idiot" moment about something this simple?

2 comments

2 Comments

wyatt_garcia1d ago

Window cleaner spray is mostly water and a little soap anyway. You were probably getting the same results, just with more lint. The real test is if those windows still look clean in a month after a couple rains and some dust blows on them. Squeegees work fine but they also leave streaks if you don't get the angle right. People act like they cracked the code on life because they switched from paper towels to a sponge.

keith_taylor3011h ago

Why do people act like cleaning windows is some kind of life-changing breakthrough? It's just glass and soapy water at the end of the day. You're right that the real test comes later when dirt has time to settle back on them. Squeegees are fine but they're not magic, and if you mess up the angle you're just smearing stuff around anyway. I swear half the people posting this stuff just want a pat on the back for doing basic chores. Can we stop pretending window cleaning is a major life skill?