Spring Cleaning Tips

windows - vinegar and water, rub with newspaper.

Disinfecting toilets? Who cares? You don't touch the water or inside of the bowl, do you? Unless you're talking about the seat, in which case, vinegar and water again.

doesn't the newspaper print come off???

Just on your hands if you don't use gloves. Makes the windows really clean & shiny, though!

No, not really. It may on your hands, but certainly not on the windows.

No. For reasons I won't even speculate on, newspapers work. They are also better with commercial glass cleaners than paper towels.

One more reason to keep newspapers going.

Baking soda is great natural cleaner and disinfectant (refrigerator, counter tops, teeth...etc.). It's not really good on glass, however.

Indeed. And, let's not forget birdcages.

Speculate, please. For some reason, it doesn't work as well with cleaning rags or paper towels -- the newspaper seems to be the magic ingredient but I've never figured out why.

Newspaper is printed on special paper called "newsprint." It is a cousin to paper towels, which weren't invented until much later. People found that newspaper cleaned glass better than a cloth rag, even if it had news ink on it. Actually, it works better than those towelettes that we have nowadays.
To use newspaper for cleaning glass, use a weak solution of vinegar and water or ammonia and water. Spray the solution lightly on the glass, then wad the newspaper up and use like a paper towel. The glass will be much cleaner than you expect... and it's cheaper than window cleaner.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_people_use_newspaper_to_clean_glass#ixzz1szhv29Sp

Furthermore:

"Some newspapers will cause glasses and mirrors to smear. There are several factors that play a role:

1. Newspaper (in the trade referred to as "newsprint") contains no solid components like calcium carbonate or silica, like higher quality paper. These minerals can scratch the glass, which can be confused with smearing.

2. Older newspapers were printed (and many still are) with oil based inks -- basically a cheap mineral oil. These too will smear or stain a window or mirror if a solvent or detergent is used to "clean" the surface.

3. Now the trend in printing inks for newspapers is to use water based inks. This allows newer and different types of pigments to be used too. These papers don't contain the oil of the older conventional inks and consequently are less likely to stain or smear a mirror or window.

There are two tests to tell which type of paper/ink combination is being used:

1. Hold the newspaper (or magazine for that matter) between your thumb and index finger for a minute or so. If your thumb/finger stains, you are using the old type of ink. The newer water based inks do not transfer on to your finger.

2. A related test is to gently rub the newspaper with a piece of typing paper. The friction will cause the older paper/ink combination to stain the typing paper. The newer water based systems are much more resistant to this type of test. "[/color]

I see that I should have said "can't", rather than "won't" speculate. It works. Bounty doesn't.

Paper towels and cloth rags leave lint on the windows (from my experience). And the windows are never as shiny clean as with the newspaper. (That last part could all be in my head, of course)

Ah, thanks. We agree...as per usual

Did you know... if you iron your newspaper, it sets the ink and it will no longer rub off on your hands and clothing.


learned that bit of useless information from an interview I heard with once with the owner of a 'proper English' Butler service company..

That's a lot of work in order to clean windows! I hate ironing. I just use 'em and they're always fine. But then, I don't really clean my windows that often (hangs head in shame).

My iron acts as a paperweight. Are they supposed to be used for other things?

When I have cleaned my windows with newspaper, I've had no problems with ink transfer or streaks. However diluted lemon juice and/or vinegar is my cleaner, too. I use recent newspaper that uses the water-based inks.

No... no, no. I do my windows once a year, at least the outside side. The inside windows depend entirely on whether it at my dog's nose height or not. And I DO NOT iron the paper.
My green secret is.. magic cloths for just about everything. I bought a big pile of them at the dollar store. I use one to wash/clean the other to wipe dry. They are awesome. They work on metal, glass, porcelain and so on. I use them to dust too. I have a separate pile - different colour for face cloths, they exfoliate gently.
They are really good for applying stain, finishes and waxes... just in cases anyone is in the mood.

I found this problem the hard way: Up until recently I used these (microfiber) cloths I bought. However, when I dried the windows after cleaning, they streaked the glass. Whn I washed the cloths, I did so with my laundry (using drier sheets). I figured out (afterwards) that the drier sheets have softener and softener streaks the windows.

So if you dry windows with cloths, do not use anything that has fabric softener on them. Epsecially true in a hot climate. It streaks up surprisingly quickly.

Also make sure there is no wax residue on the cloths as that will streak the windows too.

True, I don't throw them in the dryer. Old cloths are use for stain and so on.