Bright And Shiny Panes

As soon as temperature cooled off we opened the windows so the fresh air could come in, which made me aware that the windows were dirty and could use some attention.

I try to do window washing twice a year-in the spring after the furnace gets turned off and in the fall when the air conditioner is no longer needed. No matter what the season, after months of being exposed to the elements the outside of the glass is a mess of rain spots, caked-on dirt, and the random bird dropping. The interior surface collects fingerprints, condensation, and dust.

On Sunday, instead of recycling the newspaper I put it aside to use for drying the glass panes. The condo windows face west and southwest, so cleaning them a good job for the morning before the sun hits the glass. After breakfast I assembled my supplies and got to work.

The windows in the condo tilt in for cleaning, which makes it way easier than at the previous house where I had to hang out of the upper-story ones to clean the outside, but I could tell I was still getting a good core workout stretching across the pane to get the crud from the corners and edges. Usually I use my right hand to apply the vinegar solution and my left hand to dry it off, but today my left shoulder wasn't having all the extra work and I was forced to swap back and forth between hands. When the job was done my hands were covered in newspaper ink, and after washing the ink off I had to use a rag to get black smudges off the white window frames.

Ewwww!

All the work was worth it, though. This afternoon, it was a joy to see the sun streaming through shiny panes.

Five years ago today: Always Something Interesting Online