Yup – more winter prep – will it ever be completely done? Had my pre op physical yesterday – more of a formality than anything. But the good thing about seeing Dr. Diamond is my opportunity to congratulate her. They had the ground breaking for her new clinic in Garner a few days ago. She already moved to Garner but works in Clarion and Belmond until the new clinic opens. (Town references for local readers.)
Aren’t clean windows just glorious? I love it so much but it happens only a few times a year. Clean window sills, too! This is the south side of the sun room. Aren’t they nice and shiny?
And the east side – what a stretch of windows!
The front door—-lots of dog nose prints on this one.
This new to me window washing solution CANNOT be kept secret. A friend at book club mentioned it and I also saw it on Pinterest.
Window Cleaner
1/4 c. Rubbing Alcohol
1/4 c. White Vinegar
1 T. Cornstarch
2 c. Warm Water
Use in spray bottle.
I didn’t have a spray bottle so I just used a small pail and a rag. Today I’m going to mix up about 4 times the recipe. The windows I used this on compared to my old favorite aerosol spray did not streak at all. One washing is all each window required and they were “summer dirty” —- really dirty, spotted, spider webs, and dust stuck on the glass! Why would I keep this to myself? Someone told me and so I’m passing in this wonderful tip. I’m betting you’ll agree that it’s wonderful and will cut you window washing time in half.
Here’s something else I’m trying for the first time this fall. I cut the hydrangeas down and just piled them up on top of the plant. I think when snow falls on top it will insulate the plants and next spring I’ll be able to just pick up the old cut stems and haul them away with all the leaves that will fall on top of them. What do you think? Good idea or not a good idea – you gardeners chime in here!
And here’s the start of my quilt explosion – red and white chair covers in a very simple 2-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ rectangle tile arrangement. The dogs will be laying in these chairs – it has to be something I don’t have to spend much time on.
I am totally caught up on orders so if you’re waiting for the goat pattern or Live Thankfully, it’s in the mail today!
That’s it for today – it’s such a nice day – I think I’ll wander down to the barn and take some goat and chicken pictures and then it’s back to washing windows.
Thanks for sharing your recipe for clean windows. As my Mom used to say, “sparkle plenty”! I don’t know if that is an old time adage, or not.
Your dogs will be resting in style. I loved the cover you showed previously. In fact, I still think of the similar blue and green version you made for Country Living. Back in the day, haha.
Jan Smith – yes, that really was back in the day and I still want to write that post about Country Living – one of these days.
I want to hear about Country Living – the magazine?
Marsha Ransom – yes, Country Living Magazine. In 2007 I answered the phone in the quilt shop and the person calling introduced herself as being from County Living – I said “magazine?” I did not believe her but that phone call started an exciting time for Country Threads. Can’t wait to tell that story!
Thanks for window washing recipe. I will try it on inside windows. I found the Windex end of the hose sprayer/cleaner a few years ago and that’s what I use outside. They don’t come out perfectly like yours, but I don’t have to remove screens and it is so much quicker that I find myself cleaning windows more often. It is amazing how clean windows can make everything look clean and bright!
Pam – amen to that comment!
Thanks so much for the window washing recipe!!!! I’m assuming that the windows don’t need to be rinsed after using this solution?
Pam W. – I just wiped with a clean towel – because I can’t find my squeegee – I think I’ll drive to town and buy a new one !
I’m going to try that window washing recipe as soon as the guys have the crop out around our place. No need to do it until that is done. I did notice that most of the crop is gone around your acreage, Mary. That ‘should’ help your shiny windows to stay shiny a few days longer.
Michele – Connie says hers have stayed clean for over 3 weeks! We think it’s a miracle! Haha!
Your windows look wonderful, they are so shiny. Thank you for the recipe for window washing. I am excited, not really, to try it. My windows are awful that’s because I can never get them to look decent. I hope this works for me as well as it did for you. Thanks again for your wonderful blog. I love reading it.
Chris J – let me know how you like it – it works like a miracle!
I have lots of windows, yes they need washing, but not today ! In the old house the windows were small, so when we did the new one, I wanted light and the husband who was not too sure, loved them. He said, I can see why you wanted these windows. And I had the goat pattern from years ago, the goats are made, waiting for the rest of the plan to come together. Soon I hope, Soon.
Thank you. I am going to try that recipe very soon. I have heard of most of the ingredients, but not the cornstarch. Interesting. Your windows are sparkling.
The hydrangea cutting sounds great for now. Wondering how it will be next spring? We don’t get snow here, so it would look like I got lazy. lol
Google hydrangea, you might have pruned some of next year’s blooms. I’m going to give your window washing recipe a try. Thanks.
Carol Harriman – I agree, I may not have as many blooms next year but my neighbor, Emma, always cut hers down in the fall and she always had plenty of blooms. I think lilacs are the same – pruning too late in the season will reduce or completely eliminate blooms for the next season.
Your windows are beautiful! What do you use to dry them? Squeegee?
Sue Kroll – just clean towels for now – can’t find my squeegee!
Great I will be seeing her tomorrow……….great gal and from Holstein!!
Mareen – who are you going to see tomorrow???
Hello MARY….CONGRATULATIONS TO DIAMOND IN GARNER, IOWA.
TELL US HER NAME AND WE WILL SEND GOOD WISHES TO HER ON FACEBOOK.
WE all love LADY DOCS!!!!!
Thank s, MAry
Lois in omaha
Lois Palmisano – her name is Renee Diamond, a young successful woman with 2 little kids.
Thanks for the recipe. I’ve never tried anything but Windex or vinegar and water. Neither does the job. We’re rolling through Georgia and the Winnie’s windows are awful. I guess I’ll start with these as soon as we get to the winter corral.
Oh wow! Those are a lot of sparkling windows. You are so kind to share that recipe with us. I’m definitely going to try it. No matter what I do my windows streak. I think I have bad glass pains!
I’m closing ads on your blog like a crazy woman!
Cheryl – thank you, Cheryl, so so much! You’ll think it’s a miracle, too. Can’t wait to hear what you think.
Clean windows are so exciting – such a difference it makes but so much work!! Your recipe for the cleaning solution is great – will pass it on to my husband who is the window cleaner. He is busy with lawn clean-up now – it’s a big job as he has so much growing in our yard!! lol – you may remember. That’s his hobby. I will get back to my sewing.
Will be thinking of you getting your cataract taken care of – I found it to be one of the easiest things that I have ever had done. Sending prayers!
Wish they’d invent windows with a Teflon like coating so dirt would just slide off….also invent miniature grass..😊🤣
Mary, first you got us making rugs, then quilting, then reading and now washing windows!!! What’s next? Lol! 😀
Susan – let me think about that – I’ll think of something! Ha!
Lol!
Susan – I’m gonna let you worry about that for a bit – ha!
I washed some widows today with homemade cleaner. Just vinegar, water and an orange that I steeped for a few weeks I’m wondering what the cornstarch is for in the window cleaner recipe? I am going to try this next time.
Oh I love a miracle for windows. I am writing it down and trying it tomorrow. Wellll, maybe Thursday. Hubby had hand surgery and the cast comes off tomorrow, we hope. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Mary.
Yes, please, goat and chicken pictures. I have been meaning to send a picture of an old quilt I found at my aunt’s. It is mostly shirtings:) I know you’ll love it. Will try to do that soon.
No rain so far this week:)
I don’t do a lot of fall clean up. I just pretty much leave all my perennials be til spring. They catch the snow that insulates them and provide seeds and shelter for critters. In the spring everything has dried up and is easier to rake and clean up. Sometimes the stalks are still green in the fall and hard to cut and dispose of. Mary, I can’t comment on quilting because I don’t quilt but I do garden HA
Diane Deibler – I get in a panic mode in the spring trying to get everything cleaned up and there is just never enough time in the spring so I try to do as much as possible in fall – even if I’d prefer to leave it all standing.
Well, friend, I am holding you personally accountable for me washing windows today. I usually use Bert and Ernie cloths by Norwex but they get too dirty outside. I think mine came out pretty good. Funny, I tried it on a mirror and I couldn’t get the film off. BUT, I tried this on my nearly solid black countertops and it worked like a charm. One counter had an area that felt tacky no matter what cleaner I tried and guess what? It feels smooth now.
There are different kinds of hydrangeas. My old fashioned white ones I whack to 6-12 inches every year and they come back full of blooms. I do know there are types that only bloom on old wood, mine aren’t that kind. I don’t cover them at all.
Enjoying the fall sunshine- finally!
Mary – I think maybe the cornstarch is what makes the glass so shiny and possibly keeps the glass clean longer. Wow! Another use for the miracle window cleaner – haha! Love it! And I need to cut these thick hydrangeas in fall or spring because the leaves settle in the stalks and are just thick!
Reading The Rent Collector.
I read that through my library’s ebook lending books- hoopla. It had pictures of the real family @ the end. Another reminder of how fortunate we are to have food, beds, books, etc.
Mary Hawk – I did not know it was a true story!
The author had a little explanation-based in truth with some embellishing to become a novel.
Mary, I read your blog religiously. Pre-op appointment?
What’s up?
I use Norwex rags with water followed by the buffer rag. The windows come out clean.
Thinking to give this a try with the Norwex. Why not!
Darlynn – cataract surgery on Thursday . My friend Mareen swears by those rags. Wait till she uses it with this solution!
Hi Mary, will try the “miracle window wash cleaner”…are you reading the “Rent Collector” as mine arrived on the front porch today. I have read 50 pages and find it very interesting. Back to windows, we have 14 new ones and when the sprinkler gets flipped around it causes a hard water splatter:( Your Windows sparkle! Rain coming again tomorrow.
Helen Jane – oh no, not more rain! We don’t need any more either. Yes, I’m reading The Rent Collector and enjoying it very much. Those hard water splatters on windows are very hard to get off – I didn’t that to wash off but lots of summer dust, dirt and cobwebs.
Thank you for sharing the recipe for window cleaner…that job is on my list for this week!!! So very timely!
Thanks for the window cleaner recipe. need to do the inside will try it.
Mary, Thanks for sharing the window recipe…..do u use newspaper to dry?
Will be thinking of you tomorrow & wishing u a speedy recovery 🙂
Sandy Williams – I use old towels and rags.
Windows look fabulous! Good luck with your cataract surgery! Do you use this gal for your regular eye exams/glasses??
Judy – yes, she is an MD and I see her for all eye issues.
Mary, don’t do that with the cut hydrangeas. I tried that one year and found out in the spring that the covering kept the cold in longer. Yes, it protected the plants, as it gets down to 20 below here in the wintertime, but it also didn’t let the ground warm up as quickly as it should have in the spring. I had to wait for the pile of branches to unthaw to remove them….the rest of the garden was already thawed!
Lisa in Eastern Washington State – such good advice! Thank you – I guess I’ll move them next week before we get snow. This blog is so informational! We all help each other!
Thanks for the window washing solution recipe. Our windows are spotted with nose prints up to a certain height–you know how that goes. 🙂