Everyday Cleaning---Windows

Window:
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So much has been printed about the fastest and best way to clean windows that you'd think it was an
Olympic event. Well, let's just relax. The truth is, lot of things work.

Here are a few simple hints that apply to most windows

• Clean the windowsills and frames before the glass. vacuum to remove loose dirt before wiping with a damp cloth.
• Start at the top and work down to avoid dripping onto clean windows.
• Don't clean windows in direct sunlight. The cleaner will dry before you can wipe it off, creating streaks.
• Make your drying strokes go up and down on one side of the window and back and forth on the other. That way you can tell which side streaks are on.

Double the Fun for Double-Hung
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Many double-hung windows---that's the most common type of window--are now made so they can be titled inward for cleaning. But if you don't have that kind, you can still clean both sides from inside the house--provided both upper and lower windows move fully, as they're supposed to. Here
are instructions for reaching the outside of both windows--- you can figure out the inside for yourself.

1. Pull the top window all the way down. (It will be on the outside.)
2. Reach through the opening to clean the top part of the outside. wash, then wipe.
3. Raise both windows all the way to the top.
4. Reach through the opening to clean the bottom part of the outside.
5. Lower the inside window enough to reach the outside window and push it all the way to the bottom.
6. Reach through the opening to clean the top part of the inside window.
7. Raise the outside window all the way to the top and lower the inside window as much as possible while leaving room for your arm to pass through the opening.
8. Reach through the opening to clean the bottom part of the inside window.

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• Your drying technique and materials affect the final appearance more than the kind of cleaner.

           Now let's move on to the contentious part.
The cheapest way to clean a window is to use plain water and newspaper. Apply the water with a
sponge or window wand, available at hardware stores. Dip the wand into bucket of water, picking up
just enough to wet the window without drenching it. /Then wad up the newspaper a little and rub the window until it's dry.
   This method, besides being inexpensive, is environmentally friendly. The disadvantage is that the
ink from the newsprint will get on your hands (you can wear rubber gloves) and can soil the nonglass window parts. paper towels also work but are expensive and wasteful. A chamois cloth works as well.

Using a squeegee to clean windows is the method preferred by many people, including most professional window cleaners. If it's your choice, buy a good squeegee with a removable rubber blade so that it can be replaced as it wears. The main disadvantage of a  squeegee is that it's impractical on small panes of glass. When using a squeegee, technique is important:

1. First, wet the squeegee.
2. Draw it across the top of the pane
3. Start the squeegee at the bottom edge of that swath and draw it down one side of the glass to about 2 inches from the bottom.
4. Repeat this step, overlapping each stroke as you work your way cross the window
5. Draw the squeegee across the bottom of the pane. Wipe the squeegee on a cloth between strokes.
6. Use a clean cloth to wipe the window edges, if  necessary.
7. On very large windows, wash and dry the top half, then the bottom half.

For added cleaning power on dirty glass, here are some formulas to try;
For grease or hard-water deposits, use 1 cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of water, plus a squirt of
dish-washing liquid.
For grime, grease, or smoke, use 1/2 cup of clear ammonia in 2 quarts of water.
For tough jobs, use 2 cups of rubbing alcohol and 2 tablespoons each of clear ammonia and
dishwashing detergent. This formula requires rinsing.
For the toughest jobs, use automotive rubbing compound, available at hardware and auto supply stores, following the direction on the can. It takes a lot of time, so you aren't likely to use this for
general-purpose cleaning.

See also Glass

Woks
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A well-seasoned wok has the equivalent of a non stick surface and needs only light cleaning

To clean a new wok made of carbon steel (the authentic kind), begin by removing the temporary
protective coating applied by the manufacturer. Scrub the work inside and out with dish-washing
detergent and steel wool and rinse with hot water. If some coating remains, fill the wok with water
and boil it until the coating dissolves. Empty the water and scrub again with steel wool and soap.

To season a new wok, after washing it as described above, follow these steps;

1. Set the wok on a burner and heat it until a few drops of water sprinkled into the wok do a mad dance. As it heats, the wok will change color.
2. When it turns black, dip some wadded-up paper towels into sesame oil. Hold the wad in a pair of tongs and wipe the oil over the inside of the wok. t
3. Turn the heat down to low and let the wok sit on it for 15 minutes. If the surface looks dry, wipe with another thin coat of oil.
4. Turn the heat off and let the wok cool.
5. Repeat the oiling and heating process once more before using the wok for cooking.

To clean a wok after cooking, wipe with out with a paper towel or damp cloth. Scrubbing a seasoned
wok or using a detergent will ruin the carefully cultivated patina, but if you do need to scrub or
wash with detergent, the good news is that the wok can be re-seasoned as described above. Similarly,
if a wok gets rusty, just follow the steps for cleaning and seasoning a new wok.
 

To clean an electric wok, follow the manufacturer's directions, which will vary depending on what
kind of surface the wok has and whether it is immersible in water.