Looks like comcast is going to cut the newsgroup feed,so I thought I would pick your brains one last time. I don't like windex so I would like some input as to making home brew glass cleaner. With cold weather coming here in Chicago need to get the windows done ASAP. Noticed windex does not dry well in the cold. So long Frank
window cleaner
Oct 08, 2008
15 Replies
Add Alcohol, add to much though and it will dry before you finish, start with maybe 1/2 cup to gallon, buy a gallon of denatured. Use the rest in your car, in the gas and add some to winshield fluid when its
-22f like it was in 1982. Alcohol absorbes moisture so use it, a can sitting around will self dilute and rust the can from the inside, you can add to a few gallons of winshield fluid now and save it, forget that crap they say goes to -20, in chgo it doesnt. I just bought and used a gallon for windows and cars.
On 10/7/2008 5:18 PM Frank spake thus:
I heard (from someone in Chicago who works in the print industry, actually) that photogs like to use just plain vinegar when shooting stuff on glass. Try it.
Window Cleaner
******************* 1/2 cup ammonia 1/2 cup vinegar 2 tbsp corn starch 1 gallon of water. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Window Cleaner_2 1 cup water
1 cup rubbing alcohol 1 Tbsp. ammonia Use squeegee and cloths.
I'm a fan of the Zep brand glass cleaner available at Depot. Comparing side by side with Windex I've found the Zep to be a lot better.
Best I've come up with over the years: Makes 1 Quart
½ cup clear* ammonia ½ cup distilled vinegar 3 cups waterUse a good quality plastic sprayer
*NOT the sudsy type (leaves haze)-----------------------------------------------
A Bonus formula for household cleanup: Makes 1 Quart
¼ cup Dawn dish detergent (emulsifier) ½ cup bleach 1¼ cups waterSpray on, wipe off. Great for oily spills, dirty handprints, range-tops, etc. A fraction of the cost of "409", etc., and better!
This works wonderfully for the *outside* windows. In a bucket comine 1/4 cup liquid dishwasher detergent and 1 TBS Jet-Dry brand dishwasher rinse agent for every gallon of hot water. Swab mixture onto the windows with a brush or cloth, and then hose off. The water sheets up and rolls off without streaking. No wiping, no drying, no fuss. It really works. Try it. For the inside windows I just use vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
Cheri
Cheri
on 10/7/2008 8:18 PM Frank said the following:
Before Windex and all those other cleaners, there was vinegar and water, and wiped with newspaper.
1 cup household ammonia 1 cup rubbing alcohol 1 gallon water
Add a drop of dishwashing liquid if the household ammonia is labeled "clear" ammonia. You can use more alcohol for faster drying. Avoid cleaning windows in the sun.
And to counteract the oils in rubbing alcohol.
You can use more alcohol for faster drying. Avoid
Free
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So, you have four choices:
- Subscribe to a stand-alone newsgroup (free or paid),
- Access your favorite newsgroups through a web service (i.e., Google Groups),
- Request a reduction in your monthly fee from Comcast because they cut your service (I'm sure they'll do the stand-up thing), or
- Switch ISPs (we use Comcast to connect to the internet, but Earthlink is our ISP).*
--------
- At this instant, however, we're using AT&T DSL because the Comcast cable connection is down. Yes, we have both, because redundancy is not redundant.
Why not just use a different news server rather than stop using usenet entirely. It's simple to do and there are lots of reasonably good free ones out there.
I use
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as my secondary news server. Go there. Check it out. Sign up. Maintain continuity in your posting pleasure.
HTH and HAND
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:BSTGk.1969$ snipped-for-privacy@flpi148.ffdc.sbc.com:
Hey Edwin:
Had archived your post from last October for future use. Tried the first one today on some large windows & patio doors. Worked surprisingly well! Even at night when it's very dark outside and the light inside makes the glass like a black mirror, couldn't see any streaks.
Many window cleaning concoctions have ammonia and vinegar in them. Wonder what the corn starch does?
Thanks, Red...
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:BSTGk.1969$ snipped-for-privacy@flpi148.ffdc.sbc.com:
Still using #1 Ed. Did a batch today. Still streakless.
Had passed it along to someone who has one of those patio screen rooms that has sliding glass doors all around. They were OMG amazed as well.
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