You love the look of your windows after they’ve been detailed by a professional company. But you don’t have to deal with staring out dirty windows between your semi-annual window cleanings. Your home cleaning solutions won’t replace a professional cleaning service but they can keep you satisfied with the state of your windows in the meantime. Whether you want to see big city Los Angeles or small town Newmarket, windows this clean will help you be able to see clearly no matter where you are.

Keeping your windows in a shiny state isn’t as difficult as it may seem and can be made easier when you follow these five helpful hacks. Remember that these tips are only to be used for interior cleaning. Always leave any hard to reach windows that would require a ladder to the professionals. As pleasant as it is to have clean windows, it isn’t worth sacrificing your safety for.

1.    Ditch the Newspaper

It’s become a pretty common practice for people to recycle the newspaper lying around their house by using it in place of paper towels. This is a smart and environmentally friendly practice. However, the number one complaint about this practice is all the ink you usually end up with on your hands.

To avoid the ink stains covering your fingers, pick up an unused paper coffee filter and use that instead. Like newspaper, coffee filters help to keep your windows from streaking. But unlike newspaper, it won’t leave dark marks all over your hands and window pane.

2.  Learn How to Squeegee

Most people want the bright shine of a clean window but avoid cleaning it because they are afraid of creating unsightly streaks. If you still can’t avoid streaks, even with the coffee filter method, watch a few YouTube videos on proper squeegeeing techniques.

You can purchase a small squeegee for inside your home from most home improvement stores. Remember to wipe the blade between each swipe and change it when it gets dull. This will keep your windows brighter and more see through.

3.  Make Your Own Cleaner

When you hear “homemade cleaners” do you roll your eyes before you go back to your Pine Sol and Windex? Some home-brewed cleaners can be a tricky balance of water, ammonia, and other random household liquids. To clean your windows though, all you need is water, vinegar, and dish soap. Two parts water to one part soap and one part vinegar will suffice, although there are plenty of different measurements that will all yield positive results.

Spray (but don’t drench) your windows with this cleaner before wiping it away. Then rinse your window with a small amount of water to avoid any film build up from the dish soap. Be careful to avoid adding too much dish soap to your formula for this reason.

4.  Use a Blackboard Eraser

If even after following these strategies those streaks are still driving you insane, head to your local craft store and pick up a new blackboard eraser. It won’t erase all of your problems but rubbing it across your window will get rid of those pesky streaks.

A soft, static-free shirt or cloth diaper can also help to eliminate streaks on your windows. The trick is finding something that will get rid of streaks but not leave behind an additional residue of lint or dust.

5.  Take Care of the Details

When it comes to windows, the perfection is in the details. It isn’t enough to have a window that you can see out of. You want to be able to see perfect out of it from any angle, at any time of day.

To avoid water marks on the edges, wipe your cleaner or water with a soft t-shirt or even a Q-tip. If you’ve noticed some intense scratches in your windows, buff them out with a non-gel toothpaste. If you have the remains of a sticker or decal on your window, rubbing alcohol will help to get the gunk off. Look through your window at every detail to get it cleaned to perfection.

Theo Schmidt is a freelance blogger who enjoys spending time in the outdoors, and is passionate about protecting the environment. For new and improved windows, visit the Northern Comfort Windows website.