Saturday Share: Windex, Not Just for Glass, 10 Other Uses

I've started fall cleaning—only because I missed spring cleaning.

I guess I can either be accused of  procrastination or applauded for thinking ahead. 

I don't keep a lot of chemical cleansers because some common products, either homemade or store-bought do just as good a job without taking up space in the cupboard under the kitchen sink.

A perfect example of this is Windex which has been around since—well, I just looked it up. Windex has been with us since 1936 when it was invented by Philip Drackett as a vehicle windshield cleaner. 

I use the original Windex which contains a lot of ammonia—28% along with 4% alcohol. The blue liquid can clean many different things. (Never mix with products containing bleach!)

Windex, More Than a Glass Cleaner

1.  Spray the inside of your toilet bowl, wait a couple of minutes then scrub with the bowl brush.

2. Spray the greasy backsplash behind the stove. It will cut the grease easily.

3. Use as a touchup spray for your floors. I keep a sponge mop handy. If I see a spot where coffee was spilled, it's a simple matter to spray it with Windex, then wipe with a paper towel. If I see lots of spots, like Freddie tracked in dirt or mud from playing in the yard, I can spray and use the sponge mop. No rinsing needed.

4. Crazy tip for moving a heavy appliance like the fridge or stove. Spray the floor in front of the appliance. It should slide out easier without marking the floor. (Always be careful when moving something on a floor rather than lifting it.)

5. Use as a jewelry cleaner. Just spray, brush with a soft child's toothbrush, rinse, and dry with a soft cloth. Never use this on pearls or opals. To clean pearls, gently rub with a soft cotton cloth. To clean opals, gently pat with soft wet cloth. 

I have opals which I bought in Japan. I was told to periodically soak them in a small bowl of water. I don't know if that's true. I never did it and my jewelry doesn't look any worse for not having done it.

6. Spray your countertops then wipe with a paper towel.

7. Use to spray a mosquito bite. I usually have After Bite in a kitchen drawer—as well as one in each car—because mosquitoes can be ferocious, and they love me! 

Once after walking Freddie, I reached for the After Bite only to find it was empty. It's always smelled like ammonia to me so I grabbed the Windex and sprayed the bites on my ankles and arms. Worked great. (Reminded me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the heroine's father prescribed Windex for everything.)

8. Clean the white board in your office or in the kid's playroom.

9. Clean the inside of your car: dashboard, seats, steering wheel, door panels, etc. Spray Windex on a soft cloth and start wiping.

10. Keep a bottle in the kitchen cabinet as well as the bathroom cabinets along with a roll of paper towels. 

Spray the toilet, shower glass, vanity, mirror, sinks, and fixtures then use the bowl brush on the toilet and wipe down everything else with a paper towel. In less than 10 minutes, you have a sparkling clean bathroom that smells good. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

The neat thing about Windex is you can buy one spray bottle and then a refill jug of the mighty blue cleaner. Less plastic and less cost when you refill your own bottles. Happy cleaning!

Joan Reeves participates in Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon.