Spring cleaning for your windows

Don't let dirty windows obscure your view of nature. Whether you do the job yourself or hire an experienced pro, few home investments are as immediately satisfying as clean, sparkling windows.

Here are expert DIY tips that my research team gathered from top-rated window cleaners:

Start with the right supplies. If windows are standard glass, not leaded or stained, and they aren't tinted, you should be able to use common window-cleaning products.

But you can always just clean with hot, soapy water and rinse with water and a small amount of vinegar to improve shine. Or, you can try these options:

Combine a cup of rubbing alcohol, a cup of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.

For glass that's cloudy, try straight ammonia. (Don't combine vinegar and ammonia, as they cancel each other out.)

Good wipe-down materials include paper or microfiber cloths and newspapers.

For cleaning hard-to-reach outside windows, consider an extendable tool that has a soft scrubber on one side and a squeegee on the other. Spray the scrubber with cleaning solution, clean the window and squeegee to remove the cleaner.

To more easily see streaks that will require a second shot of elbow grease, wipe the inside of glass in a different direction than the outside. For instance, go side-to-side on the inside and up and down on the back.

Here's a tip if you find that your lower windows, or siding, have dark stains: Your mulch may be to blame. Cheap mulch may be infested with a fungus that, when mature, shoots black spores that stick to glass and siding and are hard to remove completely. If you have problems, consider switching to higher quality mulch.

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Spring cleaning for your windows