LIFE HACK – A few years ago we moved into a house by a pond and surrounded by woods that has tons of windows. The original owners must have had seasonal deficit disorder and just wanted tons of light or I suppose they just wanted to see the scenery.

We love watching the wind blow, the snow fall, the leaves changing in Autumn. right now we’ve been watching robin’s build a nest, the pond ice melting, wind flowing across the water and all kinds of waterfowl migrating and taking a rest at our pond.

But the curse of these windows is cleaning them! They develop film of smoke from the fireplace, cooking and simply human inhabitation.

I’ve tried everything to get them clean including:

• Windex
• Invisable Glass
• Squeegies
• Vinagar and water
• Old newspapers

PRO TIP: Avoid using glass cleaners that are based on ammonia or alcohol. They may seem like they’d produce a more intense clean, but in reality, they can leave streaks and even a thin film that attracts dust and moisture.

Nothing seems to really work. You think you’ve gotten them clean but once the morning sun shines on them at a particular angle, all you see is streakiness.

A neighbor tipped me off on E-cloths so I gave them a try. Hands down THIS IS THE BEST WAY to clean windows.

– Me

All these years, I’ve been cleaning windows wrong!

The E-cloth method consists of two microfiber cloths and water. No sprays, no chemicals.

You simply get the thicker, waffle-like microfiber cloth wet and then wring it out. Wipe the glass down with the damp cloth. This picks up the dirt, smoke and grease. Then you finish it off with the thinner “polishing” cloth to make the window really shiny.

Seriously for the price of a big bottle of Windex, this method works so much better and you are not breathing in any chemical fumes.

Also works great for car windshield and granite countertops. I keep a set in the car and one under the sink.

I’ve bought sets for everyone in my family from my college kid to my Mom.