Handy House Guides Home Improvement Lifehacks and Guides
We’re wondering how people lived their lives before Windex. This is one cleaning solution you can reach out to whenever you need an instant fix.
Back in the day, Philip Drackett couldn’t have guessed his solution would become an icon of shining glass when he first introduced Windex in 1936. In truth, his invention was first intended for cleaning automobile windshields, but people have found a better use.
Decades later, we still discover that Windex can fill more roles than expected. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the less-known household uses of Windex that will make your cleaning chores a breeze.
What’s Special about Windex?
Among several chemicals, Windex contains ammonium hydroxide, which helps clean glass without leaving any streaks behind. Cleaning glass surfaces is tricky, and water can leave behind unsightly traces.
Added to that, Windex gives results in a much shorter period. Its chemical composition has been enhanced to break down stubborn blemishes in a few minutes. In most cases, you must spray it, let it sit, and wipe it with a cloth.
11 Household Uses of Windex
Windex is at the heart of intelligent cleaning, regardless of the place. In this article, we’re focusing on facilitating your chores at home.
Here are some of the most uncommon uses of Windex.
Kitchen Surfaces
More than any other place at home, a kitchen requires clever cleaning tricks. Windex will come in handy for your kitchen windows, but that’s not the only surface that can get a facelift.
Let’s start with the relentless grease on the stovetop and cleaning inside the oven. To remove the grease, spray Windex and let it sit for about ten minutes before you wipe it with a cloth.
You might need to reapply if you haven’t cleaned those spots for a while. Don’t forget to follow the same steps for greasy pantry doors.
Next comes the stretches of countertops that tell the story of your cooking championships. Remember those turmeric stains you gave up on after many trials? Windex will make them a thing of the past.
However, if your surfaces are made of natural stone or wood, we recommend you try Windex on a hidden spot first. You’re good to go if it doesn’t cause abrasion or discoloration to the surface.
Home Appliances
Stainless steel appliances give a sleek appearance to your kitchen, but they can look dull over time. Not to mention that they can also build up grease since they’re within close vicinity of cooking heat.
Use Windex to remove resistant oily splatters and light fingerprints to bring back the shine to those surfaces. Spray the solution onto a cleaning rag and wipe the appliances in a circular motion.
Crystal Decor
Everything glass will look better after a Windex treatment, but having those chemicals on your drinking vessels isn’t safe. So, you can’t use Windex to add lustre to your tableware.
However, Windex is the perfect cleaning product for crystal vases and antiques on the shelves. In a similar way, crystal chandeliers will thank you for a Windex clean-up, as they’re constantly exposed to dust in the air.
Bathroom Fixtures
Bathroom surfaces can get gradually stained with the use of other discoloring detergents. Not only will Windex make your bathroom much more presentable, but it’s also an effective disinfectant against microbes that thrive in wet areas.
We recommend spraying the blue potion inside your toilet bowl and then brushing with a toilet bowl set after a few minutes. Similarly, you can use Windex to clean the bathtub, wash basin, and stainless steel faucets.
Cars
If your car’s windows are barely see-through after a heavy raining season, use Windex to clear the glass in no time. Windex can also be used with a wiping cloth to clean the car interiors without needing a complete car wash.
Child Play Area
Watching your children learn about their surroundings by making an overwhelming mess can be stressful. No worries, though, Windex is here to help.
This solution will take care of milk spills on floor mats and crayon smudges on the desks. Windex can also deal with difficult stains on toys.
Just spray the solution on the affected surface and wipe it with a damp towel. For toys, you’ll need to thoroughly wash them with water afterwards for your child’s safety. Follow up with a vinegar and water solution to remove any build-up from Windex.
Jewellery
There’s no better addition to a woman’s beauty than a shimmering jewellery set. Yet, as experience has proven, jewellery materials lose shine over time.
To revive the sheen, soak the jewellery pieces in Windex and let them sit for a few minutes. Then, gently scrub with a toothbrush.
Windex is surprisingly one of few detergents that can safely clean diamond rings. However, you need to take care of other natural gems.
Floor and Wall Tiles
Tiles are some of the most versatile wall and floor finishes. They add pattern, texture, and color to otherwise dull rooms and can be easily maintained.
However, the grooves between tiles are every homeowner’s dreaded challenge. Thankfully, using Windex for scrapping those grooves will leave your floors and walls looking as good as they looked on their first day of use.
Insect Repellent
The ammonia in Windex doesn’t smell pleasant to anyone. for insects, they can’t even come near the ammonia source.
So, you can spray the door and window edges to repel insects. Even more, if you’re troubled by a bug attack, you can spray the bugs with Windex to get rid of them instantly.
Beware, though, as this weapon might backfire if you use it against larger insects, like wasps. They’re more resistant and might attack back with painful stings.
Fabric Stains
Windex works wonders on many types of fabrics, including clothing and upholstery. For instance, our couches will accumulate food stains as we use them daily.
If you can’t wash your upholstery separately, you can use Windex for shampooing the couches. All you need to do is to spray the stains and repeatedly wipe them with a rag.
With Windex, you can also consider giving your oven mitts and tablecloth a refreshed look. In all cases, we recommend you go for a clear Windex variant to avoid staining the fabrics in blue.
Outdoor Furniture
It would help if you cleaned your patio furniture before wrapping it up for the winter to avoid scratching the metal during storms. Windex serves a great purpose in wiping those surfaces clean.
Additionally, give another refreshing Windex treatment to your outdoor furniture after the winter season. The best thing about Windex is that it suits many materials, including glass table tops, resin, and aluminium.
Windex Precautions
As much as we love the wanders made by Windex, we need to remember that it should be used with care. Please keep it away from children and use protective gloves while cleaning.
Besides, consider wearing an apron to avoid staining your clothes with the blue solution. To keep a safety margin, try Windex on a limited area of whatever surface you’re cleaning to ensure it doesn’t cause more harm than good.
Wrap Up
Altogether, we listed 11 of the best household uses of Windex that you probably never heard of before. We still believe there’s more to this handy solution than our list can handle.
Next time you’re stuck with a cleaning challenge, look up whether Windex can lend a hand. We’d be surprised if no one has tried to solve your problem using this product.
