Lee Moriwaki of Pacific Island Window cleans a pane
at a Nuuanu home. By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin

Well, cleaning your windows may not be the uncomplicated task you thought it was.

You have some major decisions to make: will you use vinegar, soapy water or ammonia; squeegee, newspaper, or rags?

These questions can set off debates among cleaning experts. Nationally syndicated hint columnist Heloise has long advocated the use of a bit of white vinegar mixed with water and a handful of newspapers to get the job done.

Karen St. Germain, co-owner with her husband George of St. Germain's window cleaning service in Honolulu, prefers a simple cleaning route: soapy water and lint-free rags.

"Vinegar is a natural antiseptic and a very good cleaner," she said. "But soapy water works quite well."

One way to make window cleaning easier is frequent cleansing, at least once every other month, St. Germain said.

"If you wait and let grime build up and water spots to set in, it's much harder to clean," she said.

Preparing to clean windows is easy: Fill a bucket with water and enough dish soap to make suds. Old T-shirts are best because they are lint free and absorb lots of water, St. Germain said.

For Hawaii's abundance of jalousie windows St. Germain recommends wiping a soapy rag over as many as four jalousies at a time. Then use a wet, nonsoapy rag to remove the soap. Dry the window with a clean rag.

Using newspapers for drying will get your hands and even the window sill black from the ink, St. Germain said.

You also can use a "professional" squeegee and a homemade cleaning solution made of two to three tablespoons of clear, nonsudsing ammonia per gallon of cool water.

Stubborn water spots may require special chemicals, depending on the type of glass. St. Germain recommends calling a professional window cleaner to identify the glass and type of cleanser required. Other suggestions:

• If necessary, dust off the window and sill. Excess dust and water can cause mud.
• If you use a squeegee, buy a professional-type - about $20 at a janitorial supply store. Cheap brands are not as effective, and you have to replace the whole thing once the blade is nicked.
• Try not to clean windows while in direct sunlight; the cleaning solution will dry too fast.
• Start each squeegee stroke in a dry spot. Wipe a strip with a cleaning cloth to get started.
• Squeegee in a systematic pattern from top to bottom or side to side. Wipe horizontally on one side of the window and vertically on the other side. That way you can tell which side streaks are on.
• A jalousie tip: Open the jalousie all the way so you can get to both sides. Take a wet rag to wipe them off then let dry. After completely dry, use Triple O Steel Wool and go over the window again. The steel wool will clean it up perfectly and remove all the water spots.