Friday, 24 June 2016

Window Cleaning; French Style!



French hinges are not like UK hinges; ours slot on from above, and can be lifted off quite easily.

I don't clean windows too often; this isn't a show house by any means. But occasionally I do take the windows off, sponge them with soapy water, then hose them down to remove all the suds. It's easy, quick, and does the job.

These ones also needed a light 'oiling' with linseed; it preserves the wood and gives it a 'glow'.

The windows were made for us by a local man about 35 years ago, and have lasted very well. We replace bits of missing putty occasionally, but other than that they simply receive a really good cleaning about every five years; whether they need it or not.... More than enough!



26 comments:

  1. Lovely windows, we call those 'English windows" here.
    Clever idea. 'Necessity is the mother of invention' in your case; those little windows are tough to clean singularly, especially nearest the wooden frame.
    My windows need cleaning... Cro?
    Greetings Maria x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The panes of glass are very small and much easier to clean 'on their backs'. The window is also in rather an odd place. Mostly we have very big single sheets of glass in our doors etc, and they are much easier.

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  2. Same sistem here but i can not put them back alone, so i wait.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They're not always easy to put back on; but these were OK.

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  3. Here is the first time that I've had windows that open inwards. That means you can clean, in situ, the outsides even upstairs. I don't think that there are any Window Cleaners in France.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder why it's different from one country to the next.... In the UK our windows open either outwards or up and down.

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    2. And, have you noticed how uncluttered our windowsills become in Summer!!

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  4. Ours open and also tilt inwards. Just a large pane of glass, so I wash them with a pressure washer - easy peasy !
    I love the look of your windows Cro, but wouldn't want the work involved, so I'll admire them from afar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's why I only wash them every 5 years!

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  5. You're supposed to wash windows? Oh...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not trying to start a trend; it's just a suggestion (every 5 years).

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  6. Yes, Cro, nothing more important than to see clearly.

    U

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That would certainly be the common sense approach.

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  7. They look brand new. You did an excellent job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They're made of really good hardwood, so it doesn't take much work.

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  8. They look far too clean! I'm looking at mine now and thinking oh dear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yours probably haven't yet had the full five years.

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  9. Tey are lovely windows Cro. Wish I could take ours off hinges in order to sluice them down. As it is, (they are old-fashioned sash windows) they are a bit of a chore to clean inside (the window cleaner does the outside. I well remember my mother cleaning the outside of ours when I was a child - sitting out on to the window sill and pulling the top window down onto her legs so that she is firmly fixed in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll stick with my method. Less dangerous!

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  10. Oh wow, what a wonderful idea to have detachable windows. I have a wonderful gardener who washes my windows once in three months. He makes a solution of redbush tea to wash the dust off and then wipes them shiny with newspaper. Any longer than that and we'd wander around in a darkened house. Sorry I've not been around regularly this week, but we had an injured cat and keeping him comfortable after vets treatment has taken a lot of my time. Greetings Jo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh dear Jo; I hope the cat is OK. There's almost nothing worse than having a sick animal at home. Best wishes.

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  11. Windows here in the hurricane-prone Outer Hebrides are, of course, quite different and the ideod of not washing them is only ok if you don't want to see through them: salt-encrusted windows are very irritating.

    ReplyDelete

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