It was my job when I was a kid, starting in the 1950's, to wash the outside windows in the fall and usually in the spring. At what age exactly this ritual was started I am not sure. All I know is my mother liked things nice and clean and that was just one of many cleaning jobs to attend to on the farm.
Only the first floor windows were dealt with. Our house was big! The lower ones were enough. Wood storms on in the fall with the screens then stored in the basement. In the spring, obviously the reverse. Mostly vinegar, water, and rags were used after being hosed off to eliminate cobwebs and dust. Those old storms were heavy, but, I never remember breaking one.
THREE things came out of fall window cleaning. One, to this day fall is my favorite season. Clear blue skies, sunny, and temperatures in the 60's or maybe low 70's. Two, I still enjoy doing windows and the pride in seeing that one window perfectly clean so when looking at it you would think there was no glass there at all.
And thirdly, on those Saturdays with my blue portable radio sitting there beside me, listening to the Iowa Hawkeye football games with the voice of the Hawkeyes-Jim Zabel. Life couldn't have been much better. No sir!
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