It's official.
I need to be institutionalized.

The new house, something that I affectionately call the money pit, has 42 windows. That's 42 things that need to be cleaned on a regular basis. I don’t mind cleaning but it seems like as soon as I get done cleaning one part of the house, another area needs immediate attention. Being slightly compulsive about dirty windows, I spend a lot of time with a spray bottle in one hand and a roll of paper towels in the other. I love the fact that the windows are large and allow in a lot of natural sunlight but at the same time they are older and a few need to be replaced soon. These are about 65 years old and slide up and down on wood tracks, I only mention that because some of them swell when it rains or gets really cold essentially making it almost impossible to slide them open to clean the outside. Now maybe you understand my opening statement, I really need professional help.

Rite Aid Glass Cleaner

When you first see this you might think that it's a bottle of Windex since the sprayer, nozzle and label really resemble it, not to mention that it has the same blue color. In fact, this works almost as good as Windex on almost all surfaces that you can clean with it. The exception being greasy over door windows and stovetops. That's when you need to use a few extra squirts to get the job done. Even so, this has been my glass cleaner of choice since I moved in to the new house because it's cheaper than the name brands, works just as well [in most cases] and the trigger never clogs or needs cleaning. I have successfully used this on all of the windows, the stovetop, mirrors and computer monitors. I tried this out on the vertical blinds but it was a complete disaster, it was easier to pull them off the pegs, toss them in the tub and let them soak for a few hours than it was to try and keep up with the glass cleaner as it streamed down them. Even with a mountain of paper towels I couldn't get them completely clean and most of them looked worse than when I started.

So how does this work on the really bad surfaces? So far the only thing that the Rite Aid Glass Cleaner couldn’t get clean was the inside of the over door window. I have no idea when this was cleaned last but I'd imagine a few years had past since the last time it saw a cleaning product of any type. This worked great on the bathroom mirrors and I was really surprised when they came out streak free. Just like almost every other thing in the house, the mirrors were in pretty bad shape and needed some real work to get them looking good. I did try this on the fixtures but they too are as old as dirt and didn't come clean. I even tossed a bottle of this in my new vehicle to keep the inside windows clean and while it doesn’t dry as fast as the cleaners that are made specifically for autos, it does the trick to get rid of the usual dirt.

Since this contains ammonia you don't want to mix this with any other type of cleaning product, especially in bathrooms. I squirted this on the walls of the shower to try and loosen up the mystery mold that was growing in the cracks and when it didn't work I broke out the heavy duty tile cleaner. Needless to say, the fumes from the two mixing together were enough to keep me out of the bathroom for the better part of an hour. Please, read the labels and warnings on all cleaning products and never mix things. And speaking of warnings, there are some things that you won't want to use this on. They include wallpapered surfaces, anything wood [even stuff that is coated or covered chipboard], any type of fabric or carpeting. That might sound like odd things to put a glass cleaning product on but I once knew someone that swore Windex was the best pretreating product for laundry.

Cost

So far I have only seen this in one size, the 33 ounce bottle that you can't ignore when you see it on the shelf. The last bottle I picked up was $2.79 but it was on sale; the normal selling price is about $2.99. When you compare that to Windex and other brand name items you are getting a real bargain. If you aren't satisfied with the glass cleaner it is backed with the Rite Aid guarantee. Return it to the store you purchased it from for a refund or exchange. It doesn't get any simpler than that!

The Bottom Line

So far I have had nothing but great results from the Rite Aid Glass Cleaner and will continue to buy it when I need it. It’s about a dollar cheaper than the name brand stuff and works just as well. If I do need to use a few extra squirts on some surfaces then it's no big deal because I am still saving money in the long run. With 42 windows to be cleaned on a regular basis, plus the mirrors, computer monitors and other glass surfaces, I'd be crazy to waste money on something that costs more. Then again ... who ever said I was sane? Regardless of my mental state, this is a great value, doesn't leave streaks and can be used on a variety of surfaces. The next time you are looking for a great glass cleaner, don’t overlook the Rite Aid brand!


As always, thanks for the read!

~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~

© 2005 Freak369


Other Rite Aid product reviews …

Rite Aid Cuff Gloves
Rite Aid Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner With Bleach
Rite Aid Antibacterial Disposable Towelettes
Rite Aid Aluminum Foil
Rite Aid Clear Plastic Wrap




Recommended: Yes