Trib Tested - Windex Outdoor All-In-One Glass Cleaning Tool

CHRISSY ZIRNGIBL

When I first opened up the Windex Outdoor All-In-One, I didn't expect it to be able to reach my higher windows. I was pleasantly surprised as I cleaned panes that haven't seen soap in the two years I've lived in the house. The textured pad got the job done -- all my outside windows in about 15 minutes! -- with no streaking, although I could detect some water marks after the windows dried.

I can see how this product wouldn't be right for everyone, however. It is necessary to have a hose that can reach all your windows. Also, I live in a ranch-style home, so I have no second-story windows that many other consumers likely would have to reach. The packaging does indicate it fits standard extension poles. I definitely will be buying replacement pads.

One tip: Although assembling the product seems intuitive, look carefully at the box illustration. Once the poles are snapped together, Windex claims they can't be taken apart. (They can, but with a vise, screwdriver and hammer.)

CATHERINE ARTMAN

I live in a skinny condo that goes up, up, up. The Windex cleaner comes with an 11-foot pole that, once assembled, doesn't come apart. The Swiffer-like attachment that holds the cleaning pad doesn't come off, either. That's kind of a shame, because I would have liked for it to be interchangeable with my squeegee. I have a squeegee that attaches to a 12-foot pole. I am able to screw the 12-foot pole into the end of the Windex pole, giving me a 23-foot pole. With that, I can reach the bedroom windows from my back deck.

Before tackling those upper windows, I decided to clean the deck's sliding glass doors. But lugging a garden hose to the back of the building and threading it up to the deck was more work than I wanted to do to test this product. The concentrated water spray from a hose is supposed to combine with a "sheeting action" imparted by the cleaner to eliminate the need for a squeegee or wipedown.

Lacking a hose, I loaded my water gun. Why send in a tool when a toy will do• Like an eraser on a chalkboard, the Windex pad made quick work of cleaning the doors, and the edge of the pad nicely slid into the crevice where the doors overlap. Upon rinsing, I could see the sheeting action at work, but I couldn't apply enough water quickly enough, so I finished with the squeegee. The doors cleaned up quickly and easily, encouraging me to aim higher -- 23 feet higher.

Next weekend, the hose joins the Windex in the battle.

SALLY QUINN

Most of the windows in our house can be tilted inside for what's termed "easy" cleaning. But it also requires pulling out the stepladder, and moving furniture and window dressings. The windows that open out can be cleaned with a painful arm squeeze and long stretches. But with the Windex Outdoor All-In-One, the cleaning is truly easy. The surprisingly small box holds the pieces for the extension handle -- plus, there is a screw-in space at the end to add another extension if 11 feet is not enough. Attach the cleaning pad to the flat scrubber, then simply wet the window and pad with a garden hose, scrub-a-dub the glass, and rinse. The glass dries to a shine without streaking.

With a box of refills handy, this is a task that will be completed far more often. Why spend a cranky afternoon washing windows, when you can whip through the chore in about 30 minutes?

Additional Information:

Windex Outdoor All-In -One Glass Cleaning Tool

The claim: Provides a faster, easier way to clean outdoor windows. The kit includes a water-activated cleaning pad containing enough Windex to clean 20 windows, a cleaning head, a handle and four pole sections to reach up to 11 feet. The sheeting-action formula prevents streaks and spotting, so there is no need to hand dry. The no-scratch cleaning pad is designed to tackle tough outdoor grime.

Cost: $14.99 for the starter kit, $4.99 for a two-pad refill pack

Where: Food, mass-market and do-it-yourself retailers such as Target, Home Depot and Lowe's