If there's yrs of built-up hardened grime, spray the panes with vinegar & use a razor blade.

I have shower does that have the same problem and I spray Clorox Clean up or some other product with quite a bit of bleach and then let it sit. It works wonders! It's definitely harsh but it's the only sure fire thing I've found.

Try baking soda and peroxide.

Maybe the answer is obvious, but have you tried to clean the outside of the window? Perhaps the grime is on the other side?

Are the windows double-paned?
The cloudiness looks like a thermal window after the seal has broken, and moisture has found its way between the two panes of glass...

I can't tell in the picture, but if he window is dual-paned, perhaps the seal has failed? that would mean that the "gunk" is between the panes. Usually you see moisture, but depending on where you're at (weather conditions), you could just be seeing discoloration from dried moisture. If that's the case, your landlord should replace/fix it. :)

I second the idea that the OUTSIDE of the windows are dirty.

i have done the comet and a scrubber. it worked great.

Vinegar and baking soda.

Once you get the gunk off with vinegar, polish with a microfiber cloth--the ones made for glass are smooth, not terry cloth--they get windows soo nice and streak free.

Windows can also get photo damage. Which kind of "etches" a whitish stain on the window. This happened to our apartment. The buildings owner offered to replace the glass.

Sprayway--"World's Best Glass Cleaner"--that's the name. It's like the Anti-7th Generation; probably can't even buy it in CA, but try your local Ace Hardware. This stuff is amazing when all else fails. But, seriously, hide it behind your Method stuff in case your friends go snooping through your cleaning supplies during a holiday party.

I had filthy windows moving into my apartment. I cleaned the insides using my mom's steam cleaner, which worked great. Unfortunately they still look dirty since the outside is impossible to get to...

I've use a small amount of nail polish remover on a rag (the type that remove fake nails). It even removes adhesive, just be careful not to get let it drip, because it will strip the paint around the windows.

I forgot, once it dries use water and vinegar.

If there is grime and hard water stains on a cleanable part of the window pane then I recommend using barkeeper's friend powder and the scrubby side of a sponge - the house i moved into had YEARS of hard water stains and grime and I tried everything...vinegar, baking soda, nail polish remover, CLR...nothing worked until I tried barkeeper's friend - just mix it with a bit of water and with the scrubby side of a sponge (not too abrasive though) and some elbow grease it cleans up - follow up with glass cleaner.

There is something like glass polish available. It's used to get rid of deposits on car front shields.

I've got that from my car dealer and it was the only way deep clean my new windows without scratching them.

Citrasolve

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Gleen. It's this little microfiber cloth that you dampen just a tiny bit of water and it takes EVERYTHING off. Don't even need another cleaner. Awesome.

Rain-X will also take off grime from windows...however you have to buff it off once it dries.

Vinegar with a wet cloth to wash; wipe dry with a dry cloth. Why there are even other window cleaners for sale baffles me after learning how well vinegar works.

I mix a gallon of water, a few drops of dish soap, and a couple of glugs of both alcohol and vinegar together. Great window cleaner both inside and out.

How about using a Magic Eraser? Those things are amazing! We used Magic Erasers and some elbow grease on our nasty city windows and everything came off - even sap! It also wouldn't hurt to first spray the windows with some vinegar mixed with a few drops of Dawn to help soften the grim up.

*grime

A magic eraser! I promise you won't be disappointed!!

Don't use a magic eraser!!!! Magic erasers are microabrasive, which will scratch and leave the glass cloudy forever. Wait, maybe the previous tenants used one??? Try rubbing alcohol.

Inside and out = vinegar and newspaper and lots of patience. if there is a dual pane problem, that is another story. I

I second Barkeepers Friend! A friend had this problem with very cloudy glass shower doors. He'd tried everything. I used BKF, and the green scrubby side of a dish sponge, and it worked like a charm.

It would be nice to know if anything worked for Tennille (and what)...

I was going to start an experiment and try something new everyday but I started with Bar Keepers Friend, and I thinks it's worked. Thanks so much for all the tips!

Tennille

#0000 Steel Wool works really good so do razor blades, just make sure they are both fresh so you don't scratch the glass.

Razor Blades!

After reading this post I tried cleaning an old window, that I've been saving to make a greenhouse, by applying water mixed with Dawn's dishwashing liquid power soak. I let it sit for 5 minutes, because this product reportedly cuts through even baked on stuff in just 5 minutes, ran a plastic putty knife over the glass and then rinsed clean. It worked for me.

I've used Spic 'n Span with a lot of success and also Simple Green spray. I haven't actually tried Simple Green on the window, but I sprayed in on the tile grout of my mom's kitchen counter, left it for 15 minutes and then scrubbed it out with a basic plastic scrubber sponge with hardly any effort. It even brought out the original light color or the grout, as opposed to how grout gets dark with grime.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I had a similar problem with my shower doors when I moved in.

This has been said already, but broken seals on double-pane windows look exactly like that, and there's no way to fix it. All of our windows in our condo were that way when we moved in. Unfortunately, that also meant that they were poorly insulated and we got drafts in winter and heat in summer. Hope yours just need cleaning!

I use jet-dri on my glass shower. It's the only way I've ever found to get all the gunk off without streaking. Works like gangbusters.