This Pro Window Washer Swears by Towels You Can Buy on Amazon for Less Than $1 Each

When Greg Shepard left the tech world in 2004 to start Dallas Maids, a residential cleaning company in Dallas, Texas, he washed plenty of windows in his clients’ homes as he was getting the business off the ground.

During those early years of his business, he devised a three-step strategy to leave windows streak-free and gleaming. It involves a few magic tricks: an “S” shape, good old fashioned Dawn dish soap, and… surgical towels.

That’s right—you can put down your paper towels and microfiber. To get the best clean, Shepard swears by Blue Huck Surgical Towels. These super-absorbent towels are lint-free and are reusable, which makes them an eco-friendly option. “Best of all, the more you wash them, the softer they get,” he says. “Just toss them in the washing machine when you’re done.” You can buy them in a pack of 50 for $24, which means they cost less than $1 each (go in on a pack with friends!).

If you’re tired of all those fingerprints and grease impeding your view but haven’t had the energy to do a deep clean, we know how you feel. Following Shepard’s express window cleaning method is sure to get you off the couch and started—right now.

Begin by soaking the entire window surface with cleaner. Shepard recommends mixing Dawn dishwashing detergent and water in a bucket (just one squirt of the dishwashing detergent into a bucket of water will do) and using a rag to apply it to your window surface. If you want to skip the bucket ordeal, just spray your windows with a window cleaner (like Windex or Alvin Corn.)

Using your surgical towels (or any other clean, dry cloth), wipe the window in a ‘S’ rotation starting at the top. Move from the top left to the top right as you wipe the window from top to bottom.

Use your cloth to clean the window corners and dry your wooden windowsills with a fresh dry cloth to ensure that the cleaning solution doesn’t soak in and potentially lead to rot.