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Dulley's Money-Saving Tip #1092

Clean window weatherstripping

(related column topic links - (445, 523, 689, 932)

After a summer of opening and closing your windows, dirt can build up along the sealing surfaces between the window sash and frame and between the two sashes on double-hung and slider windows. This is often a result of insects and especially spiders that cause particles to stick to the weatherstripping and in the channels where the sashes slide.

Open the window and run a vacuum cleaner brush tool along the weatherstripping and sealing surfaces. Then wipe them down with a soap washcloth. Dry them off with a soft towel and you are done. If you have some extra time, also inspect the weatherstripping for damage. For example, I feed the squirrels at my home and some of the seeds got on the window sill and in the channels. The hungry little guys chewed on the weatherstripping to get to the seeds and actually chewed a hole right through my screen.