If you had to clean your own window, what would you bring?

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gmushial

OBS Chief
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Jun 21, 2013
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The last time on the CZ I found a nice coach seat with a full window (not a half-window) and even on the right (desired) side of the train... only to realize after the fact that the window was covered with ??? hair oil, or something, that made taking pictures almost impossible. I know I can't do anything about the outside being dirty... but any suggestions for a single-use cleaner to give the inside of the window a good cleaning? [yes could bring a big old Windex bottle and a roll of paper towels.... but I like to travel light - with just the smallest of carry-on bags] Are there single use towelettes that one can buy that would do the job... know of lots of hand and face towelettes - but don't think I've ever seen any that would/could be used to give a window a serious good cleaning.

as always: many thanks - greg
 
To both: many thanks. Amazon had them... now I'm waiting for the brown truck to show up :) thanks again.
 
i usually spit in my hands and then rub them on the window--works fine (but don't have a Coke or Pepsi first as it tends to make your spit a little brown
 
Thanks for the Windex wipes idea.

On previous LD trips, I brought along a small 4-5 oz spray bottle filled with Windex. The bottle is reasonably small and light (meets my travel light needs) and has a cap to prevent the pump from being depressed accidentally when stowed in your bag. Yes, it is one more item to bring along, but I have found it to be worth the effort. Of course, paper hand towels are usually available in the rest room.
 
Coach cars are supposed to be issued with a can of glass cleaner. I'm sure if you ask the attendant for some... they would be happy to help you out. From the most recent Service Standards Manual:

Forms, Tools and Supplies – Report Location

Before boarding the equipment, the TAC must have the following:

(snip)

•Cleaning towels (rags)

•Germicidal spray car interior cleaner

•Glass cleaner “Solution Plus”
I know that trains sometimes don't have the equipment they're supposed to have.. but I'm not a huge fan of paying out of my own pocket to provide something to Amtrak... that they're supposed to provide to me.
 
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I boarded the Silver Meteor in New York and when I sat down in my room I was looking out a filthy window. I just took a towel from my room and went outside to clean it off before the train departed. The sleeping car attendant saw me and apologized and brought a towel from the shower room and helped me. I had the only clean window in the whole car.
 
At La Junta one time there was a passenger in a downstairs roomette with Windex and a paper towel cleaning his window.

Should Windex be included in the standard Amtrak travel kit along with duct tape, swiss army knife and flashlight?
 
On the upper level of a Super Liner you can't reach the window!
I wonder if they'd get the hint... if you brought your own ladder so that you could? :) I now have an answer for the insides - wonder what magic that can be found for the outsides?
 
I'm not a huge fan of paying out of my own pocket to provide something to Amtrak... that they're supposed to provide to me.
You're not providing something to Amtrak if - as with a bit of window cleaner - it belongs to you and you're using it to improve your sightseeing.
 
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happy-holidays1.gif
 
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And this is why I bring a few sheets of heavy-duty paper towel with me on all Amtrak trips. Either that or a disposable sponge.
 
Why not simply grab a few wet and dry paper towels from the washroom? I can't see bringing cleaning supplies from home.....
 
Why not simply grab a few wet and dry paper towels from the washroom? I can't see bringing cleaning supplies from home.....
Because the ones in the washroom never get the job done when you're trying to dry your hands, much less removing three days of dirt off of a train car.
 
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On a couple of occasions I have seen a 2 man window cleaning crew, one with a sponge on a pole and the other with a squeegee give the Texas Eagle windows a quick once over in FTW.
 
Why not simply grab a few wet and dry paper towels from the washroom? I can't see bringing cleaning supplies from home.....
I guess if there weren't disposable window cleaning packets, then I'd give it a try... but as pointed out, it's not entirely clear that one would end up with a clean window, and not just a further smudged window... this last time on the CZ: I'm not sure what had gotten on the window, how, and if I really wanted to touch it - kind of that level of nasty. But I think with a Windex packet or two I'd have been willing to give it a try (instead of moving to the only other available seat and that only had a half window).
 
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