homegarden-20250504

Over the decades, the wisteria climbed vigorously over the roof, pulled down clapboards and grew into rooms in the house.

100-year-old wisteria vines bloom at Wistariahurst Museum

By Dawn C hipman

Special to The Republican

IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A year. The month of May brings your chance to see the more than 100-year-old wisteria vines put on a show in Holyoke.

When these plants blossom at the Wistariahurst Museum, located at 238 Cabot St., cascades of fragrant, purple flowers create walls of blooms as high as 35 feet on the mansion’s exterior.

Local fame, home invasions and a gardener’s wish wind through the wisteria’s history, dating back to the days of the horse and buggy.

peared on Sarah’s private stationary.

Sarah wasn’t the only one fond of the wisteria. According to Penni Martorell, Wistariahurst Museum curator and Holyoke city historian, Skinner family lore has it that one of the Wistariahurst gardeners, Tony Bosky, requested that when he died, he be buried with wisteria seeds in his pocket.

The original owner of Wistariahurst Museum, William Skinner, was a prominent Holyoke businessman who made a fortune manufacturing silks and satins renowned for their high quality. William Skinner & Sons became the largest producer of satin linings in the world. William’s wife Sarah was, among other things, the horticultural brain behind the wisteria growing at the house today.

“In the Victorian Era, wisteria vines grew in popularity in both the United States and Europe. They also symbolized love and romance so there are many reasons Sarah might have originally been drawn to them,” Wistariahurst Museum Director Megan Seiler said.

Old photos show the home’s barren grounds, which Sarah transformed into a place described as both a “handsome park” and a “Holyoke showplace.” The landscape included fruit trees, lawns and an elegant garden. Chinese and Japanese species of wisteria were planted around the house in the 1880s and as they grew and completely engulfed parts of the mansion, their size and beauty brought acclaim. The Holyoke newspaper announced the blooms every year.

It’s unclear when exactly the house was named after the flowering vines but in 1901, “Wistariahurst” ap -

One might imagine that gardeners through the generations encountered challenges caring for the giant wisteria at some points. Chinese and Japanese wisteria are fairly drought tolerant but perhaps an insect infestation or damaging storms wreaked havoc. If that happened, no records reflect it. “They do more damage than they experience,” Martorell said.

“I have a love/hate relationship with the vines,” Seiler said. “They are stunning and a unique part of the house and its history, but they are invasive and damage the house.” Over the decades, the wisteria climbed vigorously over the roof, pulled down clapboards and grew into rooms in the house.

“I have seen spinners of the vine pressed up against the window in the afternoon and then within 24 hours, it had wound its way between the upper and lower sash of the window and into the house,” Martorell said. And those windows were securely closed, she added.

The staff keeps the adventurous vines in check in several ways — the first method of control is to prune back the vines every year. Although volunteer master gardeners care for Wistariahurst’s gardens, an arborist manages the wisteria due to the plant’s size. Nothing like the delicate green vines of morning glories or clematis, mature wistaria vines like the ones at Wistariahurst are more like small, curvy brown tree trunks. Another control tactic is custom trellises. After the discovery of significant rot and damage caused by the vines on the Pine Street porch, a sturdy new trellis which holds the vines away from the wall was installed. The design prevents the wisteria from climbing directly on the house yet preserves the striking visual effect people love.

“My favorite thing about the vines is how bees are so drawn to them, Seiler

said. “You have the incredibly fragrant blooms and all of these buzzing bees; the vines have a little symphony going on that you can smell and hear.”

To find out when exactly in May to see (and smell and hear) the wisteria in bloom, keep an eye on the Wisty

Watch on Wistariahurst’s Instagram and Facebook pages and in their newsletter, which you can sign up for on the museum’s website at wistariahurst.org. The Wistariahurst grounds are open daily from dawn until dusk.

Lee Reich | In the Garden

Now is the

time to plant asparagus

IN MY BOOK “WEEDLESS Gardening,” I begin the section about asparagus with the statement “Forget about the usual directives to excavate deep trenches when planting one- or two-yearold crowns of asparagus.” More about planting in a bit; let me first lay out my case about why YOU should grow asparagus.

With most vegetables, by the time you taste them freshpicked somewhere, it’s too late in the season to plant them in your garden. Not so with asparagus. Borrow a taste from a neighbor’s asparagus bed, or from a wild clump along a fencerow, and you’re likely to want some growing outside your own back door. Minutesold asparagus has a very different flavor and texture (both much better) than any asparagus that reaches the markets. The time to plant is now.

A big plus for asparagus is that it’s a perennial plant, so once a bed is planted, more time is spent picking than any other activity. An established

planting can reward the gardener with tender green spears for half a century or more.

My asparagus bed is 36 years old and about 25 feet long; on every warm day, the bed offers enough stalks for a meal for two.

Deer and rabbits don’t have a taste for asparagus so no need to plant it within the vegetable garden or any protected area.

(My dogs have eclectic palates, and they joined in on the harvest until I made clear that asparagus was not dog food.)

Planting asparagus beyond the confines of the vegetable garden works out well because the lacy, green foliage stands as a backdrop for perennial flowers. Or it can soften the line of a wall or fence.

Now, back to what I wrote about planting asparagus in “Weedless Gardening.”

The traditional method for planting an asparagus bed entails digging a trench a foot or more deep, setting the roots — 1-year-old roots establish best — in the bottom with a covering of a shovelful of soil,

GARDEN NOTES

STOCKBRIDGE

Upcoming program at Berkshire Botanical Garden

Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming program. The Berkshire Botanical Garden’s 48th Annual Plants-and-Answers Plant Sale will take place May 9 and 10. Curated by BBG’s horticulture staff, this year’s plant sale features hundreds of perennials, annuals and vegetables with a focus on diversity and nature-based landscaping, a trend toward gardens that are exuberant and alive, out of the uniform and into something comfortable, and welcoming to birds, bees and butterflies.

As always, the popular “Ask Me” staff and volunteers will be on hand to provide expert advice. All proceeds from the Plant Sale support the Garden’s horticulture and education programs.

Saturday, May 10 at Dave Grieve Park Gazebo on Main Street starting at 9 a.m.

A wide selection of herbs will be available. Prices range from $3 and up. There will also be an assortment of special gift planters for Mother’s Day gifts. The plants come from members’ gardens, and members will be available to answer questions about the plants they enjoy.

Proceeds from the sale are used for local community projects such as the downtown plantings, holiday greens, and scholarship.

Down to Earth Gardeners plant sale

then filling in the trench gradually as the stalks grew.

Whew! I planted my own asparagus bed just deep enough to cover the upward pointing buds from which the roots radiate, and the plants do just fine. The main reasons for the traditional deep planting were to protect the crowns from overzealous hoes or other tillage implements, and from knives during harvest. But I don’t till my asparagus bed. I just pile on some mulch every year. And I harvest by snapping the stalks off with my fingers, rather than cutting into the soil with a knife. Gardeners with patience sow seeds, which need a year more in the ground than roots before harvest can begin. Seed sowing is straightforward, except that germination is slow. Soak the seeds in water for a few hours before sowing to shorten germination time.

Whether starting with seeds or plants, the bed needs to be planted in full sun, with 18 inches between plants in the row, and 4 feet between rows.

Garden members receive early buying privileges and a discount on BBG plant purchases. Sale hours for the general public are Friday, May 9, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Early buying for members only will be Friday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The garden will offer free parking for all visitors. To register or for more information, visit www.berkshire botanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 W. Stockbridge Road.

MONSON Garden club plant sale

Monson Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale on

The 27th Down to Earth Gardeners’ Plant Sale will take place at United Methodist Church, 162 Main St., Monson on Saturday, May 17, 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. There will be a large selection of plants for shade or sun, including perennials, ground cover, shrubs, herbs and more. For more information contact Debi at 413-267-5207.

HAMPDEN Memorial Day plant sale

The Hampden Garden Club will present its Memorial Day plant sale on May 26, from 8 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, at Academy Hall on Main Street.

AGAWAM Garden club plant sale

Agawam Garden Club is planning its annual plant sale for Saturday, May 31.

This year’s event will be held at the Historical Thomas Smith House, 251 North West St., Feeding Hills and will run from 9 a.m. to noon. The sale will include many perennials and shrubs all from members gardens and all a bargain. Because the plants are all grown locally in members gardens, they are well acclimated to the area. Proceeds from the sale go towards funding the club’s scholarship and providing educational programs for the year. Please check the club’s website for further information. agawamgardenclub. com.

SPRINGFIELD Garden club annual plant sale

The Springfield Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale on Saturday, May 31 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Monkey House in Forest Park. Free entry to the plant sale is available at the Trafton Road entrance to Forest Park, 200 Trafton Road, Springfield. A spring tradition and the Club’s major scholarship fundraiser, this is not the kind of plant sale that focuses on re-selling plants from wholesale growers. Except for a few donations from generous area garden centers, these plants are from members’ gardens or have been grown from seed specifically for the sale

This is a major fundraiser for our scholarship program and a lot of fun for club members and our customers alike. We love to talk about the plants we are offering and, with many experienced gardeners and master gardeners among us, can offer useful suggestions on which plants to buy or answers to some of your gardening questions.

The Springfield Garden Club awards an annual scholarship of between $2,000 to a graduating high school senior, undergraduate or graduate college student majoring in a full-time plant science or environmental studies

program, such as horticulture, floriculture, landscape design, conservation, forestry, botany, agronomy, plant pathology, environmental control, land management or other allied fields. Using proceeds from past plant sales, the club has given out over $80,000 in scholarships to students in the last 30 plus years and we look forward to adding to that this year. For more information on the Springfield Garden Club events go to www.springfieldgardenclubma.org or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/SpringfieldMAGardenClub.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Heirloom plants at garden sale

The First Congregational Church is having a plant sale on May 10 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The church is located at 7 Somers Road. There will be a selection of heirloom plants from the church gardens for sale. From the gardens of church members and friends, there will also be a variety of plants, trees, shrubs, herbs, flowering vines, ground covers and perennials for sale. Some herb pots and specialty items will be available for Mother’s Day gifts. In the gazebo there will be free coffee and a bake sale. Inside the church there will be a garden-related tag sale, a paperback book sale and a used jewelry sale. Stay and have lunch while you are here.

WESTFIELD

Nature workshop at Stanley Park

Stanley Park will hold the “Looking & Listening for Birds in the Woods” event with Joanne Fortin on Sunday, May 18 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Come and enjoy a walk in the woods, speending time identifying birds by sight and sound. All skill levels are welcome. Bring binoculars if you have them.

Joanne has been an active member of the Allen Bird Club of Springfield for more than 10 years and she enjoys

sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with others.

The workshop will meet at the main entrance sign to the Frank Stanley Beveridge Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary located across from the recreation field. Wear summer hiking attire, sturdy boots and bring water. Nature workshops are free of charge.

Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.

Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting

18th-century picnic boxes from Japan were often works of art

AS SPRING PROgresses and the days grow longer, warmer and sunnier, outdoor activities become more appealing. Picnics are a favorite way to celebrate the spring weather. But most of us wouldn’t pack ours in a box like this one, which sold for $2,560 at an auction by Nye & Company. This five-tiered lacquer picnic box was made in Japan in the 18th century. It was probably for a wealthy family whose crest graces the top. Today, it is a work of art, and similar Japanese lacquer picnic boxes appear in museum collections around the world.

Lacquerware has been made in Japan for thousands of years, with the earliest examples dating to 7000 to 5500 B.C. Elaborate decorating styles emerged by the eighth century. Over the next few hundred years, artists developed techniques incorporating multiple lacquer colors and inlaid materials like shell, ivory, mother-of-pearl, or metal foils or powders. Certain decorating styles can be linked to specific regions, time periods, and, occasionally, individual artists.

This picnic box features a mother-of-pearl inlay, and a lacquer technique called nashiji, in which gold or silver flakes are scattered into layers of translucent lacquer while it is still wet. In English, this technique and similar methods used in European decorative arts are called aventurine, after the gemstone it resembles.

Q. I have some antique handwritten documents and would like to know their value. They are an invoice dated April 1795 for supplies aboard the Brig Lydia, a memo written and signed by Booker T. Washington on Leland Hotel of Chicago letterhead dated June 25, 1896, and a December 1852 framed stanza of “A Psalm of Life” written by Henry W. Longfellow.

A. The most valuable antique

documents are the ones signed by famous historical figures or associated with major events. Your documents, signed by Booker T. Washington and Henry W. Longfellow, certainly qualify. Dr. Washington (18561915) is one of the most significant educators in American history. In 1881, he founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, a school that provided academic and vocational training for African American students and served as its first principal and president. His autobiography “Up From Slavery,” published in 1901, was a bestseller. Documents with his signature can be worth about $250 to $500.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), author of epic poems like “The Song of Hiawatha” and “Evangeline,” was 19th-century America’s most beloved poet. He was a celebrity in his own time, and his cultural impact is still felt today. Handwritten, signed stanzas of poems by Longfellow can be worth about $500. Your invoice is a little more difficult to value; it may be

worth anywhere from about $50 to $200. For more information, you may want to contact a dealer or auction house specializing in autographs, antiquarian books, or historical Americana.

Q. We have a pane of etched glass that was in a Montgomery Ward kit house. It has a picture of a woman feeding a horse while a dog looks on, all in an oval frame. The original owner homesteaded the place in 1882 in Dakota territory. They put up a Montgomery Ward kit house on the same site where their sod house stood. The window was in a door on the west side of the house going over an enclosed porch. There are no scratches or cracks in the window. It is in perfect shape. A cover on the outside of the door protected it. It is 116 years old, if not older. We are interested in selling it, but we need to know who to contact about it.

A. Montgomery Ward &

Company was one of many American mail-order retailers that sold prefabricated house kits in the early 20th century. They introduced their first “Book of Building Plans” in 1909. They sold their Wardway brand homes from 1917 to 1931. Etched glass windows and door panes were popular throughout the United States at about the same time. Many designs were mass-produced, and images of people and horses, like your window with a woman feeding a horse, seem to have been favorites. We don’t know if Montgomery Ward sold any for their kit houses, although they did sell leaded-glass windows. The house’s owners may have bought the window from another manufacturer. To sell your window, look for architectural salvage dealers in your area. There are online directories that can help you find them. If you have a local historic preservation organization, they may also be able to help. Many general antique dealers also buy and sell antique windows. Period Houses, a magazine published by the same company as Kovels Antique Trader, may have more information.

TIP: Very dirty lacquer can be cleaned with a paste of flour and olive oil.

Kovels answers readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures, the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.

CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions. Advertising, display, 7Up, Need alley-oop? It’s yours with this real thirstquencher!, bowling alley scene, multicolor, cardboard, standing, 16 x 12 inches, $40. Glass-contemporary, vase, globular, iridescent, white pulled loops, label. Pele’s Glass, Hawaii, 5 x 7 inches, $50.

Sampler, alphabet, numbers, multiple geometric borders, multicolor, linen, signed, dated, frame, Maria Blake, 1817, 15 x 13 inches, $280.

Toy, stove, Junior, cast iron, nickel plated, six burners, two doors, raised scrolls, warming shelf, towel rod, pot and frying pan, Buck’s Stove & Range Co., salesman sample, 18 1/2 x 19 inches, $265.

Pottery-midcentury, plate, pictorial, stylized rider on horseback, carrying torch, blue panels, mottled brown ground, green trees, signed, Sweden, Ake Holm, 15 inches, $320.

Furniture, table, coffee, plaster base, three-part, abstract sculpture, painted black, round top, glass, 1970s, 15 1/2 x 42 inches, $385.

Furniture, cabinet, hanging, Queen Anne, pine, shaped galley back, raised panel door, molded edge and base, painted, red brown, black trim, Pennsylvania, 1700s, 27 1/2 19 inches, $690.

Bookends, cat, stylized, back arch, tail raised, head turned, round eyes, rectangular base, copper, Walter von Nessen, Chase Brass & Copper Co., 7 1/2 x 4 inches, $800.

Glass-Bohemian, centerpiece, ruby red, shaped scalloped rim, paneled bowl, pedestal foot, quatrefoil base, cast bronze mounts, hoof feet, 1800s, 7 1/2 x 9 x 13 1/2 inches, $1,025.

Jewelry, necklace, collar, Maguey, stylized agave flower, silver, marked, Hector Aguilar, Taxco, Mexico, c. 1940, 18 inches, $1,375.

Average rate on a US 30-year mortgage eases to 6.76%

Rate marks second straight weekly decline

By A lex Veiga Associated Press

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased again this week, modest relief for prospective home shoppers during what’s traditionally the busiest time of the year for the housing market.

The rate fell to 6.76% from 6.81% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.22%.

Borrowing costs on 15year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also fell. The average rate dropped to 5.92% from 5.94% last week. It’s down from 6.47% a year ago, Freddie Mac said. Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including global demand for U.S. Treasurys, the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions and bond market investors’ expectations for future inflation.

After climbing to a just above 7% in mid-January, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage has remained above 6.62%, where it was just three weeks ago. It then spiked above 6.8% the next two weeks, reflecting volatility in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

The yield, which had mostly fallen after climbing to around 4.8% in mid-January, surged last month to 4.5% amid a sell-off in government bonds triggered by investor anxiety over the Trump administration’s

trade war.

The 10-year Treasury yield was at 4.23% in midday trading Thursday, up from 4.17% late Wednesday.

As mortgage rates decline, they help give homebuyers more purchasing power. While down from a year ago, mortgage rates haven’t come down enough to encourage more home shoppers at a time when real estate prices are still rising nationally, albeit more slowly, and the number of properties on the market has risen sharply from a year ago.

It’s one reason the spring homebuying season is off to a lackluster start. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in March, posting the largest monthly drop since November 2022.

An index that tracks home loan applications fell 4.2% last week from a week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. That was the index’s second straight weekly drop, although it was up 16.5% from a year earlier.

“Mortgage applications fell for the second consecutive week as uncertainty continues to impact many buyers’ decisions to enter the housing market,” said MBA CEO Bob Broeksmit.

Economists expect mortgage rates to remain volatile in coming months, though they generally call for the average rate on a 30-year mortgage to remain above 6.5% this year.

“Homebuyers would like to see rates come down further, but it is becoming more likely that they will remain in the high 6% range this spring,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS.

Deeds

AGAWAM

Albert E. Stasiak, representative, and Steven R. Kurtz to Lee J. Poggi, 907 North St., $240,000.

Angela M. Dance, Angela M. Grassetti and Michael A. Dance to Caleb G. Ritter, 37 Brookline Ave., $350,000.

Cynthia A. Joyal, Suzanne Ricard, Donna M. Dudley and Alfred P. Dudley to John Panaia and Vonda Mayo, 133 Adams St., $295,000.

David Zuev, Anna Zuev and Anna Fishtik to Carmino Mineo and Lauren Mineo, 230 Valley Brook Road, $515,000.

Donna Danko-LaPorte to Jonathan Rex and Dallas Gurka, 471 Meadow St., $260,000.

Emily D. Potter, representative, and Susan Y. Euliano, estate, to Michael Reed and Elizabeth R. Bartkus, 38 High Meadow Road, $370,000.

James D. Roberts-Manning to Florin Condorachi, 942-944 Shoemaker Lane, $540,000.

John F. Taylor and Elizabeth A. Taylor to John J. Strycharz and Marie K. Brazeau, 65 Fernwood Drive, $360,000.

June M. Chriscola to Dominic Santaniello, trustee, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, 41 Channell Drive, $105,000.

Laurie A. Jameson, trustee, Donald A. Sorel, trustee, Donald A. Sorel Jr., trustee, and Lydia A. Sorel Trust, trustee of, to Troy Gallerani and Victoria Gallerani, 23 Edgewood Lane, $465,000.

Nico A. Connor and Meghan B. Connor to Dmitrty Mikhaylov and Alevtina Mikhaylova, 50 Primrose Lane, $435,000.

Paul E. Illouz and Jennifer Anne Illouz to Patricia Torres, 232 Walnut St., $345,000.

Roseann Montefusco to Angelica Properties LLC, 107 Regency Park Drive, $143,000.

Scott R. Cormier and Cynthia A. Jalbert to Douglas G. Bliss and Deborah A. Gifford, 85 Edgewater Road, $400,000.

AMHERST

Weizhao S. Huang and Annabelle Guo to Jenny Huang, 2 Webster Court, $330,000.

John D. Barry and Felicity H. Barry to John D. Barry, trustee, Felicity H. Barry, trustee, and John D. Barry Trust, 574 Station Road, $100.

Peter M. Perchak, Paul E. Perchak and Jeffrey S. Perchak to Thomas C. Cappello, trustee, Lee Kiklis-Cappello, trustee, and Cappello Family Trust, Rolling Ridge Road, $225,000.

Tiantian Wang and Hengyi Ju to Ngawang Chozom, 170 East Hadley Road, $280,000

Stephen A. Spodick and Nicholas Spodick to Renae J. Brodie, 17 Webster Court, $285,000.

Diana Cerutti to Patricia J. Auth, trustee, and Patricia J. Auth 2019 Trust, 25 Greenleaves Drive, $417,000.

Yuqing Guo and Hui Guan to Jessica Tarka and Adam Provost, 74 East Leverett Road, $749,000.

BELCHERTOWN

Carmen A. Solorio and Carmen S. Wallace to Robert C. Wallace, 170 Jackson St., $10,000.

Peter J. Klimoski to Matthew Bailey and Desi Easom, 240 North Washington St., $429,000.

Joshua M. Smyth to Ruthann Imelda Sterling and Samuel Ginandes Scudere-Weiss, 50 North Washington St., $375,000.

Edinelson Chaves Tejo and Suelania Luiz Perreira Tejo to Michael Thompson and Victoria Thompson, 128 Boardman St., $430,000.

Timothy Drost and Anna Drost to Nicholas Drost, 41 Oasis Drive, $589,000.

DPR Legacy Enterprises LLC, to David Fredenburgh and David F. Fredenburgh, 15 Main St., $425,000.

Gary G. Decoteau and Mechelle Decoteau to Brandon Michael Brozek and Brionna Eve Beaudry, 507 South Washington St., $605,000.

Marian T. Goodhind to Carlos M. Otero and Livia J. Velez, 72 Amherst Road, $295,000.

Judith M. Leone to Nuemia Rodrigues Monteiro, 292 Ware Road, $430,000.

Richard F. Greene to Coty Valley and Brittany Valley, Old Sawmill Road Extension, $17,500.

Ryan F. Rocheleau and Kayla P. Rocheleau to Coty Valley and Brittany Valley, Jensen Road, $100.

CHESTERFIELD

Gary R. Theroux and Eileen M. Theroux to Dillon Foster, Pynchon Road, $70,000.

CHICOPEE

Adolf Boron, estate, and John J. Ferriter, administrator, to 246 Slate Road LLC, 246 Slate Road, $175,000.

Amanda M. Labonte and Amanda Marie Labonte to Stephen M. Guillberg and Rebecca K. Guillberg, 36 Bonneville Ave., $291,000. Chicopee City to BD Singing Bridge LLC, 75 West Main St., New Lot A, $438,900.

Oscar Velazquez, Maria Velazquez and Maria I. Torres Santos to Maria I. Torres Santos and Ivelisse Hicks, 176

Applewood Drive, $10,000.

E. M. Pray Family Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, and Leah Torres, trustee, to Anthony Chonmany, 6 Garrity St., $300,000.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Kayla Brown to Christopher P. Harrington and Robin J. Harrington, 60 John St., $290,000.

Margaret C. Byrne to Pro Olive LLC, 17 Day Ave., $300,000.

EASTHAMPTON

Robert M. Buckingham to Maryalaine M. Buckingham, trustee, Robert M. Buckingham, trustee, and Maryalaine M. Buckingham Living Trust, Pomeroy Road and Mountain Road, $100. Rick J. Rogalski to Nicole LePage-Rogalski, 23 Admiral St., $100.

Marc Ferrante and Alexandra Ferrante to Katryn Solomon and Zachary Wulderk, 24 Willison Ave., $605,000. Pineview Development LLC, and West Co. Investments LLC, to Linda Shear and Annette Townley, 7 Nicols Way, $689,900.

Carrie Dudley to Alkame Projects LLC, 13 Golden Drive, $420,000. Richard Pedersen and Geneva L. Pedersen to Geneva L. Pedersen, trustee, Richard Pedersen, trustee, and Geneva Pedersen Revocable Trust, 112 East St., $100.

Kristina M. Sears, personal representative, and Larry Songer, estate, to Kristen Ann Picard and Jarod Kenneth Picard, 11 Kania St., $434,500. Timothy P. Donelan and Eileen V. Donelan to Ryan P. Donelan, 8 Ashley Circle, $100.

Leah Morton to Lutz Konrad Grossmann, 23 East Maple St., $415,000.

Philip N. Bergeron and Joanne B. Bergeron to Philip N. Bergeron, trustee, Joanne B. Bergeron, trustee, and PJB Revocable Trust, 17 Keddy St., $100.

GRANBY

James Dean, Patricia Dean, and Michelle Dean to Isaac Eddy and Lucia Green-Weiskel, 54 Ferry Hill Road, $570,082.

Blaise P. Berthiaume, commissioner, Anni Amberg, Siobhan Marie Christy to Cacia Tipple, Bradyn St. Marie, and Peyton Higgins, 81 East St., $415,000.

GRANVILLE

Michael Dennis to Michael Dennis and Stefanie Davignon, 96 Silver St., $100.

Ryan Michael Nelson and Ysabelle Stuard to Cynthia C. Murray, Barnard Road, Lot 1, $85,000.

Deeds

GREENFIELD

SORE Ltd, to Aydin Ozcelik and Plumtree Real Estate LLC, 192-200 Main St., $106,000. Celine G. Nader to Stephen Bresciano, 106 Deerfield St., Unit 106 Green River Commons Condominium, $218,600.

Douglas J. Mahon and Elizabeth Bednarski Mahon to Florence MacGregor and Sean McHugh, 84 Birch St., $365,100.

HADLEY

Christine M. Tougas and Michael Forcum to Christine M. Tougas, 2 Nikkis Way, $100.

HAMPDEN

Annie Mac Private Equity Cash2Keys to Richard Dowling and Mary Dowling, 4 Southwood Circle, Unit 5, $408,000.

HATFIELD

Debra Korza, personal representative, Pauline Osley, estate, and Pauline W. Osley, estate, to Hing E. Seng and Sovandarany Kry, 49 West St., $325,000.

HOLLAND

Kevin M. Shaw Jr., and Megan C. Shaw to Jessica Hudson and Eric Hudson, 4 Lakeridge Drive, $355,000.

HOLYOKE

Gallagher Capital Group LLC, to Ryan Tackett, 16 Maple Crest Circle, Unit A, $225,000. Gurninder S. Dhaliwal and Anup K. Sangar to Edwin R. Colon and Maria A. Colon, 444 Westfield Road, $270,000.

Joshua Musick, representative, and Alice C. Pasternak, estate, to Ronny W. Authier, 70 Dupuis Road, $230,000.

Kathryn A. Tremblay to Angela M. Tissi-Gassoway and Nina M Tissi-Gassoway, 2 Montgomery Ave., $262,500.

Kristen A. Picard and Jarod Picard to Segundo Moises Buri Chimborazo, Zoila Luz Alvarez Pinguil and Naidelyn Maricel Buri Alvarez, 11 Claren Drive, $357,000.

Mary L. Falcetti to Veronica E. Laurenitis and Zachary A. Watts, 16 Quinn Drive, $360,000.

Robert L. Peltier and Roberta M. Peltier to Patrick Cahill Jr., and Jean M. Cahill, 173 Hillside Ave., $245,000.

Ruth S. Rauluk and Mark A. Rauluk to Hannah Pelkey and Peter D. Toy, 12 George Frost Drive, $525,000.

Susan Sanyu Muyiggwa to Our Legacy LLC, 43 45 Portland St., $130,000.

LONGMEADOW

Catherine M. Bussolari and John V. Bussolari Jr., to Brenda Clevenger, 134 Wimbleton Drive, $475,000.

Janet Boehmer, trustee, Janet Turber, trustee,

and George D. Armstrong 2010 Revocable Trust, trustee of, to On the Mark LLC, 70 Ferncroft St., $255,000.

John M. Discenza, representative, Mark Teed, representative, Marilyn R. Kelleher, representative, and Louise M. Collins, estate, to Ashley Smith, 116 Pleasantview Ave., $400,000.

Tara S. Wolman, trustee, and Tara S. Wolman Revocable Indenture of Trust of, trustee of, to Mohammad Ehab Ramadan, 292 Pinewood Drive, $775,000.

LUDLOW

David J. Gabanelli to Kyle Robert Nadeau, 1388 Lyon St., $650,000.

Marc Anthony Dangelo to Jung Hoon Kang and Jain Kim Kang, 33 Morse St., Unit 1, $250,000.

Mathew Gonzalez and Amethyst Gonzalez to Furkan Boyraz, 7 Haswell Circle, $340,000.

Wilfred L. Paul, estate, and Paula Brault, representative, to Sean Skipton and Meghan Skipton, 37 Woodside Road, $211,500.

MONSON

Beverly Hoekstra, representative, and Dorothy H. Langevin, estate, to Megan C. Shaw and Kevin M. Shaw Jr., 84 Cote Road, $315,000.

Peter J. Lloyd and Bonnie M. Lloyd to B&C Acres Farm LLC, 368 Stafford Road, $275,000.

Yu Cheng Li and Su Jan Ng to Mitchell W. Kelley and Kristen E. Kelley, 107 Beebe Road, $451,000.

MONTAGUE

Gary Porlier to Jocelyn Porlier, 2 Sunset Drive, $41,500.

Stephanie A. Thomas and Peter F. Watroba, personal representatives of the Estate of Marilyn C. Watroba, to Margaret Sanford and Richard R. Sanford, 31 West St., $576,500.

MONTGOMERY

Joseph A. Croteau and Pauline L. Croteau to Michael Sienkiewicz and Haley Sienkiewicz, 83 New State Road, $635,000.

NEW SALEM

Karen A. Reutlinger, trustee of the Karen A. Reutlinger Living Trust, to Fahad Kashem, Daniel Shays Highway, $105,000.

NORTHAMPTON

Dufrayne LLC, to Marisa Devlin and Julian Devlin, 67 Park St., $800,000.

Craig G. McNeil, Marie S. Brown, and Craig George Brown-McNeil to Marie Sevier Brown, 48 Lincoln Ave., $59,000.

Charles Scott, personal representative, Jean May Maidment, estate, and Jean M. Maidment, estate, to Kiley Perrone, 70 Overlook Drive, $285,000.

Sara E. Campbell to Julian Balazar, 80 Damon Road, $187,000.

Dufrayne LLC, to Katherine Gillan Marenghi and Allison Leigh Baker, 67 Park St., $799,000.

Sea Gull Properties LLC, to Megan Leary and Elizabeth Leary, 74 Barrett St., $220,000. Richard P. Marsh to Jill E. Foley, 40-42 Elizabeth St., $500,000.

ORANGE

Anna-Kristina Hartjens, “fka” Anna-Kristina Soucy, to Owen King, 81 Adams St., $380,000.

Frizac Investments LLC, to Deyanira Fernandez, 15 Jones St., $450,000.

PALMER

Cathy L. Berthiaume and Michael W. Weirbrick Jr., to R A C E Inc., 280 Breckenridge St., $53,000.

Donald M. Waddell Jr., and Amy M. Waddell to Joseph W. Franklin and Sally Q. Dunning-Franklin, 47 Rondeau Road, $625,000. Frank Mendelsohn to Edgar Ostolaza, 246 Old Warren Road, $45,000.

Jacquelyn I. Gerry to Gd Properties LLC, 137 Boston Road, $375,000.

Nathan Mumblo to Barbara Martha Schultz, 15 Maple Terrace, $295,000.

R A C E Inc., to Randy Barnes, 280 Breckenridge St., $120,000.

Samuel T. Gay, Sabrina Johanna Romano and Sabrina Johanna Roman to Ryan Curtis Cobb and Helen I. Cobb, 295 Burlingame Road, $330,000.

PELHAM

Steven S. Wolf and Catherine V. Wolf to Arwen Lowbridge and Michael E. Lane, 94 Amherst Road, $585,000.

ROWE

Martha L. Caron to Property Advantage Inc., 285 Zoar Road, $30,500.

SHUTESBURY

Julia M. Connor and David Leach to Madeleine E. Aronson and Kyle Thomas Fiasconaro, 25 Stowell Road, $400,000.

Aaron W. Kaiser and Anica P. Kaiser to Meredith Pustell, 42 Pelham Hill Road, $360,000.

SOUTH HADLEY

Russell L. Yvon and Elda N. Yvon to No Limit Assets LLC, 13-15-Canal St., $200,000.

Julie S. Moreau to Omally Martinez, 7 Brittany Road, $339,000.

Cassandra M. Reis and Julia M. Reis to Kate Thurston, 8 Olde Plains Hollow, $375,000.

Amy B. Smith, personal representative, and Catherine A. MacKenzie, estate, to Steven Daniel West Jr., Steven D. West Jr., and Karen West, 5 Steven Drive, $472,500.

Noah Kosciusko, Matthew Kosciusko, Allison Vida Fogg, Alison Vida Fogg, Aaron Dakota Fogg, Cassandra Mari Fogg, Joanna Rebecca Fogg, Owen Matthew Fogg, Renee Kosciusko, and Susan Mudgett, to Dominic Santaniello, trustee, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, 50 Pine St., $242,000.

Glenn P. Courtney and Peggy L. Courtney to

Connor Beaulieu and Samantha Callahan, 127 Newton St., $420,000.

Raymond M. Machak and Cathy L. Machak to Caleb Machak, 11 Brockway Lane and 10 Brockway Lane, $100.00

Leo M. Roberts to Leo M. Roberts and Steven P. Roberts, 55 Alvord Place, $100.

Robin D. Giroux and Martha Giroux to James Jones and Tamara Woodruff, 281 East St., $590,000.

SOUTHAMPTON

Robert M. Buckingham to Maryalaine M. Buckingham, trustee, Robert M. Buckingham, trustee, and Maryalaine M. Buckingham Living Trust, Pomeroy Road and Mountain Road, $100.00.

Robert B. Merritt, trustee, Johna U. Merritt, trustee, and Robert B. Merritt & Johna U. Merritt Family Trust, to Robert Fletcher and Cheryl Fletcher, Pomeroy Meadow Road Rear, $225.00.

SOUTHWICK

Charles E. Alaconis and Margaret K. Alaconis to Bruce Le and Tracy Le, 11 Crystal Drive, $495,000.

Diane L. Hodges, Cheryl A. Sitler and Kent S. Zippe to Frederick James Dearden, 176 Granville Road, $370,000.

Oak Ridge Custom Home Builders Inc., to Mark Smith Schroeder, 50 Mort Vining Road, $701,000.

Pah Properties LLC, to Rita Peter Hannoush-Lukomski and Ryan Martin Lukomski, 14 Southwick Hill, $500,000.

Paul H. Drake and Paul Drake Jr., to Gregory Patrick Burke Jr., and Meghan Jones Burke, 20 Meadow Lane, $760,000.

SPRINGFIELD

35 Pinta Circle Realty Trust, trustee of, and Jason Vazquez, trustee, to Pinta Empire Realty Trust, trustee of, and Jenal Rentas, trustee, 35 Pinta Circle, $305,000.

Abdel Velazquez to Betsy I. Torres and Nilda M. Torres Pica, 88 Fisher St., $274,000.

Aldo Properties LLC, to Roberto Salinas, 182 Jasper St., $340,000.

Angel R. Villar to Misael Gonzalez, 490 Chestnut St., $374,000.

Courtney A. Plushner to Anthony Catarino, 356 Nassau Drive, Unit 356, $192,000.

David Neigher to Cristhian Boanerge Vasquez, 133-135 Fountain St., $229,600.

Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and 44Hollywood Realty Trust, trustee of, to Jony Fernandes, 44 Hollywood St., $466,000.

Duane T. Provost to Derek J. Provost, 47 Indian Leap St., $185,000.

Emtay Inc., to Neftali Cortes-Alicea, 182 Massasoit St., $245,000.

Gilmar Realty LLC, to Richard Dejesus and Sonia Colon, 74 Oak St., $200,000.

Jason S. Donaldson, trustee, and Coalie Realty Trust, trustee of, to Betty Yokasta Tavera Hernandez, Angeles Altagracia Grullon and Elieser Sanchez, 136 Albemarle St., $240,000.

Can any of these window-washing tools make the task less of a slog?

By Jolie K err

The Washington Post

WASHING THE WINdows is a staple of spring cleaning, one of the chores that first springs (sorry, sorry!) to mind when the season arrives. There are practical reasons to wash windows in spring — falling leaves and winter storms leave windows very dirty — but there is also this: Washing the windows is a big, often sloggy job that is easy to put off until, sigh, spring cleaning rolls around, and it’s time to admit the windows are filthy. That slogginess makes window washing an area ripe for disruption, but does the Uber of window wash-

Deeds

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Jeanette M. Monette and Robert E. Monette Jr., to Victoria Tsongalis and Jordan D. Whittemore, 36 Sunbrier Road, $350,000.

JoeJoe Properties LLC, to Widy Pena, 30 Duryea St., $295,000.

John W. Milbier to Lucia Milbier, 50 Drumlin Road, $10,000.

Jorge Alverez Torres to Jose M. Rodriguez, 33 Dawes St., $245,000.

Josefina Nunez to Cesar D. Galindo, 60-62 Cumberland St., $285,000.

Karen Seymour, representative, Patricia Seymour Perryman, representative, and Susie Seymour, estate, to JT Realty Associates Inc., 21-23 Middlesex St., $240,000.

KrisQ & JohnnyB LLC, to Anthony Delgado Montalvo, 23 Homestead Ave., $305,000.

Lucia Milbier to Tracy Belanger, 50 Drumlin Road, $305,000.

Luis E. Santiago and Patricia Tovar to Eddie Dee Acevedo and Ariangna Gonzalez, 281 Roosevelt Ave., $280,000.

Luis Rivera to DPI Autohaus & Living LLC, 507-523 Worthington St., $200,000.

Luke Perry and Brianna Perry to Zachary Zina and Judith Zina, 65 Bangor St., $360,000.

Madeline Cortes to Kenneth Krzykowski, 112 Lyons St., $226,000.

Malia Homebuyers LLC, to Javier Santiago, 85 Braddock St., $283,500.

Moises Rene Fernandez Jr., to Ian Ireland and Colin Ireland, 24 Warriner Ave., $400,000.

Monique P. Goodrow to Spencer William Van Tassel and Evan Van

ing exist? A scroll through cleaning content on Instagram and TikTok suggests yes — clever, newfangled tools that promise to make washing the windows a cinch abound, evoking a strong, “I have got to have that” response.

Ahead of spring cleaning, I took four viral window cleaning tools for a spin around my home to see if they really offer a better way to tackle this often-dreaded chore.

Magnetic window cleaner

The product: Baffect double-sided magnetic window washer, $26.97

What it is: Double-sided magnetic window cleaners are all over TikTok, promising a virtually effortless

Tassel, 135 Nassau Drive, #135, $240,000.

Nathaniel Dusza to Viktor Savonin, ES Wallace Street, $45,000.

NRES LLC, to Julie Santiago, 104 Andrew St., $260,000.

Orlando Rivera Carrucini and Maria A. Rodriguez Reyes to Aramis Oscar Rios Colon and Cary M. Rivera, 42 Merrimac Ave., $290,000.

Patrick J. Gloster, Patrick Joseph Gloster, Joeseph Patrick Weslie Gloster, Joseph Patrick Leslie Gloster, Caleb Joeseph Zeppelin Gloster, Caleb Joseph Zeppelin Gloster and Melanie Rae Leborgne to Patrick J. Gloster, Joseph Patrick Leslie Gloster and Caleb Joseph Zeppelin Gloster, 102 Redfern Drive, $100.

Paul E. Lietz and Richard A. Gates to Anthony H. Nguyen and Stephanie B. Le, 26 Gates Ave., $422,000.

Ralph Ferraro and Anne M. Ferraro to Sonja E. Sutton and John L. Sutton, 19 Smithfield Court, Unit 19, $340,000.

Sareen Properties LLC, to Joanne Barr and Janet Pierce, 138 Ardmore St., $325,000.

Thomas Christopher Weldon to Robert T. Dupont and Celeste Marie Dupont, 97 Nassau Drive, Unit 97, $200,000.

Thomas W. Lewis II, and Lisa Lewis to Carrie Dudley, 32 Ruby Road, $290,000.

Vantage Home Buyers LLC, to Gem Holdings LLC, Monson Avenue ES, $30,000.

West Jam Man LLC, to Bretta Construction LLC, 0 Pakerview Street, $50,000.

West Side Lending LLC, to William Travis King, 234 Roy St., $346,000.

Xiuyu Ma to Livingwater Capital

way to clean interior and exterior windows in one go. These gadgets use magnets to adhere to both sides of a window, allowing double-sided cleaning and offering a solution for exterior window cleaning that doesn’t require ladders, ropes, pulleys or scaffolding. For apartment dwellers and people who prefer not to dangle midair, this clever contraption looks like a window-cleaning game changer.

What we thought: Unfortunately, its performance was dismal and, more troubling, magnetic window cleaners pose two major safety problems. The magnets are quite strong, and it is very easy, even when you are paying close attention, to trap

LLC, 19 Normandy Road, $350,000.

TOLLAND

Michael A Yosha and Laurie D Yosha to Janet B Schwartz and Howard R Spivak, 405 Beetle Rd, $115,000.

Veronica H Kulig to Dennis J Bein, 201 Fox Den Rd, $190,000.

WALES

Nathan R. Quattrocelli to Caroline Awebwa, 75 Main St., $313,000.

WARE

Scott Henry Hartwell and Stacy Hartwell to VN Logan House LLC, 52 Pulaski St., $150,000.

Jonathan W. Moulton, Erica Moulton and Garrett J. Moulton to Garrett J. Moulton and Amanda Moulton, 132 North St., $133,333.

Beverly J. Hanifin to Brian R. Ligawiec, 276 Old Belchertown Road, $100.

Robert S. Shurtleff to Robert S. Shurtleff and Theresa R. Shurtleff, 115 West St., $100.

Manomednet LLC, to Real Estate Investments Northeast LLC, 3 Aspen Court, $120,000.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Angela M. Foley and Nathan J. Powers to Karna Gurung, 54 Oakland St., $285,000.

Claude Rousseau and Joanne Rousseau to Benjamin Rousseau, 116 Hillside Ave., $293,000.

David E. Laguercia and Laguercia

Family Limited Partnership to DDM Property Group LLC, 68 Westfield St., $200,000.

your fingers between the plates. I did! It hurt — quite a lot. Then, in testing, the tool fell apart: It bumped the metal frame of my window, disturbing the magnet holding the two pieces together and causing the outer piece to fall to the ground and break.

One of my catchphrases for expressing how much I dislike a person or thing is to say, “I hate it so much I want to throw it out my window.” The nicest thing I have to say about the magnetic window cleaner is that it took the initiative to throw itself out the window, so I didn’t have to.

Our verdict: Not recommended.

Marc Mamoun Dulaimy and Raniah Dulaimy to Vida Karim, 448 Cold Spring Ave., $152,500.

Max LA to JLX 3 Properties LLC, 37 Hillside Ave., $360,000.

Orchard Holdings LLC, to Charles Edward Mokrzecki, 370 Brush Hill Ave., $273,283.

Tuyen T. Le, Tuyen Le and Vincent Edward Spagnolo to Marc Tancrati and Georgia Tancrati, 100 Wolcott Ave., $400,000.

WESTFIELD

Barbara H. Josephson to Scott Francis Roberts, 52 Beveridge Blvd., $280,000.

David G. Moquin and Jean C. Moquin to Nighthawk Realty LLC, 20 McKinley Terrace, $369,900.

U S A Housing & Urban Development to WSULiving LLC, 48 Washington St., $250,000.

J & F Management LLP, to Knox Trail Properties LLC, 235 Elm St., $75,000.

John Rockwell Allen to Jake A. Squires and Melinda L. Scagliarini, 40-42 Crane Ave., $323,000.

Joseph D. Carzello and Ann T. Carzello to Ann T. Carzello, life estate, Joseph D. Carzello, life estate, Gavin Carzello, Keith Carzello, Katie Suprenant and Kimberly Roberts, 105 Old Farm Road, $100.

Joseph G. Bonkowski Jr., and Valerie A. Bonkowski to East Longmeadow Properties LLC, 35 Meadow St., $825,000.

Karie Ann Newsome and William D. Bowen to Brittany Kuczenski and Brandon Kuczenski, 62 Ridge Trail Road, $550,000.

Megliola Realty LLC, to Erica B. Erb and Lori M. Erb, 113 New Broadway, $280,000.

Paul G. Fortini to Sandra Panchenko, 549 Russell Road, 13C, $150,000.

Robert J. Daley, trustee, and Daley Investment Trust, trustee of, to Andrew Paul Tobias, 51 Robinson Drive, $320,000.

Vantage Home Buyers LLC, to Deanna Evans and Andrew Capobianco, 16 Holland Ave., $455,000.

William L. Olson to Marc Denoncourt and Madeline Denoncourt, Fowler Road, $100,000.

WESTHAMPTON

Keith D. Saltmarsh and Kelly Saltmarsh to David W. Kelley, 342 Southampton Road, $180,000.

WILBRAHAM

John A. Hubbard to Michael Marion and David Cox, 57 Beebe Road, $185,000.

Mark Szydlowski and Martin Szydlowski to Chantal Bernard and Robert S. Ferrier, 10 Primrose Lane, $300,000.

Patrick Roach to Hedge Hog Industries Corp., 48V Lake Drive, $90,000.

Robert P. Madden and Karin .T Madden to James J. Finegan, 71 Cherry Drive, $459,000.

WILLIAMSBURG

Thomas C. Hodgkins, Robert C. Hodgkins III, Knowlton James Hodgkins, Merry H. Belval and Merry E. Birch to KMH & DZS LLC, 74 Village Hill Road, $700,000.

Barbara S. Estes, Mark J. Estes, trustee, and Estes Family Trust to Susan Fortgang and David Nehring, 90 Main St., $200,000.

Windows

2-in-1 window and screen cleaning brush

The product: YYYFEI multifunctional window cleaner brush, $8.99

What it is: A window and screen cleaning tool that features a microfiber cleaning pad on one side and a squeegee blade on the other. To use this window cleaning brush, apply glass cleaner to the window and scrub away dirt, pollen, and other buildup using the thick microfiber pad attached to the head of the tool. Then flip the tool around and use the squeegee blade to skim away the cleaning solution. (I do not have screens on my windows and was unable to test the tool’s screen-cleaning ability.)

What we thought: The product I expected the least from was, naturally, the one I ended up being most impressed by. This is a handy little tool indeed! The extendable handle allows for impressive reach, allowing me to clean all the way to the top of my windows with no problem (I am short).

However, the flimsy handle and the subpar squeegee blade give me strong reservations. There are better-made tools for the job, like a flat microfiber cleaning tool with an extendable handle and high-quality squeegee.

Our verdict: Recommended, with reservations.

Window vac

The product: Kärcher WV 1 electric window vacuum squeegee, $69.28

What it is: A cordless power tool that suctions water and cleaning solutions off flat surfaces like windows, mirrors, glass shower doors, glass stovetops, glass tables, countertops and more. Start by applying cleaning solution using the spray bottle (included) and flat microfiber blade. Then use the window vac, working in overlapping lines to vacuum up dirt and excess cleaning solution.

What we thought: The window vacuum was not the superstar I’d hoped it would be. While very cool in theory, in practice the window vac simply didn’t perform well enough to justify the extra work it created, the bulkiness of the two separate pieces for applying and then removing glass cleaner, or its cost. In particular, a line of fluid left behind after vacuuming needed to be wiped away manually — which, after using not one but two separate window cleaning tools, was an annoyance. It would have been faster, easier and more effective to have stuck with manual window cleaning tools — microfiber cloths and a squeegee — than to use this cumbersome and disappointing power tool for the job. People who have frequent issues with window condensation may find this tool useful for quickly removing a lot of water from glass surfaces, but most users will find the window vacuum creates more problems than it solves.

Our verdict: Not recommended for most people.

Window track cleaning tool

The product: Avery magic window track cleaner tool set, $9.99

What it is: A dusting pad folded into a plastic clip that serves as a handle to guide the tool along window tracks, windowsills, and other grooved surfaces to pick up dirt, hair and other debris.

What we thought: While it’s a clever idea, this little window cleaning tool didn’t do a whole lot. It picked up some dirt from an exterior window track, but a significant amount of grime remained after several passes. Mostly, the tool pushed dirt around, rather than picking it up, leaving a streaky, grimy mess. Using a handheld vacuum fitted with a crevice or gap tool, or cleaning window tracks manually with a microfiber cloth, are much more effective methods.

Our verdict: Not recommended.

Tried and true tips for washing the windows

Until the Uber of window washing materializes and actually offers a way to make washing the windows less awful, skip the viral tools in favor of tried-and-true methods. Jessica Ehrlichmann, a vice president and general manager at Andersen Windows and Doors, provided the following tips.

Work

in the right order

Follow these steps to clean and maintain the clarity and shine of your windows.

Step 1: Remove loose debris

“Get your windows ready for a cleaning by gently wiping away dust, dirt, or loose particles using a soft, dry cloth. This preliminary step prevents abrasive materials from scratching the glass and helps you get the grime off, so your cleaning products work harder,” Ehrlichmann says.

Step 2: Glass cleaner

“Select an appropriate cleaning agent, such as a mild soapy mixture, a diluted vinegar solution, or a glass cleaner such as Sprayway or Windex,” Ehrlichmann says. “Lightly mist or apply the solution onto the glass, then use a soft

Until the Uber of window washing materializes and actually offers a way to make washing the windows less awful, skip the viral tools in favor of tried-and-true methods.

cloth to wipe the surface in circular motions to clean the surface.”

Step 3: Remove cleaning solution and streaks

“To remove any remaining cleaning solution, use a squeegee or a clean, lint-free microfiber cloth,” Ehrlichmann says. “For optimal results, work in smooth, even strokes, ensuring no streaks or watermarks remain.”

Use the right tools for the job

One thing that TikTok gets right about window cleaning is that the right tools can make a difference - it’s just that for now the best tools are the basic ones. “For the best results,” Ehrlichmann says, “I recommend using a combination of a squeegee and a microfiber cloth. The squeegee is perfect for removing the cleaning solution from the glass, ensuring a streak-free finish. Meanwhile, the microfiber cloth is excellent for wiping away any remaining mois-

ture and polishing the glass to a shine.”

Avoid these common mistakes

• Do not clean windows in direct sunlight, as the heat from the sun can cause cleaning solution to dry too quickly, leaving streaks and water spots. The best times to clean windows are early morning, evening, or on overcast days.

• Avoid using newspaper to dry your windows. “There is a popular notion that newspaper is great for glass,” Ehrlichmann says, “but this is not true. The ink can transfer and discolor the surrounding materials.”

• Avoid using razor blades. “These can scratch the glass and harm any special coatings,” Ehrlichmann says. “If you need to remove protective film, use a fingernail or a clean plastic scraper rather than a razor blade.”

• Do not use abrasive cleaners, which can cause scratches, etching and other damage to the glass surface.

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