What's with that red dust? (Phoenix, Prescott: living in, cars, deal)

[Headin4AZ]

We just moved to Hereford a couple of months ago. Since the weather is so nice this time of year, I decided it was time to wash the windows. I hosed down the screens and scrubbed them with a brush and detergent, but when they dried I could still see the red dust on them. Is there a secret to getting rid of it?

[WannaBeWisco]

Welcome to southeast Arizona...dust bowl. It may just be so much of it has accumulated on the windows you need to do another wash-down. Try it again. If it still doesn't come off, maybe try using a stronger cleaner. I don't know if someone else has other tricks that they've used with success. When we moved into our house, it had been poorly cared for. Our windows didn't have the red dust, but they had such severe water spots that the windows were completely obscured. I tried cleaning them with regular window cleaner but eventually had to pull out the same cleaner I use in my tubs and showers to break up the calcified water stains. Worked like a charm. Sometimes you have to think outside the box to deal with the "special" circumstances you'll run into here.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by WannaBeWisco

Welcome to southeast Arizona...dust bowl. It may just be so much of it has accumulated on the windows you need to do another wash-down. Try it again. If it still doesn't come off, maybe try using a stronger cleaner. I don't know if someone else has other tricks that they've used with success. When we moved into our house, it had been poorly cared for. Our windows didn't have the red dust, but they had such severe water spots that the windows were completely obscured. I tried cleaning them with regular window cleaner but eventually had to pull out the same cleaner I use in my tubs and showers to break up the calcified water stains. Worked like a charm. Sometimes you have to think outside the box to deal with the "special" circumstances you'll run into here.

I found that a little vinegar and water in a squirt bottle gets the haze off. I hate that dusty haze. Oh, and I never go in to far near the edges because just when that window is clean and you go to close to the edge you drag up a little more dirt and have to do it all over again. ha ha

[keninaz]

Yes welcome to Cochise County. I live there in the Army in '67-8. I married a local girl born in Tombstone later.
I last lived in the area for some 6 years while my wife finished up her career working for the Forest Service. We lived at the base of the mountains in Hereford on acreage just one mile South of the PO.
We did not like the wind that brought the dust to the top of the hill.
But feel good that you are not in metro Tuscon or Phoenix where the problem is a lot worse!
Just a tip, if you are living rural keep you cars locked or you may loose them to an illegal passing through during the night. We had several attempts to steal our cars over the years there. None were successful but I sleep light and kept a shotgun handy to run them off.
Now living in Prescott with cooler WX and no blowing dust.