A microfiber cloth is ideal but a gentle and clean paper towel can work as well. Rub from multiple directions to help avoid streaking. If you find that you still have streaks after you've cleaned your window, simply rinse with clear water to help remove any of the remaining cleaning solution.
Combine water, white vinegar and dish detergent in a bucket. Increase amounts as needed. Using a soft bristle scrub brush on an extension pole handle thingy, dip the brush in a bucket of the solution, and scrub it on the window.
Have you ever spent hours washing your windows, only to notice streaks everywhere? This has to do with the evaporation rate—if your cleaning solution evaporates before you have time to wipe it off, it will leave a mark.
Krud Kutter 32 oz. Window Wash cleans windows without scrubbing, even through screens. Concentrated formula removes tough outdoor dirt and grime and dries sparkling clean without wiping. Ready to use hose end sprayer cleans without scrubbing: simply spray and rinse.
Try a Mop to Extend Your Reach
A mop can help you reach windows from the outside. To get streak-free windows, mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a bucket. Then, dip a standard mop or a microfiber cloth in the cleaning solution, and wipe down the window's surface.
A squeegee. Squeegees take a little more work to get used to than cloth or paper, but the resulting difference is well worth it. On top of that, cleaning windows with a squeegee takes a fraction of the time.
It's often recommended to spray the window cleaner directly on your microfiber cloth, newspaper, or t-shirt instead of the glass. The reason is that this will help you avoid drips that can leave streaks if you don't wipe them up quickly.
Skip the specialty products and make your own cleaning solution using a mix of water and dish soap. This combo is tough enough to cut through grime on especially dirty windows, like those in the kitchen, yet won't leave a residue. Alternatively, vinegar can also be used as an effective DIY window cleaner.
Vinegar's natural acidity cuts through grime and deters streaking, and it's safe around children and pets.
Mix up your window-cleaning solution: In a plastic spray bottle, mix together 2 cups of warm water with 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of Dawn. Sweep away dirt: Using a broom, sweep away the cobwebs and debris from the windows and sills.
Dawn as a substitute glass cleaner
There is no need to panic. One of the most effective ways to clean glass is dish soap – it's what professional window cleaners use when cleaning exterior windows.
While Windex is a great product for the glass in your home, you shouldn't use it at all on your windshield, even to clean the glass. Many Windex products have ammonia, and may leave streaks on auto glass. This can pose a danger as it can create a glare while driving at night.
Window cleaning professionals suggest avoiding window washing on very sunny days or at a time when a window is in direct sunlight, as the heat may cause the glass to dry too quickly and cause smears.
A typical solution used by professionals is 3/4 cup clear ammonia or white vinegar, 1 gallon of water and 2 to 4 teaspoons blue Dawn dishwashing liquid combined in a bucket.
According to their report, windows should be washed twice a year, while screens need only to be cleaned annually. For many home owners and even renters, window cleaning usually is a once-a-year chore.
Once all the dirt is off the windows, it's time to dry them. Working from the top down to prevent drips, dry the glass with a squeegee or clean, dry, lint-free towel. Use a dry part of the same cloth to wipe away cleaner that's pooled around the edges where the glass meets the frame.
Another glass-cleaning recipe calls for 1 cup (236 milliliters) of water mixed with 1 cup of rubbing alcohol and 1 tablespoon of vinegar (rubbing alcohol also prevents glass streaks) [source: Aguirre]. Similar to standard cleaners, vinegar water comes with its own aroma.
Paper towels are typically treated for absorbency, which makes them ideal for spills, but awful for glass cleaning. Instead, substitute your paper towels for something more practical, like actual cloth. Lint-free cotton cloths, like microfiber cloths are great options for glass cleaners.
Microfiber cloths are absorbent cloths that can be washed and reused to clean windows, leaving them clear, shiny and streak-free. These are best used to apply cleaning solutions to windows, scrub them clean and wipe them dry. Best of all, they are soft and pose no risk to your windows.
Dish soap is perfect for cleaning windows with residue and buildup, and you only need a few drops of dish soap to get the job done. If you're cleaning inside windows, use a spray bottle and if you're washing exterior windows, use a bucket.
Microfiber cleaning cloths are one of the most important window cleaning tools used by professionals to attain streak-free windows. The fibers' are effective as cleaning agents because of their finely split strands. These greatly increase the surface area for the microfiber cloth to collect dirt and dust.
Rain‑X® Original Treatment can be used on home glass windows; however, avoid contact with vinyl and aluminum surfaces near the window.