So, whether you're out of your usual glass cleaner or you're just looking for a cheaper option, white vinegar can work wonders on your windows and mirrors. Mix it up with warm water (again, soft or distilled H20 for best results) at a 50/50 ratio.
Instead of using standard cleaning products, get a bucket of water and mix it with dishwashing detergent or vinegar. Apply this cleaning solution to the glass using a long window scrubber. Grab a squeegee and pull its blade over the glass in a reverse “S” pattern.
Alternatively, you can create a cleaning solution that is equal parts water and vinegar. Spray the glass with the solution: When your solution is ready, place it in the spray bottle and spray the windows. Next, use the microfiber cloth to rub and clean the foggy windows.
A big problem is the evaporation rate. If you're cleaning your windows on a warm sunny day, the liquid part of the solution evaporates quickly and leaves behind a residue that appears as streaks. On the other hand, if you don't entirely remove the liquid you can also be left with a streaky window.
Professional window cleaners use a solution made from dish soap and water to achieve a streak-free clean. The key is to use a small amount of soap and distilled water. Some professionals add ammonia to the water for increased cleaning power.
In a spray bottle, combine ¼ cup of white vinegar with ½ teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Dilute the solution with 2 cups of water, then shake the bottle vigorously to mix the components. If you don't have white vinegar on hand, you can substitute it with lemon juice.
Window washing solution: This is very important because it removes dirt and helps reduce the number of streaks. 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.
Several homemade cleaners can work effectively to leave sparkling glass. But for convenience and safety, the simple solution of white vinegar and distilled water is the best DIY window cleaner. It's non-toxic, unlike most commercial cleaners, and versatile enough for several cleaning projects around the house.
Vinegar. A trusted way to get windows sparkling is a combination of water and vinegar. Fill a bucket with water and add two or three cups of white vinegar.
Make Your Own Anti-Fog Solution:
Mix 2 parts water along with 1 part vinegar (or one part water with one part isopropyl alcohol) in a spray bottle and mist the inside of your windshield before you start driving.
Silica Desiccant
A desiccant is an absorbent material designed to maintain dryness in the space it protects. In a double-paned window, silica pellets inside the aluminum perimeter strip absorb moisture from any incoming air that enters the space between the panes.
Dual-pane units are made with a thick sealant around the edges, but the seal is never perfect. Over time, warm air, which holds more moisture, seeps into the gap between the pieces of glass and releases that moisture when it cools. The desiccant absorbs it, keeping the glass clear — until the desiccant stops working.
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.
A mixture of vinegar and water can provide an effective and non-toxic cleaning solution for windows and mirrors. To clean your windows with vinegar, combine equal parts vinegar and distilled water in a spray bottle.
Use vinegar
Mix two tablespoons of white vinegar to one cup of water and, either using a spray bottle or a paper towel, apply the solution to the glass. The acid within the vinegar will break down any cloudiness. It will also give a more sparkling finish to the glass.
Inside an empty spray bottle, mix one-part white vinegar and one-part clean water. Spray the solution onto the glass and wipe thoroughly with a paper towel for that perfect, shiny finish.
Vehicle interiors create the ideal atmosphere for building up film on the inside of windows. Cigarette smoke, condensation, and dust blend in a closed, hot interior to form a “cloud” that eventually coats the windows. The hotter the weather, the quicker the film builds up.
Spray a stronger mix of 1:1 water and vinegar (or Windex, or glass cleaner) at your window, so that the solution covers most of the glass. (I found Windex to work better, but if you have pets—or kids—who frequently lick outdoor windows, vinegar may be the best route for you.)
You can also make an all-natural window cleaning solution using a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and hot water. Adding a touch of liquid soap to the vinegar solution will help remove any streak-causing wax left on the window from commercial cleaners used in the past.
The blue solution in the reservoir is an alcohol-based glass cleaner probably diluted with some water. After multiple people have wiped bugs, mud, oil, and gasoline off their vehicle using the squeegee and dunked it back into the tub, that fluid is more filth than detergent.
Both a washing and a cleaning should leave you with streak-free glass, but a washing is a quick service that isn't as thorough. Window washing usually involves spraying on the solution and wiping it away with a squeegee to remove loose surface debris only. This isn't what's involved in window cleaning.
To make your own window cleaner, you'll need a glass spray bottle and an 8-ounce bottle of Jet Dry rinse aid. For best results, use a microfiber cleaning cloth to wipe down windows. If you don't have microfiber cleaning cloths, you can use a microfiber mop instead.