It's fine to use a commercial window cleaning spray, but you can also make your own that's just as effective—and much cheaper. Combine about 8 ounces of hot water with a drop or two of Dawn dish soap—which is great for cutting grease and grime, says Fisk—in a spray bottle.
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.
Dish Soap and Water
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.
The most common professional window cleaning solution recipe is filtered or distilled water and dish soap. Just a few spoonfuls of dish soap is all that's needed to create foam for gliding and to help break up any grease and dirt on the glass during cleaning.
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.
This match made in heaven has been a household staple for a long time and I make sure to keep it handy. To make the solution is simple and easy on the wallet! Pour equal parts of vinegar and Dawn into a spray bottle. Gently shake, then spray liberally onto the surface to be cleaned.
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.
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.)
Cleaning glass is more about the tools than the elbow grease. Even if you do exactly the right things, like mixing vinegar with distilled water and wiping with newspaper, it's possible to end up with a frustrating streak or three. In that case, the simplest solution is to finish the job with a quick buff.
Purified water does a better job of removing dirt from windows and it does not leave any residue behind that can smear the glass surface. Water softeners remove hard water scale and scum minerals through an ion exchange process.
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.
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.
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.
You can clean your windows with vinegar and water or water with a few drops of dish soap. If you opt for water and vinegar, you'll need equal parts white vinegar and hot water. To use dish soap, combine cold water with a few drops of dish soap.
Want to know my secret for cleaning the outside of my windows that don't tip in? spray the window with my cleaner – the use the Swiffer to reach outside and clean the upper half of my windows!
To start, grab that bottle of Dawn (or any other dish soap) from your kitchen sink and the broom stowed away in your closet. Dish soap is designed to cut through tough grease and food stains on our delicate dishware, but it will also disintegrate the dirty marks and soap scum lining your tub.
If streaky windows are a big issue in your home, try cleaning them with vinegar and warm water, which should leave them sparkling and streak-free. Another option is wiping them down with a newspaper, which cuts down on streaks and produces maximum shine.
To make a safe and effective glass cleaner alternative, all you need is water, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, dish soap, and some microfiber towels. Read on to find out how you can get sparkling clean windows and mirrors without expensive, harsh glass cleaners.