Professional window cleaners often use dish soaps like Dawn or Joy to help their window cleaning squeegees glide.
A hot, sunny day causes the cleaning solution to evaporate too fast before you can finish washing the window and leaves streaks. 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.
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 best thing to clean windows is water. Water is the most cost-effective way to ensure a window gets adequately cleansed. Besides cost, using water is the most environment-friendly way of cleaning windows. If you are looking for an alternative to water, you can use vinegar.
Liquid dish soap, such as Dawn or Palmolive, can provide an effective, deep clean for windows by breaking down grime and build-up with ease. Distilled water is preferred as it won't leave behind water spots.
Dish Soap Solution
Believe it or not, one of the most common and effective window cleaning solutions that is used by professionals is a mixture of dish soap and water. Simply mix one gallon of water with two teaspoons of liquid dish soap, and you have a professional window cleaning solution.
DIY Window Cleaner with Rubbing Alcohol
To make this homemade window cleaner, first add 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol and 2-3 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar to a spray bottle. For best results, make sure your vinegar says "made from grain" on the label. Then add 1 cup distilled water.
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.
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.)
SYR Glimmer Clean is a long standing favourite in the cleaning industry. It is designed to be both an anti-static detergent and effective at removing dirt and grease.
According to Anderson, “Most of [the automotive glass-cleaning chemicals] are going to use an isopropyl alcohol-based product, a vinegar-based product, and they're going to avoid using an ammonium-based product, like you would find in a Windex.
The best way to clean windows is with cleaning solution and a cloth, or a bucket full of soapy water (washing-up liquid with warm water) and a non-abrasive sponge.
The correct option is C Ammonium hydroxide.
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.
It doesn't all wash off. In fact, it leaves toxic chemical residues behind on your dishes and glasses that pose significant health hazards over the long-term.
Luckily, everything you'll need to clean your hard surfaces can already be found in your home: Concentrated dish soap that's tough on stains and grease but gentle on stainless steel, granite, and glassware, like Dawn® Platinum Plus Powerwash Dish Spray.
Too Much Soap in the Solution
Well, window cleaner, this can absolutely apply to your soap solution. Your windows could be looking murky because you're using way too much of the good stuff. When it comes to concentrate, a little goes a long way, even if you're using regular dish soap.
Vinegar has a very low pH level which means it's very acidic, so it can corrode some surfaces over time. For example, using vinegar on natural stone like granite or marble can dull and scratch the surface and it can corrode surfaces like unsealed grout, window seals, and fridge and dishwasher gaskets.
The acidic composition of white vinegar works efficiently to break down the film that can accumulate on your windows. For a basic vinegar cleaning solution, we recommend mixing one part distilled vinegar to 10 parts warm water in a spray bottle. Label the container and save leftovers for future use.
Can You Use Dish Soap for Window Cleaning? Professional window cleaners often use dish soaps like Dawn or Joy to help their window cleaning squeegees glide.
Using a soft microfiber cloth and a mixture of dish soap and water or vinegar and water (1 ½ cups vinegar to each gallon of water), wipe the windows and frames clean. Rinse again with your hose. Use a clean rubber-edge squeegee to dry your windows. This will minimize water spots and dry them faster than using a cloth.
If you're all about the DIY life, we've got just the thing for you. Combine two parts water with one part white vinegar in a spray bottle and you'll be all set with a homemade window cleaner. You can also combine warm water with a few drops of dishwashing soap if you prefer.
And while ammonia-based cleaners like Windex are known for their cleaning power, the smell isn't so great. Plus, ammonia can leave streaks and film on some types of windows. But not to worry, CR found that the ammonia-free options cleaned just as well. The winner was Sprayway Foaming Glass Cleaner.
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.