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.
(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.)
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.
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.
Dampen a sponge with cleaner and rub at the stains on the windows. Rinse the area with water and proceed with regular cleaning. Spray the affected area with pure vinegar and let it sit for at least five minutes. Use a sponge or cloth to rub the stain, and proceed with regular cleaning.
Rinsing is not necessary! If you're simply using a vinegar and water solution to wipe and disinfect, you won't need to rinse. However, if there's also plenty of dirt and grime you're wiping away, you may also want to rinse with some extra water.
Use a cleaning solution: Like Glass-Rite cleaner! Or we also recommend a simple solution of equal parts vinegar and water, a Windex solution in water is good also. Do not use glass cleaners that are ammonia or alcohol based. They may leave streaks or make a film that attracts moisture or dust.
Mix one part distilled vinegar to 10 parts warm water in a spray bottle. Wipe down the window with a a soft, clean, lint-free microfiber cloth or paper towel to remove dust before you spray your solution, then spray the entire surface.
“Vinegar is a good cleaner because it's acidic, but when you add dishwashing liquid/dish soap to it (which is a base or neutral) - you neutralise the vinegar. You take away the very thing that makes it work well. “The dishwashing liquid works that well on its own. Adding the vinegar is a pointless step.”
For most windows, combine equal parts distilled water and white vinegar. In most cases, it's best to do this in a spray bottle, but for larger windows combine more liquid in a bucket. For very dirty windows, especially exterior windows, combine 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of vinegar, and 1/2 tsp of dish detergent.
Paper towels are an easy go-to whenever you're cleaning glass. But, that right there is your problem. Paper towel is the number one culprit of leaving behind streaks and lint. Paper towels are typically treated for absorbency, which makes them ideal for spills, but awful for glass cleaning.
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.
Whether you are out of name brand glass cleaner or you want to use a more natural cleaner, vinegar works wonders on windows. Try a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water for a streak-free clean. You can use a spray bottle or dip a rag in the solution, just like you would an ordinary cleaner.
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.
Excessive Cleaning Solution
Whether you have purchased a premixed glass cleaner, or you are using your own soapy mixture, too much cleaning solution will cause streaky windows. It is a common misconception that the more cleaning solution you use, the cleaner the glass will be but with windows this is not the case.
Microfiber cloths are the best choice to clean your windows because they pick up and trap dirt and grime. One way to determine a towel's quality and absorbency is to consider the grams per square meter (GSM). This measurement describes how thick a towel is, and higher numbers indicate plusher linen.
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.
It's often best to clean windows when temperatures are between 64 degrees Fahrenheit and a temperature in the 70s. In other words, seek a day that's not overly hot. For many, this means either a day in the fall or spring or a very early morning on a cooler day in summer.
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.
Maybe vinegar is acidic enough to act as a sanitizer, but hydrogen peroxide is better at killing bacteria, fungus, and viruses. To disinfect a surface, you can use a 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water solution. Spray it on a clean surface and let it sit for at least 5 minutes.
Dawn & vinegar works better than store-bought cleaners.
I've tried myriad cleaners specifically for bathrooms~from Rain-X to scrubbing bubbles and beyond. I've never had any store-bought cleaner work better than this easy, inexpensive, DIY Dawn vinegar solution.