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.
Mix one part hot water to one part distilled vinegar. Sponge cleaning: Moisten the window, using the solution, then clean. Squeegee cleaning: Always dampen the squeegee first and clean from the top down, wiping the edge of the squeegee after every stroke. Clean only when there is no direct sun on the windows.
Warning. Although it may be the best indoor window cleaner, vinegar can damage non-glass parts, including a mirror's silver backing and a wood or metal frame. Spray vinegar on the cloth, not the glass, for more control, and to avoid overspray or drips.
The best homemade window cleaning solution is to just mix two gallons of water and about a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid together in your bucket. Some people also opt to use vinegar and water to clean windows. In warm weather, you'll get a little more working time by using cool water.
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. Mix it to combine.
“Squeegee” isn't just one of the best words in the English language—it's also an amazing tool for streak-free windows. In fact, it's what almost all the pros use, so you know it has to be good. Don't use the rubber tool created for your shower, though. Instead, opt for a professional-grade window squeegee.
Vinegar removes stubborn stains and grime. You can mix it with soft water with a 1:1 ratio or use it undiluted for spots that are extra tough to remove. Use the solution as you would a cleaner or use it as the last step after you've washed a particularly grimy window with soap.
White distilled vinegar is the best vinegar for cleaning because it doesn't contain a coloring agent. Therefore, it won't stain surfaces. Staining can happen when cleaning with a darker-colored vinegar.
White vinegar has 5 percent acidity; while cleaning vinegar, on the other hand, has 6 percent. Although it's only a one percent difference in acidity, it actually results in cleaning vinegar being 20 percent stronger than white vinegar.
“Never mix vinegar with other cleaning products like bleach or ammonia or those 'blue' window cleaning products [like Windex], because they can create dangerous chlorine gas,” Gayman says.
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.
Use a 1:1 ratio of diluted vinegar and water and store it in a spray bottle. Then you can spritz and disinfect your kitchen sink, counters, or any other spots that you'd normally use bleach but want to be food-safe. To counteract the vinegar smell, you can use soapy water to rinse the sink afterward.
Both distilled and white vinegar can be used in cooking, cleaning, food preservation, and for medical and laboratory purposes. However, since white vinegar is stronger than its counterpart, it is more suitable for cleaning and disinfecting.
Is Vinegar More Effective Than Bleach? Vinegar truly is better than cleaning with bleach when it comes to killing mold. The EPA does not recommend using bleach to kill or remove mold, except in special circumstances. In most cases, “a background level of mold spores will remain” after the application of bleach.
Cleaning Windows from the Outside
Using a soft microfiber cloth, go over the surface of the window. For higher windows, use a sponge mop (or a soft cotton or microfiber mop) on a pole. Rinse thoroughly with the hose. Spray or mop with the vinegar and water solution or with a commercial cleanser.
Countertops
Because vinegar is a natural disinfectant, it can clean and disinfect countertops after food preparation. For tough stains, add a few drops of Dawn soap to one-part water and two parts vinegar. Vinegar can also remove odors from countertops, but it shouldn't be used on granite or marble.
This happens because vinegar consists of water and acetic acid. The acetic acid forms strong bonds with water molecules. These bonds slow the movement of the molecules in the solution faster than molecules in pure water, causing the solution to freeze more quickly.
Newspaper is better for cleaning windows than using rags or paper towels, it's true. Remember, mirrors are just glass as well, so this all applies to cleaning mirrors throughout your home whether it's a bathroom mirror or a full-length mirror. But wet newspaper can leave black smudges of ink all over window frames.
To help with clearing the condensation away, you can make a simple, home-made solution by mixing two cups of water with two cups of white vinegar and a couple drops of washing up liquid. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle if you have one and spray the solution straight onto your window.
Washing-up liquid, such as FAIRY or CITROL, can be used instead of a professional window cleaning solution, but these solutions have been designed to increase the glide of the squeegee and do not leave behind a residue like some washing up liquids.
Small Appliances. The plastic and glass surfaces on most small kitchen appliances, such as blenders, coffee makers, and toasters, are safe to clean with vinegar, but you want to avoid any rubber parts or metal that vinegar can corrode. This includes stainless steel.
Vinegar is safe and milder than caustic cleaners designed for the toilet, and those commercial cleaning agents can eat away the good bacteria in your septic system. To safely and inexpensively clean your toilet bowls, pour a generous glug of vinegar, followed by a heavy sprinkling of baking soda, into the bowl.