Some formulations of Windex contain ammonia. These products should never be combined with bleach when cleaning. Combining bleach and Windex that contains ammonia can lead to the formation of chloramine gas. Chloramine gas is highly irritating to the nose, mouth, and throat when inhaled.
The number one reason to avoid an ammoniated glass cleaner involves, you guessed it- safety. The harmful fumes can wreak havoc on your respiratory system, especially if being used in a cleaner that gets sprayed onto surfaces, since it becomes airborne before and possibly after point of contact.
Windex® Original Glass Cleaner is perfect for cleaning windows, mirrors, glass shower doors, glass top stoves, and more. Thanks to its formulation with Ammonia-D®, it starts working on fingerprints, dirt, and other messes even before you wipe.
Exposure to chloramine gases can cause coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, irritation to the throat, nose and eyes or pneumonia and fluid in the lungs. Swallowing a cleaning product that contains ammonia can burn the mouth, throat, and stomach and cause severe abdominal pain.
Rubbing Alcohol Windex Alternative
(Rubbing alcohol is also a safe cleaning solution for stains and sticky messes.) Mix one cup distilled water, three tablespoons vinegar, and ¼ cup rubbing alcohol in a new spray bottle and label it. Shake up your glass cleaning solution and spray it on your glass.
Countertop, glass cook top, tile, and grout grime won't stand a chance against Windex. The product works on granite, marble, and laminate countertops, and—best of all—won't erode or damage grout. No need to even switch cleansers when you switch to wiping down enamel and stainless steel appliances.
Bleach and Ammonia
“Chlorine bleach—found in whitening laundry products, toilet cleaners, and some disinfectants—mixed with ammonia, most often found in window cleaners, results in a chemical reaction that creates a toxic fume of chloramine gas," Arkin says. "In high enough concentration, this gas can be lethal.”
Wise received U.S. patent #3,463,735 for a glass cleaning composition, listing example formulae, one of which is 4.0% isopropyl alcohol, 1% ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, 0.1% sodium lauryl sulfate (a surfactant), calcium (Ca) 0.01%, tetrasodium pyrophosphate (a water softener), 0.05% of 28% ammonia, 1% of a dye ...
No Smell. After using ammonia-based cleaning products, the smell of ammonia will linger after the job is done. A good ammonia-free glass cleaning product such as Sprayway Glass Cleaner will leave your glass smelling fresh, without any offensive scent.
With that being said, ammonia can be known to cause damage to surfaces such as rubber, vinyl, plastic, paint, and chrome trim which are found all throughout your vehicle. Ammoniated glass cleaners can also deteriorate wax, so we highly caution against using these types of products on any such surface.
Windex® Ammonia-Free Glass Cleaner offers a streak-free shine** you can depend on and a fragrance experience you'll love. It is safe to use on car windows and other interior car surfaces.
Both vinegar and ammonia are good cleaning agents, but if you want to be on the safe side, then it's best to go with vinegar. Vinegar is less hazardous. When it comes to actually wiping the windows down, however, microfiber cloths are the best thing to use for absorbency.
Q: What ingredients are in Windex® Glass and Multi-Surface Cleaners? A: Most Windex® Glass and Multi-Surface Cleaners are formulated with detergents, solvents, fragrance and in some cases ammonia (see below for ammonia-free products).
Low airborne concentrations and diluted liquid solutions can still cause eye, nose and throat irritation, serious skin burns similar to frostbite and permanent eye damage. While not a significant concern, ammonia can be flammable at concentrations of 15-30 percent by volume in air.
Bleach + Ammonia = Chloramine. This can cause shortness of breath and chest pain. Bleach + Rubbing alcohol = Chloroform. Another highly toxic combination!!
Bleach + Ammonia
Bleach and ammonia produce a toxic gas called chloramine. "It causes the same symptoms as bleach and vinegar — along with shortness of breath and chest pain," says Forte. Many glass and window cleaners contain ammonia, so never mix those with bleach.
Wear Protective Gear
Whenever you're working with a chemical like ammonia, you'll want to wear the right protective gear to keep you and others in the working area safe. You should wear goggles and a mask to reduce the likelihood of the solution getting into your eyes, mouth, or nose.
Ammonia is super cheap and great to use as a homemade household cleaner by itself or mixed with other on-hand products. It leaves a streak-free shine making it great for cleaning glass, stainless steel, and porcelain. It's also wonderful at removing baked-on grease and grime.
The alkalinity of household ammonia serves to form a soap which will emulsify the main body of the fat/oil, if enough elbow grease (i.e. vigorous agitation with a scrub brush or wash rag) is applied. Other alkalis do as well - better, if you consider breathable ambient air to be desirable.
Clean Stains on Carpets, Curtains, and Furniture
Ammonia will work for cotton, nylon, and polyester, but never use ammonia for wool or silk fabrics. Be sure to test a small, discreet area of fabric first before applying ammonia all over your belongings, and always follow the manufacturer's cleaning recommendations.
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.)
Spray your windows with a generous amount of glass cleaner. Using a lint-free paper towel or microfiber cloth, wipe your windows from top to bottom. If you see any streaks, give them another wipe until the glass is clear.
You'll like the vinegar scent much better. It's not overwhelming, but strong enough to know it's better than the old regular blue spray bottle. Great for glass tables, windows and bathrooms. This is my favorite windex.