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. Invest in a glass spray bottle to mix up your formula.
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.
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.
Make your own cleaning solution by simply mixing 50 per cent vinegar and 50 per cent water in a spray bottle. Spray your window, let it sit, then grab a microfibre cloth and give everything a good wipe. If there are still streaks, flip your cloth to the other side and give it a second going-over.
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.
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.)
Dawn as a substitute glass cleaner
One of the most effective ways to clean glass is dish soap – it's what professional window cleaners use when cleaning exterior windows.
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.
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.
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.
In a spray bottle, combine 2 cups of white vinegar, 2 cups of water, and 5 drops of concentrated dish soap. Give it a good shake to thoroughly mix the ingredients. The vinegar is an acid and will help break up any mineral or hard water deposits. The dish soap helps to soften up the grime and gently remove dirt.
“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.”
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.
Best Overall: Stoner Invisible Glass Glass Cleaner
In fact, Invisible Glass guarantees a streak-free finish or your money back. It's safe and effective to use on windows, doors, tables, mirrors, ovens, car windows and more.
It contains vinegar and isopropyl alcohol, which both cut through grease and kill bacteria. Simply mix one cup of alcohol and water and add a tablespoon of vinegar. Add the mixture to a spray bottle, and you're good to go!
Windex Outdoor Concentrated Cleaner is the easy way to clean and shine windows, patio furniture, brick, and other outdoor surfaces! The specially-designed spray bottle conveniently attaches directly to your garden hose.
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.
But common pantry essentials that are often used for cleaning — like baking soda and vinegar — shouldn't be mixed either. Unlike the bleach-ammonia mixture, combining soda and vinegar won't hurt anyone — but don't expect the mixture to do a good job cleaning, either.
The blue solution in the reservoir is an alcohol-based glass cleaner probably diluted with some water. After multiple people have wiped bugs, mud, oil, and gasoline off their vehicle using the squeegee and dunked it back into the tub, that fluid is more filth than detergent.