Window washing solution: This is very important because it removes dirt and helps reduce the number of streaks. A typical solution used by professionals is 3/4 cup clear ammonia or white vinegar, 1 gallon of water and 2 to 4 teaspoons blue Dawn dishwashing liquid combined in a bucket.
The most common professional window cleaning solution recipe is filtered or distilled water and dish soap.
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.
Many leading window cleaning products contain ammonia because it is widely considered the best surfactant that gets the job done without leaving streaks. For that reason, many householders and commercial cleaners demand glass cleaners containing ammonia, such as Windex®.
Professional window cleaners like Window Genie are trained and experienced in this battle. Window Genie uses a polishing paste specifically designed to fight the minerals that create these stains. The paste is applied to a non-abrasive cleaning pad and the window is lightly scrubbed.
Window Washing Tips
If you want to take an environmentally friendly route (which we recommend), then a solution of warm water and vinegar will do the trick and get your windows clean. Some brands and types of windows are much easier to clean than others.
Insider's takeaway. 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.
A typical solution used by professionals is 3/4 cup clear ammonia or white vinegar, 1 gallon of water and 2 to 4 teaspoons blue Dawn dishwashing liquid combined in a bucket.
You can use a solution of dish soap and hot water, then scrub gently with a sponge. Hose down with clean water. Then use a hose to get rid stains and debris. You may have to use a ladder to reach windows on the second level.
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.
To make your own window cleaner, you'll need a glass spray bottle and an 8-ounce bottle of Jet Dry rinse aid. For best results, use a microfiber cleaning cloth to wipe down windows. If you don't have microfiber cleaning cloths, you can use a microfiber mop instead.
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.
Compare tap water to pure water which normally registers at . 000-. 001 parts per million, meaning it contains virtually no damaging minerals or sediments. When used in window cleaning, pure water, even if 100% of it is not removed from the windows, has minimal chance of leaving any residue behind.
No impurities
The fingerprints are the most annoying thing on windows, as most of the fingerprints can't be removed with the help of normal water. Distilled water goes well with cleaning windows and other surface, as there are no impurities involved in it.
Window cleaners purify their water by passing it through a series of filters and resins, making use of natural processes like reverse osmosis and deionisation. They then store this water, usually in a suitably equipped vehicle, so that they can get it to their customers.
Vinegar's natural acidity cuts through grime and deters streaking, and it's safe around children and pets. Below, Stapf walks us through the steps to get your windows gleaming.
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.
Both a washing and a cleaning should leave you with streak-free glass, but a washing is a quick service that isn't as thorough. Window washing usually involves spraying on the solution and wiping it away with a squeegee to remove loose surface debris only. This isn't what's involved in window cleaning.
“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.”
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.)
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.