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.
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.
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.
Distilled White Vinegar and Lemon Juice
Let the cleaning solution work on the stain for about five minutes. Use a microfiber cloth to rub the stained area until the stain is gone. Rinse the area with a clean camp cloth. Dry the glass.
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.
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.
Sponge or T-bar wand: Window cleaners use these tools for wetting the window with soapy water. Squeegee: Window cleaners use squeegees to wipe the dirty water away and leave behind a clean, streak-free window. Rags or towels: Rags and towels are useful for doing a quick final polish.
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.
Almost all of the glass cleaners contain glycol ethers, usually ethylene glycol monobutyl ether. Alcohol, such as isopropanol, is also commonly found, as well as ammonia.
“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.)
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.
There are a few things you'll need to clean your windows without streaks. In terms of cleaning solution, your best bets are water and dish soap, water and vinegar, or a professional window cleaner of your choice. The tools and equipment you'll need include: Vinegar or a mineral deposit cleaner for stubborn stains.
Professional window cleaners try to clean when temperatures are between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (10-23 C). These temperatures are most common during spring and autumn seasons, making those the best times for outdoor window cleaning.
Using your extension pole, scrub the window with your brush/sponge. Start at the top and work your way down. Rinse the window with your hose. Attach your squeegee to your extension pole and pull your squeegee across the window to remove excess water and create a polished look.
Rather than mixing your homemade window cleaner in a spray bottle, combine 1 part vinegar with 1 part hot water in a bucket, and follow these steps to clean your windows: Soak a sponge in the cleaning solution. Dampen the window with the sponge, but don't drench the glass.
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.
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.