Everyone wants to save some money and live a bit cleaner, right? These are my best simple homemade glass cleaner recipes, which I have tested. They work as well as or even better than store-bought without the disagreeable chemicals. In fact, I haven’t bought glass cleaner in over five years! Talk about some big savings!
I would definitely say that I am a pretty clean person, however, cleaning windows and mirrors used to be a real challenge. The pursuit of the perfect streak-free shine can be as difficult as cleaning burnt-on food from glass stovetops.
As manager of my household, I’ve developed many tricks to make the weekly cleaning and deep cleaning tasks less painstaking. My many tried & tested techniques, along with some failures, are some of my favorites to share.
My Favorite Method to Clean Glass
I know this may sound crazy, but I use nothing but water to clean my glass. Although I battle things like overzealous dog kisses, teenage boy fingerprints, dried-on dirt, and car windows that bake in the sun, my windows are streak-free in less than a minute!
Wanna know the secret? It’s this polishing cloth! I’ve used one cloth for over four years. I don’t think I’ll ever need to replace it. Solid investment.
How it Works:
- Use a wet towel or sponge to clean any residue or caked dirt off. There’s no need to soak the window; the towel does better if the glass is almost dry.
- Wipe the glass with a dry polishing cloth until all water and streaks disappear before your eyes!
If you’d like to read more about the Cleaning Cloths I use to eliminate all chemicals in our home, read my honest Norwex review here.
Why Use a Natural Glass Cleaner?
If you prefer something a bit more traditional, consider the following all-natural DIY recipes that also work miracles.
- Easy to make.
- Cost-effective recipes save you money.
- Clean ingredients stop contributing to toxic overload in home and the planet.
Method #2: Glass Cleaner with Ammonia & Rubbing Alcohol
Some of the best non-streak recipes for window cleaning include rubbing alcohol, which helps any residue evaporates quickly. While technically “natural”, non-dilute ammonia is corrosive and toxic.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of rubbing alcohol (70% Isopropyl alcohol)
- ½ cup of cleaning ammonia
- 2 tablespoons of dish soap
- 3 cups of water
When you mix the ingredients, don’t use too much dishwashing liquid. That will cause the glass to appear cloudy.
Method #3: Glass Cleaner with Vinegar & Rubbing Alcohol Recipe
This alternative DIY recipe is easy to apply and made with common household items, but without ammonia.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol (70% Isopropyl alcohol)
- ⅓ cup of white vinegar
- 4 cups of water
This DIY recipe is easy to apply. Although the technique isn’t as fast as the polishing cloth, my mother-in-law has been using it for years until she found the cloths, and she swears by it making her windows sparkling.
FAQs
You can add up to 5 drops of essential oil for scent. Citrus or lavender are great choices. Be mindful not to add too much, or the oil may be hard to clean off.
Always label the contents of your cleaner bottles. Adding a date to the label is also a good idea, as chemicals can break down over time.
DO NOT USE LEFTOVER BOTTLES! Rubbing alcohol can leach trace amounts of chemicals out of plastic bottles, and then chemicals can mix in unexpected ways. Use only new bottles for these recipes.
Vinegar’s acetic acidic composition quickly breaks down the film that often accumulates on windows and other glass surfaces. When cleaning glass with a vinegar-based solution, the result is a sparkling and streak-free surface. Vinegar also acts as a disinfectant and can kill germs in as little as 30 minutes when applied to a surface.
There you have it! Several fresh ideas for natural no-streak glass cleaners. Check that you have an appropriate container to mix your ingredients before you get started.
Have you tried one of these savvy solutions or another? Share your before & after with us in the comment section.
Grab our free series "Weekend Home Projects that will Transform Your Life" Sign up below to receive updates including free printables, organization tips, home improvement projects, recipes and more! |
More Cleaning Solutions
Homemade Glass Cleaner
Tools
- Spray Bottle only use new bottles or glass for new chemical mixtures.
Supplies
- ¼ cup rubbing alcohol
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- 4 cups HOT water distilled is preferred
Instructions
- In a spray bottle, add all ingredients. Close lid and shake to mix.
- Spray onto glass and wipe with a sponge or wet cloth to remove large amounts of dirt. Follow with a paper towel to polish to a streak free shine.
Belle Galler says
There are certainly numerous particulars like that to take into consideration. That is a great point to convey up. I provide the thoughts above as common inspiration however clearly there are questions just like the one you bring up the place crucial factor will probably be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged round issues like that, but I am certain that your job is clearly identified as a fair game. Each girls and boys feel the influence of only a moment’s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.
Kimberly says
I absolutely love this! Thanks for sharing it with us. Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see you tomorrow night at 7 pm. We can’t wait to party with you! Lou Lou Girls
B says
Thank You very much for this great ideas.
Birgit from Austria
Emily says
I love DIY cleaning recipes. This past year I changed over almost all of my cleaning supplies to nontoxic ones. I have been using a solution of half vinegar and half water to clean my mirrors and windows. I’ll have to try adding the rubbing alcohol like you suggested.
Steph says
Between kids and pets, we use a lot of glass cleaner – love this much cheaper approach!
Jody @easypeasymom says
I love using natural products to clean! So much better for our health (and our wallets!) Pinning, thanks for sharing!
Visiting from the Best Recipes DIY link party.