Ever been turned off of commercial window cleaners because of their toxic ingredients and high long-term costs? Maybe you’re someone who wants to consider products that are better for the environment, as well as save money. Maybe it’s time to try making some window cleaner at home.
Here are five recipes for window cleaner that you can make at home. Feel free to try different recipes before deciding on the best formula for achieving clean windows and a perfect finish!
How to Make Window Cleaner at Home
Let’s get into these top recommended recipes! Remember, if one turns out poorly, you have other recipes to fall back on.
1. A Do-It-Yourself Window Cleaner Recipe Using Dish Soap and Vinegar
First, take a quarter cup of white vinegar. Combine it with half of a teaspoon of dishwasher liquid in a spray bottle, then add 2 cups of water. To combine, simply shake the bottle.
Finally, you can add 10-15 drops of essential oil for the scent, but this step is optional. Then shake to mix. Your window cleaner is now good to apply!
2. Fragrance-Free Cleaner
This particular recipe is going to take a few extra minutes to make compared to the first one. However, it uses ingredients that most people have at home and might be more effective than window cleaners in stores.
First, you’ll need to boil a cup of water. You can use filtered water if you want. Then, using a funnel, you should add 1/2 a teaspoon of cornstarch to your empty spray bottle. The funnel should minimize mess.
Then pour your boiled water into the bottle. Cap the bottle before shaking it to mix the water and cornstarch.
Next, pour 1/8 cup of rubbing alcohol into the bottle. Choose one with a high percentage of isopropyl because a higher percentage means the cleaner will be more effective. Rubbing alcohol can help glass dry quicker and with less streaking.
Put 1/8 cup of distilled white vinegar into the bottle. Vinegar is acidic, so it can help break down films you find on glass, mirrors, and windows.
Finally, put the cap back on the bottle and shake it to mix. Your mixture is now ready to be used!
Something to note: This recipe can last for a few months because the vinegar and alcohol contained within has natural preservative properties.
3. Vinegar and Dish Soap Cleaner
We’ve already established that vinegar is good at tackling the layer of film or dirt that can coat windows. As you know, dish soap can eliminate grease, so combining the two can be a powerful tool for removing window buildup. You can even add some essential oils if you want your window cleaner to have a scent.
First, combine a quarter cup of your distilled vinegar with half a teaspoon of your dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. Pour 2 cups of some water into the mixture and shake the whole thing to mix evenly.
An optional step is adding 10-15 drops of essential oil you enjoy. Your window cleaner is now done.
Top Tip
If, for some reason, you don’t have any vinegar at home, you can try substituting 1/4 cup of lemon juice instead. Lemon juice is also acidic, meaning it has some similar properties as vinegar. However, using lemon juice means your window cleaner might have a quicker expiry date.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaner
Hydrogen peroxide has oxidizing and antimicrobial properties. This makes it an excellent candidate for a household cleaning recipe. Remember to always get the three precent solution that is safe for household use.
First, pour 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and mix it with 1.5 cups of water. Shake the bottle to mix.
If you want to use this on glass surfaces, use rubbing alcohol and a cotton pad to wipe off large smudges first. Then you can use this hydrogen peroxide spray like a cleaner.
5. Rubbing Alcohol Cleaner
This recipe is really straightforward and quick. All you need are some simple ingredients you already have at home: vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and some optional essential oils.
First, put a 1:1 ratio of rubbing alcohol and water into your spray bottle. Next, add 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar and the optional 10-15 drops of essential oil. Shake the mixture well to combine.
Tips for Cleaning Windows
Maybe you already have an awesome window cleaning solution. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make you immune from getting windows with streaks. The following are some tips and tricks for getting those windows sparkling and streak-free.
Choosing a good cloth: We suggest trying microfiber cloths when cleaning glass, mirrors, and windows. Microfiber is a material that’s super soft and leaves no lint behind.
Z- shaped patterns: When wiping down the windows, use a z-shaped pattern to avoid missing a spot.
Letting windows dry: You should let windows fully dry off before checking for streaks because these might evaporate when the moisture is gone. If your windows are dry and there are still streaks, then feel free to repeat.
Don’t rinse: If you rinse your windows after you clean them, you’ll probably end up with streaking.
Use a squeegee: You can get a more professional clean by using your window cleaner with a squeegee. This also minimizes streaks.
Some professionals encourage using DIY window cleaners to avoid the cost and chemicals of commercial options.
Thankfully, the options we’ve included have ingredients that aren’t harmful to you or the environment and probably already exist in your house.