Do Natural Window Cleaners Work?
by Annie B. Bond | June 10th, 2009 | Comments (5)
topic: Green Living, Healthy Home | tags: eco-friendly cleaners, glass cleaners, homemade cleaners, natural cleaning products, nontoxic cleaners, vinegar, window cleaners
Don’t think eco-friendly natural window cleaners really work? Gotten streaks when you’ve tried them in the past? Try these nontoxic cleaning formulas and tips. You’ll never go back to commercial, chemical-based cleaners again.
Myth: Homemade cleaners leave streaks
Around Earth Day 1990, it seemed like every newspaper was printing recipes for nontoxic cleaning products with kitchen cupboard basics. The recipe was just plain vinegar and water. But when people tried the simple formula, they got streaks on their windows — and they swore off cleaning with homemade recipes — or even commercially sold natural cleaning products — for good.
The problem wasn’t the natural formula. The problem was that the traditional cleaning solutions people had used for so many years left a wax buildup, and vinegar alone couldn’t do the job of removing the residue.
Adding a dab of dish soap to a vinegar and water formula will do the trick. From then on, plain vinegar and water is all you’ll need to use.
Recipes for effective nontoxic cleaners
All-Purpose Window Cleaner
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 teaspoon natural-formula liquid soap or detergent
2 cups water
A few drops of essential oil, for scent (optional)
Directions: Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and shake. Spray on, then remove with a squeegee, paper towel or newspaper. Makes 2 1/4 cups and lasts forever.
Vinegar Straight-Up
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
Directions: Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and shake. Spray on, then remove with a squeegee, paper towel or newspaper. This preparation will work well after you have cleaned off all the residue of commercial products with an all-purpose cleaner like the formula above.
Light and lemony variation: Substitute lemon juice for the vinegar. Note that freshly squeezed lemon juice won’t keep for more than a few days and should be stored in the refrigerator.
Tips for cleaning windows without chemicals
- A small squeegee will avoid the waste of paper towels. Squeegee the water to the corners of the glass, then wipe with a cotton rag.
- Be careful not to add too much detergent, or you’ll have to rinse it off. If the detergent is concentrated, use only half the amount.
- To get all the smudges when cleaning both sides of the window, wipe vertically on one side and horizontally on the other.
Thanks for the tips! I didn’t know that about lemon juice.
Another option is to use microfiber cloths – just dampen one and wipe the window then use the other to dry. It works well. I keep one in my car and just wipe the windows with a dry cloth – that works well too.
I’m glad that someone took the old professional cleaning tip of adding soap to window cleaning solution and made it green. I worked for my uncle’s cleaning service as a teenager and dish soap was the real “secret ingredient” between a pro and an amateur window cleaning. Dish soap added to the window cleaning solution really was the only thing that removed tree sap from outdoor windows, and smoke from indoor windows. Take it from an ex-pro – this tip really works.
Also using black and white newsprint is very good for cleaning off a window after its been washed. The printing ink seems to clean the glass very well. I’ve often used it on the interior of the car.
We are a Office Cleaning company in Leeds, UK. You will find now that most cleaning companies are using a new system called reach and wash which uses pure water, its also safer. I’ve found your website to be useful and i’ll defenately be coming back. Keep up the good work.