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Do Natural Window Cleaners Work?
by Annie B. Bond | June 10th, 2009 | 32 Comments
topic: Green Living, Healthy Home
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.
Annie –
It is nice to see a steady movement towards “green” products for cleaning, a trend that has been gaining momentum for over a decade. It is such a healthy choice to use products that are safe for the user, surface and environment. Why clean if the chemicals that are used make the area more toxic after cleaning than before?
Side note: If you’re hiring a professional window cleaner, make sure you know what chemicals they are using… if it is a “secret” what is the secret? Hopefully it is not Butyl.
Cheers!
Jim w/Beckon Call
Just use Dawn dish wash liquid and some water mixed in a bucket. This is very green as you all know the oil spills all use Dawn to clean up wildlife and such not to mention it is the preffered cleaner for solar film on windows and other window applications. Get a cheap squeegee at Home Depot and a clean dry rag and pull the squeegee straight across and your in business.
Water and dishwashing liquid and a clean rag would do the trick for me. It is still best to use the natural method of cleaning windows though.
Great Post! This is very informative. As an owner of a cleaning company based in London and I have picked up one or two tips. Thanks
With all due respect, it is really NOT about the application of the cleaner but how you take it off the glass that make all the difference. If you use a paper towel, it doesn’t matter what cleaner you use….its going to streak in direct sunlight. On the other hand, you could use tap water with a drop of dish soap and remove it with a cheap, shower squeegee and have a 100% better result. Squeegee = $1 at the dollar store.
Does this really work? Nice tips for a making a simple chemical for window cleaning. Very informative and very easy to make.
They work well , i use them frequently..
I know natural cleaning products are mentioned everywhere on the web and on the books, but there are certain areas of the house I wouldn’t do with home made cleaning products. I would rather use a cleaning product which cleans well and leaves my home smell fresh.
I use them all the time and they work fine, I cant belive I used to use 409 around my cat, its so toxic.
Informative blog post. Dish washing liquid is a cost effective method of cleaning your windows.
You have posted a very effective means of cleaning windows using natural ingredients and I think it is great that a lot more individuals are promoting environmentally-friendly cleaning products and techniques. Not only does it promote an eco-friendly lifestyle and will go a long way to preserving our environment, using eco-friendly cleaning products and methods is also safer for our families and household.
Streak No More…check it out. :)
I’ve tested it and it worked perfectly. Thank you for the informative post.
Good advice. People are often surprised when I tell them the secret to cleaning glass isn’t chemicals, its the squeegee.
Hi Annie, I agree, your solution is a winner but it really depends on the materials you use to clean with. Pip is right! Black and white newspaper works great on window and so do the microfiber cloths; use one cloth to apply and one to dry. A squeegee is great for large windows!
So glad not too many people do this themselves anymore or my window cleaning business would not do well!
Vinegar is not a necessary additive o your window cleaner. Nor is ammonia, which many people will recommend. When choosing a soap, common dish soaps are the best way to go. I use Blue Dawn or Ecover in my professional window cleaning business in New Jersey.
The tricks are in the technique for agitation (scrubbing and removing dirt and debris) before squeegeeing. The soap is there mostly for slip under the squeegee. No need for chemicals, as you’re only trying to clean the windows, and not sterilize them.
Cheers!
I have been using homemade window solutions always. my grand mother who raised me used them also and they are cheaper than to use. being of german decent we are frugal people and save a penny wherever we can. vinegar water-dash of soap and essence of choice is best. I use lemon essence.
Another trick to remove the wax buildup left by store-brought window cleaning agents is to get #0000 steel wool from your local hardware store and use it as your window “mop”.
It usually pulls all the schmeck left behind right off in one pass. If the streaks are still there, an alcohol based foaming cleaner, such as Zep or Sprayaway will literally melt the residue off. Spray on generously, let it dwell on the glass for 30 seconds or so, then simply squeegee or wipe away with a clean, dry cloth.
One can use just water so long as your scrubber is abrasive enough and the squeegee rubber is in good shape (just have to be careful not to use something too abrasive that will scratch the glass). Cheers.
Learning ways on how to clean your windows in an economical and environment friendly way is such a great idea. You can keep it clean and presentable all the time without using any toxic cleaning chemicals. Thanks for sharing!
Very interesting topic and article. Having been a professional window cleaner for almost 15 years I have used many window cleaning products. I must admit that lemons are Gods natural gift for all types of cleaning.
That was a very informative read.
Thanks for the great tips Annie! You can also use microfiber cloths with your natural cleaner. It works great for me :)
I guess everyone has their own way of washing windows, best way is to try and see if it works.
Those are great methods that are cost efficient and also work wonders on glass. Also, 1/3 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol, 3 and a half cups of water and one clean spray bottle, Should also do the trick of crystal clean windows.
Great window cleaning tips! Nice to see people are thinking about their environment. We use nothing except pure water to clean windows. If done properly it dries to a perfect finish every time. You can even use it in a spray bottle on the insides.
There is an new “green” cleaning manufacturer that has the best streak free VOC free, green glass cleaner called BioWorx.us I tried just about every glass cleaner on the market and have been very disappointed in the results, I always have? streaks. I have been using BioWorx “green” VOC free glass and surface cleaner with a microfiber towel with no streaks. Plus the product is a very good cleaner as well. Probably not as good a household cleaner as a glass cleaner, but still good none the less.