Natural Glass and Window Cleaner
I’ve tried all kinds of natural glass and window cleaners, and nothing works better than plain old vinegar and water!
I almost didn’t post this natural glass and window cleaner recipe because it is so easy and doesn’t really qualify as a “recipe”. But after speaking with some “green skeptic” friends this week who were not convinced that you could make effective natural cleaners that rivaled their toxic commercial counterparts, I thought it was worth posting this simple “vinegar and water” message to spread the word in the hopes that more people will give the “simple is best” approach a go.
A mixture of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 warm water is all you need to make glass surfaces, windows, and mirrors clear and sparkly. You will be amazed with the results! You can use a spray bottle or sponge the mixture onto the glass surface. Then take a sheet of newspaper to wipe clean. Alternatively, you can just use straight or diluted vinegar with newspaper for great results. For incredibly dirty surfaces I always wash with warm soapy water before applying the vinegar solution for the best results. To remove streaks from glass and mirrors use a soft cloth with undiluted vinegar.
You can also rinse your glassware in vinegar to make them sparkle! Just rinse thoroughly to remove any vinegar smell. I will often put all my glasses in the dishwasher with 1 cup of white vinegar, and then fill the soap and rinse compartment with vinegar and run it through a cycle for great results.
Vinegar is green, does not irritate the skin or aggravate allergies like many commercial cleaning products, and is as cheap as chips. You can pick up a huge container for a few dollars at any grocery store.
Vinegar has been produced commercially for over 2,000 years, so it is nothing new. There are many varieties of vinegar that have wonderful culinary uses. But for the purposes of cleaning, white vinegar (with about 5% acidity) is the most versatile. For those of you who find the strong smell of vinegar unpalatable, please know that the odor disappears in seconds once the vinegar dries. Trust me, give this super easy concoction a go. You will be pleasantly surprised.
What do you use to clean your glass?
Other DIY Natural Cleaning Recipes For You
Natural Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Homemade Natural Laundry Detergent Powder
Natural DIY Surface Cleaner
Natural Baking Soda Cream Cleaner
Natural Wood Furniture Polish
Natural Mold Cleaner
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments!
Your feedback is really important to me, and it helps me decide which recipes to post next for you.
Comments 22
yep, same here!! Water, vinegar & newspapers make for perfectly clean windows & mirrors. It’s the getting-around-to-do-it that’s the hard part. 😉
LOL! Yes! I know EXACTLY what you mean!
Trying out on baseboards but does work better to dry dust cobwebs first. They seem to get stickier when wet.
Thanks Julia! That is a great tip.
I have found that works best too.
Thankyou so much for sharing your experience.
For windows 100% cornflour dissolved in cold water works fantastically well. Just mix about one tablespoon of cornflour in a litre of cold water. Wet an old facewasher with this liquid, wipe the window, then dry down with a clean, dry, lint- free cloth. Sparkly! (note: it must be 100% cornflour and the water must be cold)
Tammy – this is such an AMAZING tip.
Thankyou SO much for sharing it with everyone. I have never tried this and am excited to give it a go when I get back from vacation!
I use Norwex rags to clean my whole house. They work like magic even removing soap scum with just water and elbow grease. They are mostly sold at home parties and no I do not sell them.
LOL! Thanks for sharing Stephanie. I really appreciate you taking the time to share this here and on Facebook. I am going to check the Norwex rags out!
I’ve used homemade cleaners for a year now. I would never go back. It works and it’s so much cheaper!
Thanks for sharing your experience Katie.
I totally agree. Double winner – they work better and are so much cheaper. If you have any wonderful natural recipes or tips, please feel free to share.
Try adding a few drops of lavender oil to get rid of the vinegar smell!
Thanks for sharing Nikki,
Isn’t lavender oil AMAZING?!
I use it as a perfume every day and burn it around the house. I just LOVE the smell and can’t get enough of it.
Great tip BG thnx! I’m using homemade cleaners for over 3 years now it’s so much cheaper 🙂
That is awesome. Thanks for sharing!
I came across a way to clean windows in a book I have that’s all about making your own natural cleaning products….it’s simply to use club soda and a cotton rag!
I was completely skeptical and thought it would make things sticky…but tried it anyway and couldn’t believe how shiny it made my mirrors, faucets, etc! I put it in a spray bottle and left it open for a few days to get rid of the carbonation, and the results are amazing! I’m sure the vinegar works as well…and it’s used in many cleaning recipes in the book…but I don’t like handling newspaper ink much…it’s really not good to do. Just thought I’d share!
That is such an awesome tip Tat. I just tried it and it is AMAZING. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Does the vinegar and water work on mirrors as well?
Yes! It works really well on mirrors.
I make my windows cleaner using only vinegar, water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon baking soda. Actually, I use it for plenty of surfaces and it always works! As a mother of a baby girl, I really appreciate natural ingredients in the cleaning products. Thank you for your post! It is very helpful! Greets!
Wonderful. Thankyou for sharing your blend.
I like to add lime juice to my mix of hot water and vinegar mix for some extra strength. It is also a good idea to let it soak first so you don’t have to scrub too much. Cheers!
Great tip. Thanks for sharing.