The Best Window Cleaner ever.
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I’m happy to be sharing The Best Homemade Window Cleaner with you. It has won us over. After years of filmy residue, we can see clearly now. The film is gone.
For years and years, we battled trying to get the exterior of our windows clean. They just never looked crystal clear. A filmy residue and often chalky streaks would remain once the windows dried. We tried a variety of window cleaners from homemade to store bought concoctions, as well as using newspaper instead of paper towels with not much success.
That all changed when we learned about the best exterior window cleaner ever.
We had been working on updating a bathroom and ordered some new mirrors. While the glass guys were here installing the mirror, my husband, Randy, got to chatting with them, as he usually does, about how their business was going. During their conversation he happened to ask them what they use for cleaning glass. Did they have any professional tips or tricks? Yes, they did!
They shared a simple recipe for what they have found to work. They swore by it. We had already tried just using a simple combination of vinegar and water, but they learned a trick from a commercial window cleaner: add a little dish detergent to the vinegar/water mixture. Really? That simple? It was new to us, and it sounded much too easy.
So we tried it (or should I say Randy tried it) right away. Randy set out just to test a few windows and the next thing I knew he had worked all the way around the house, and was already working on some of the upstairs windows as well. There was an immediate difference, and so much easier than what we had tried in the past.
It was so bright inside we had to wear shades. I crack myself up.
The mixture below, is super simple and used with a soft bristle brush and hose. That’s it. No more piles of used paper towels, no ladders, just clarity. I’m planning on trying the same mixture on all kinds of things outside that need de-grungifying.
Keeping the shades on. The future is definitely gonna be brighter around here, y’all. Happy cleaning!
How to Make The Best Window Cleaner
The Best Window Cleaner
This simple mixture will help wash exterior windows to a sparkly clean.
Materials
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dish detergent
Tools
- bucket
- scrub brush
- optional extension pole
- water hose
- optional sprayer attachment
Instructions
- Combine water, white vinegar and dish detergent in a bucket. Increase amounts as needed.
- Using a soft bristle scrub brush on an extension pole handle thingy, dip the brush in a bucket of the solution, and scrub it on the window.
- Before it has a chance to dry, spray/rinse it off with clean water. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. A hose fitted with a sprayer attachment is helpful.
Notes
The solution could be made and used in a spray bottle, but we found working on lots of windows, the bucket and scrub brush worked great.
To avoid the need for a ladder (because ladders are the most dangerous tool in the box) Randy used an all-purpose extension pole with a threaded end that enables you to attach different brushes, rollers, etcetera. (Similar to this one.)
Use a soft bristle scrub brush. A sponge mop may also work.
This definitely works for outside windows, where you can safely rinse with water. I have yet to try it indoors, but if you do, make sure you can rinse with plenty of water. Perhaps one spray bottle of solution, and a separate spray bottle of clean water?
Again, be sure to rinse thoroughly, and before the solution has a chance to dry on window. It’s helpful to avoid windows directly in the sun, so they are not hot and don’t as quickly.
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I love this! I use a similar “recipe” for cleaning our bathrooms at home – half detergent, half vinegar (warmed up in the microwave, then swirled with the detergent). It works wonders at removing soap scum and NC red slime.
I would like to know the ratio you used in the bathroom as I have problems with red slime.
It is half and half.
You only use two things to clean the bathroom in the spray bottle ? you don’t add water to the spray bottle ? Then you just wipe it off after you spray ?
My mirror and windows recipe is even easier and has the same results.
I use only two things:
A spray bottle with only water in it and ‘white coffee filters’. Just spray on and wipe off! No streaks?
Oops, guess that’s your laugh for today. ????
Red slime in toilet and showers at ankle level usually means urine. Tell him to stop peeing in the shower. Toilets tend to leave this mark for pungent urine. My dad and brother are master plumbers.
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/pink-mold-in-shower/
Dish detergent..eh? Never heard of that one. I will try it out.
Ooo….I’m so excited to learn this. And our windows NEED it! I know what Mr. E will be doing very, very soon. 😉
Great idea, Amy! I love making things like this, especially since I always have dish detergent and vinegar on hand. So glad to know this tip!
How smart! I am definitely trying this. Living on a ranch, I know all about dirty windows!
How easy is that?! No more Windex for this gal!
I can give you my address and I’ll pick y’all up he he
Thank you. I need to do my windows in the next few weeks and I will try this.
Love this tip! I absolutely have to try this on our not-so-shiny windows and mirrors.
I like how simple this is and just the reminder I needed to tackle those windows!
As much as I hate cleaning windows I a excited to try this!!
I need this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing it!!!
What a great idea!
Nice! Thanks for the tip!
Nooooo freaking WAY.
BRILLIANT idea Amy!
Isn’t it funny how easy it is … I have been using this solution forever. I remember a housekeeper we had growing up, and she would clean the windows using this and newspaper. I spray it all over the shower to remove the crap on the glass and the walls. Also, if you have glass shower doors, that you squeegee – after I wash the windows with this cleaner, I spray rainx on the glass. Makes cleaning even better!
Do you dry the window or just spray with water hose and let it go?
We rinse well with water and let air dry. It works better when it can dry out of direct sunlight.
I don’t have an outside water faucet so just lots of spray rinsing with a bottle I’m guessing??
Will this work on my truck windows
Thanks for the cleaning tip! We just bought a house so this will come in handy
We have a sunroom with many floor to ceiling windows. We have been using a gallon of water and “squirt” of dawn. We put it in a bucket. We use a sponge and squeezie and a towel to wipe the squeezie. That’t it. Works inside and out.. Haven’t bought glass cleaner in a couple of years.
Do you rinse with water? I’d love to avoid that step if possible.
Yes, we rinse with water.
Thanks Amy, I’ll have to try this!
stopping by to follow u. found you at pioneer woman 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving! Traci http://www.ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com
I use this solution for my windows, glass, mirrors, etc. I REALLY like to have a clean house and use almost nothing but “the basics”. These include water, dawn , vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda (and sometimes ammonia). Differing solutions of one or more of these for various purposes will clean almost anything – and clean it well!
I remember my mother using a mixture of water, vinegar and ammonia. Does anyone have this recipe?
I am a few years late, but thought I would reply to your request. I have used this for eons and swear by it.
To my 16.9 oz spray bottle, I add 3 T ammonia and 1 T white vinegar. To avoid foaming, slowly add water. Swirl to mix and ready to use. I have 2 soft rags I use to clean my windows/mirrors. One to wipe off spray and the 2nd to dry. No streaks…crystal clean. Good luck!