Homemade Window Cleaner Recipes & Tips

Tipnut Magazine

Making your own window cleaner is easy to do and uses simple ingredients you likely have around the house already (they're often much cheaper to make than buying them and can work just as well too). Here's a bunch of different recipes you can try along with a few tips listed at the bottom to help bring your windows to a streak-free shine.

Try Washing Windows With These Easy Recipes
Try Washing Windows With These Easy Recipes

Try Washing Windows With These Easy Recipes

Recipe #1

2 cups rubbing alcohol (70 percent isopropyl)
1/2 cup ammonia
1 tsp dish detergent (liquid)
top with water until you have 1 gallon of window cleaner

#2

2 cups water
3 TBS vinegar
1/2 tsp dish detergent (liquid)

#3

1 gallon water
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp dish detergent (liquid)

#4

1 gallon water
1/4 cup vinegar
2 TBS lemon juice
squirt dish detergent (liquid)

#5

1/2 cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

#6

2 TBSP cornstarch
1/2 cup household ammonia
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

  • Mix the ingredients in a bucket, make sure cornstarch is thoroughly dissolved before using.

From Homekeeping - A Natural Shine To Cleaning:

Windows & Mirrors: Store these solutions in spray bottles.

  • One part vinegar added to four parts water

  • One cup cold strong black tea with 3 TBS of vinegar

Lemon-Fresh Version

Bring Windows To A Shine With Fresh Lemon Juice & Club Soda
Bring Windows To A Shine With Fresh Lemon Juice & Club Soda

Bring Windows To A Shine With Fresh Lemon Juice & Club Soda

Here's a recipe that was sent in by Amanda for Tipnut's Mailbag:

This recipe is for cleaning windows and glass that I've used for years, it brings a nice sparkle & shine so I love it! Only a few ingredients are needed:

Recipe

Pour everything into a spray bottle then shake well before using.

  • 3 TBS lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

  • 2 cups club soda (you can use water too or a mix of water and club soda but I prefer 100% club soda)

  • 1 tsp cornstarch

I love trying new homemade cleaners, thanks so much for sharing Amanda!

Tips

  • Spray windows with preferred cleaner solution then wipe clean with crumpled newspapers. The newspaper helps prevent streaks.

  • Avoid cleaning glass when the sun is hot and shining on the window-it will dry too fast and there will be streaks.

  • Also wash one side of the window in an up and down direction, on the other side scrub side to side. This will help determine which side of the glass has the streaks that need to be polished out.