Homemade Window Cleaner

Find out for yourself how easy it is to make a homemade window cleaner with vinegar and water for a streak-free finish! If you are looking for an eco-friendly and cost-friendly way to clean your home windows, this is it!

For those of you who know me, I actually really love to clean! And over the years, I have discovered for myself the power of vinegar when it comes to cleaning products.

I have used vinegar in my homemade wood floor cleaner, my homemade stain remover, and a whole host of other DIYs. Needless to say, it is quite effective.

In this post, I’ll share how to clean windows with vinegar to get that glorious, shiny, no-streak finish. 

Forget the need to hire expensive professionals to clean your windows – vinegar is coming to the rescue!

Why you will love this DIY

• Uses common ingredients: I love that with just two ingredients required to make this, it’s never been easier to make your own cleaning spray. Of course, you can scent it with essential oils, but it’s not entirely necessary.
• Made with eco-friendly ingredients: Vinegar is often touted as an eco-friendly cleaning agent. According to Green Matters, naturally fermented vinegar is biodegradable and safe for the environment. However, it’s essential to choose vinegar carefully, as some mass-produced varieties contain harmful petrochemicals.
• Fragrance it the way you want! I generally don’t love the way conventional cleaners smell. Frankly, they give me a headache. I love that I can use essential oils to naturally fragrance this cleaner if I so choose!
• Effective cleaning solution: Simply because of the vinegar, which is acidic in nature, this cleaner is great for breaking down grease and grime, like you’ll see in my homemade oven cleaner, and it won’t leave your windows cloudy!

Materials needed

• Water: Water is crucial to our window cleaning recipe. Diluting vinegar with water is sufficient for most everyday cleaning according to the Family Handyman. It also reduces the strong vinegar scent while enhancing the cleaning solution’s effectiveness.
• Vinegar: Vinegar is the primary cleaning agent in our recipe. Its natural acidity effectively dissolves dirt and grime while leaving a streak-free shine on windows, according to Bedford Window Cleaning.
• Essential Oils: I do include orange and tea tree essential oils in this DIY to mask the vinegar smell. They are not totally necessary for this cleaner to work, so feel free to leave them out if you so desire!
• Spray Bottle: Any spray bottle will work for this window cleaner. To avoid potential chemical reactions from repurposing old conventional cleaning bottles, I highly recommend using a new spray bottle.
• Microfiber cloths: I like to use microfiber cloths over old cut-up t-shirts for my windows because they work so much better at lifting dirt and grime while ensuring a streak-free finish.

Variations

You can add a few tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to this solution to help it evaporate quickly, further reducing the chances of streaks or spots.

Expert tips

• To protect your windows, apply the vinegar solution only to the glass surface. Avoid spraying on wooden frames, as vinegar can damage this material.

• For this DIY, vinegar should make up no more than half of the solution. I recommend a 2:1 water-to-vinegar ratio, but a 1:1 mix also works well for many people. If you need a stronger solution, you can increase the vinegar slightly but avoid exceeding a 50% concentration.

• Vinegar is acidic and can damage certain surfaces. Always test the solution on a small, inconspicuous area before applying it to a larger surface.

• Vinegar should not be used on unfinished wood, natural stone, or grout.

• Avoid mixing vinegar with bleach, as it can create harmful fumes.

Recipe FAQs