Glass Cleaning

I use rubbing alcohol. You can use it straight or mix with water. It is so cheap (85 cents a bottle) and I just put it in a squirt bottle. Plus you can use it on countertops and toilets to disinfect!

Like Kari said...newspaper. I have never done this, but I have heard many, many times that wiping the glass cleaner away with newspapers leaves no streaks.

Use newspaper! Something in the ink works to make things shine. You can use it to polish things, too.

I hate washing windows. I think it's my least favorite chore. The last time I did an all-out, spring-cleaning, fabulous job on the windows, my husband stripped and power-washed the deck a day later. It resulted in little wood fibers all over every window near the deck. I declared window-washing "men's work" after that :)

A.

How about rubbing alcohol? Works for me.

plain old vinegar diluted in water works great and doesn't have additives/is more environmentally friendly & safe

Hello T.,

1/2 water and 1/2 alcohol does the trick. I saw it on Oprah.
~Carmen~

i strongly suggest using newspaper and vinegar/water mix ....works everytime for me!!no streaks at all ....

also when doing inside and outside windows -go up & down on one side and back and forth on the other side this way you can tell which side is giving you grief .....

good luck and happy cleaning!!

1/4 c white vinegar, 1 TB cornstarch, 1 qt. warm water. Just mix and put in a spray bottle.

We have always used just plain white vinegar and water. I prefer to use hot water but either works well.

Chelle

There is a wonderful product called Basic H from Shaklee. You can buy a whole bottle of it and mix just a few drops with a spray bottle of water and it cleans glass wonderfully. You just have to be sure to follow the directions because you can over do it. They make a whole line of great products that my kitchen is never without. The company was featured on Oprah last year as part of her go green campaign. Check it out! http://www.shaklee.net/kb/

I use vinegar and water with newspaper. The newspaper makes a mess of your hands, but it leaves the glass crystal clear!

I have no advice on the glass cleaning, but was wondering what you do at home in the social work field. I have my MSW, have an 11 year old, a 16 month old and have twins on the way, so I would love to be able to somehow work from home. Please share! :)

vinigar and water - really. It from the old school. Not to much.

Hi T. -

I only skimmed over the other answers, so if I repeat anything already said I apologize. I use newspaper to clean my windows with regular dollar store window cleaner. Make sure to use black/white newspaper ONLY - color ink smears. Also, the vinegar/water mix works just as good as window cleaner formula, use a 3-to-1 water-to-vinegar mix.

Hope this helps!

I've tried lots of different methods but the only thing that works really well for me is windex brand with paper towel. Everything else has left streaks.

Dish soap. It gets your glassware sparkling clean and does the same for windows and mirrors. It's a pain to wash and rinse but it lasts for a while. Good luck!

T. ~
The oldest trick in the book (and it's in LOTS of helpful-hints books!) is to clean the windows with vinegar & water, then dry with a crumpled piece of newspaper. I just did it the other day and my son was asking me why...LOL I don't know why, but it works every time, and it's cheap!
D.

Hi T.,
The best darn window cleaner in the world is a simple biodegradable organic cleaner-- Shaklee's Basic H. You just use 2 drops in 16 ounces of water and you will have no streaks- guaranteed! And you are not using harmful chemicals- Glass Plus has been removed from the market because it causes infertility issues. Windex contains butyl cellosolve, which is a potent neorotoxin and causes liver and kidney damage. If you are using the cheap window cleaners from the Dollar store, they are most likely made in China, so you have no idea what is in those. I love Basic H- it can be used for all cleaning, even carpets. One little bottle of Basic H ($12.15 SRP) would make 5,800 bottles of Windex ($18,000.00 worth)!
Is this a bargain or what?
Contact me for more information or check out 'M. Goes Green' in the Mamasource Perks.
Take care,
M.

I actually use an all natural brsnd of cleaning products that can save you a lot of money it has for me and I love knowing that it works, but even better it is safe for my children. If in case it was ever injested it actually won;t harm your children what other products can say that and it is true. I have been using these cleaning products for over a year and I love them emal me ____@____.com or you can contact me ###-###-####. Trust me as a mother it is worth your time to hear about it.

Hello T.,

I use dish soap usually dawn and papertowel. I work in a large company and I asked the window washers what they use and they use dawn soap and a squeegie. I use to use windex but it leaves a film so I dont use that any more. But this works the best for me just ring out your cloth real good when you wipe the window with the soap and water

I used Cinch for years...it comes in an orange bottle and recently could only find it at Kroger. I thought it worked better than any other sprays. I now use Windex wipes. I uses these on all of my stinless steel appliances and glass tables and they work great for me. Of course with the little ones, the cleanliness only lasts for minutes!!

I agree with the lady that said Vinegar/Water mixture and the newspaper....WORKS GREAT.

vieager and water, wipe with newspaper. Works great and cheap

Vinegar/water in a spray bottle with newspaper. Works and it's on the cheap!

Go to aco and buy multi purpose glass cleaner from quality clear. It does have amonia in it. Its an aresol. Oh this works awesome I go through cases I use it with paper towel on everything. I do use rags when I clean the bathrooms and it works good. Take care

Hi,

I clean houses part time and we use the micro fiber cloths you can find just about anywhere. Wash using only water with one and dry with the other. No chemical cleaners or anything which I like because I do a lot of people's homes with breathing probs. When you wash the cloths, do not use fabric softener of any kind it will streak your glass if you do. They work wonderful on fixtures as well.

Cleaning glass is such a pain, but I've found a secret weapon...microfiber cloths! One wet and one dry...wipe down the offending surface with the damp one and polish with the dry one...no streaks! I was having to make a big production out of cleaning the bugs off our motorhome windows until I tried this, and it's wonderful! No chemicals, either!

I use "Streak Free miracle cloths". You can get them at http://www.streakfree.us/

You just wet them with hot water, wring them out and then wash. They work great on all my glass and my faucet fixture, etc. I love that they don't have any chemicals, adn pick up hair and lint. I even use them on the hard water stains and soap scum in the shower(with my clorox cleaner) and it removes the hard water stains.

I DO NOT SELL THEM. My mother in law gave me one and then I went hunting for them. I put the website where I get them, but you can get them from other people too.

I like that there are no chemicals.

I use an ammonia free cleaner, but for me the key is to use newspaper instead of paper towel. It does a great job and does not leave lint/residue. I was skeptical when it was suggested to me, but I tried it and it works well! Good luck to you!

One thing I have found lately is using any cleaner that is anti-bacterial leaves a residue. That said...the old fashioned way to get them to sparkle is cleaning as usual then buffing with newspaper.

Hi T.~
I do know that it can be too cold to clean windows...(yay for a real excuse...LOL)...if the temp outside is really cold, for some reason the window will streak. I don't know why.

~L.

When I don't feel like fooling around:
B/W newspaper with Vinegar (very good for the environment and you!) I use this when I 'deep clean'.

(I also have used newspaper with windex, but I hate ammonia and it seems to streak)

My favorite that I enjoy for daily cleaning: Method glass cleaner (It is a Eucalyptus Mint scent). I found when I was out, that the All Purpose Cleaner (grapefruit and it cuts through anything better than I ever used - including paint!) worked awesome on my windows! I also have the Glass cloth you can purchase as it saves on paper towels when it is daily cleaning.

Have fun, I know cleaning windows can be a CHORE!

Use newspaper to clean the windows. Use glass cleaner and old newspaper.

As everyone says - its all in the newspaper. I hate using it - I much prefer papertowel - but what a difference it makes. To me I can use glass cleaner or any other cleaning combination - it's all in the newspaper

LIke many of the others, water and vinegar works great, and you will be suprised how it make sthings sparkle! If the glass is really filthy, add a small amount of ammonia to it. I picked up some great tips becasue of your question, I never knew about the newspaper.

3 Parts white vinegar to 1 part tap water works great for me! It's also a disenfectant and can be used just like the clorox anywhere spray (which is 99% water and 1% bleach). It's also great for finished wood floors. I just put it in a spray bottle and go!

I've also found that using the microfiber cloths or even cloth diapers work best for windows and other glass without leaving lint.

I use really hot water with vinegar then a rag to wet wipe the glass surface then a linen napkin or one of the baby blankets they give you in the hospital. Those work the best. I have a lot of fingerprints on my glass surfaces and I have found this to work best. I have a bunch of those blankets if you decice to try. You can e-mail me at ____@____.com if you'd like.
Regards,
L.