Washing the windows in your home may not seem like a harmful activity (unless you fall off of a ladder). But there are potentially harmful chemicals such as solvents in commercial window cleaners, and each time you use them you are inhaling toxic chemicals, getting them on your skin, and releasing them into the environment. Besides, commercial window cleaners rarely deliver the streak-free results they advertise.

Home-made recipes for window cleaners are not new; people had to clean their glass windows long before commercial sprays came along. But home-made window cleaner is a novel concept to many in this generation. This is one of those times that looking to the past can solve some of our current dilemmas.

Below are some inexpensive, easy-to-make recipes for effective window cleaners. You probably have some of these ingredients on hand. If not, these products are inexpensive and diluted with water so they last a long time.

1. Vinegar
No list of home-made cleaning products would be complete without some mention of vinegar. A germ killer and grease cutter, white vinegar (not apple cider, balsamic or other “fancy” vinegars) is responsible for those streak-free, clear results we all desire for our windows. You can clean windows with just vinegar and water -  1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon vinegar per 2 cups of water (going too heavy on the vinegar may cause fogging). Or, you can combine this ratio with:

2. Liquid soap
To the above vinegar-water solution, add 1/2 teaspoon castile soap or other biodegradable, natural liquid soap. Spray on, wipe with a soft cloth, and use a squeegee to scrape off the remaining cleaner. Simply using soap and water is an option, too. Mix 1 tablespoon castile soap, which is made from saponified vegetable oils and thus environmentally friendly, with 2 cups of water. Soak a sponge in this soapy water and apply liberally to windows. Use a squeegee to remove the excess and wipe dry with crumpled newspaper or a soft cloth.

3. Club soda
Perhaps you have heard of club soda’s ability to remove stains. It can also be used to wash windows. Combine 1 tablespoon white vinegar per cup of club soda and spray onto windows. Use a soft cloth or crumpled newspaper to get streak-free results.

Note that windows should be cleaned when the sun is not shining on them. If windows are warm and/or in direct sunlight, glass cleaner (home-made or commercial) will be likely to leave streaks or fogginess on the glass.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne