Many homemade cleaner recipes employ ingredients you already have on hand, making it simple to whip up a bottle of homemade glass cleaning solution for no additional cost compared to standard glass cleaning solutions.
Natural glass cleaners are far kinder to the environment than conventional premixed cleaners, and a DIY window cleaning solution’s quality and component ratios are entirely within your control.
Common Ingredients and what they do.
Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar includes acetic acid, which is primarily why it is an effective glass cleaner. White vinegar’s strong flavour and odour are provided by the colourless chemical molecule, which also helps to destroy certain germs. You may destroy germs on hard surfaces around the house when you wash windows with vinegar and break down and remove grime, oil, and mineral deposits.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice’s acids have a similar ability to white vinegar to efficiently dissolve dirt on windows and other glass surfaces. Although the acetic acid in vinegar is somewhat stronger than the citric acid found in lemon juice, both are roughly equally efficient for cleaning around the house.
Essential Oils
The most effective homemade window cleaner leaves a pleasant aroma behind. Many essential oils include natural chemical constituents with pleasant scents and cleaning properties.
Dish Soap
Most liquid dish washes on the market are made up of several different components, but sodium lauryl sulphate is the element that gives dish cleansers their exceptional grease-busting power. When applied with water, the ingredient binds with oily particles and pulls them off of surfaces for simple cleaning.
Water
The temperature of the water affects how quickly dirt is lifted off surfaces because hot water has greater kinetic energy than cold water. Even though warm water is suggested for dishwashing and laundry, warm water is not necessary for cleaning windows; water that is icy or cold will also work.
Method
Use a clean spray bottle for your homemade glass cleaner; used bottles can still have chemicals that could react. Label the spray bottle and avoid using any cleaner containing vinegar on marble, granite, slate, tile, or solid surfacing, which it could damage. Always test a tiny area in a concealed spot before using other cleaners to ensure that the surface won’t be harmed.
Paper towels and rags are a poor choice since they leave lint and residue behind. Using a microfibre towel to wipe the surface is best.
Always work from top to bottom when applying your homemade cleaner to windows, mirrors, shower doors, and other glass surfaces. This tactic prevents drips and streaks.
Give your homemade window cleaner some time to work. Spray, then wait a few minutes before using the microfiber towel to dry the surface. Keep in mind that the cloth must be completely dry before using it on glass surfaces.
Safety Precautions.
Compared to the chemicals in many commercial cleaners, natural components are more environmentally friendly and better for your skin and lungs. However, there are still a few safety issues to consider when making your window cleaner. White vinegar, lemon juice, and essential oils are natural substances that work well in DIY glass cleaners, but they cannot take the place of real sanitisers, which are known to destroy 99.9% of bacteria that cause disease.
The most crucial rule is never to combine vinegar with chlorine bleach while producing window cleaner (or any DIY cleaning solutions). The primary chemical component of bleach, sodium hypochlorite, releases deadly chlorine gas when it reacts with vinegar’s acetic acid. Long-term exposure to chlorine gas can harm and burn skin, shorten breath, and even cause death.
