We all know the struggle. You need to clean your home’s dirty windows or your car’s windshield in a hurry. You grab the spray bottle from under the kitchen counter, only to find that there isn’t even enough to fire off a single shot. You add some water to it, hoping for the best. But that barely makes a dent and leaves streaks. Who wants to run to the local dollar store just for some glass cleaner? You know you’ll just end up buying more than you intended anyway. Maybe you are environmentally aware like me and want to avoid toxic chemicals. I have great news for you. I’m going to share some secret DIY glass cleaner recipes that will forever put an end to your troubles.
Best Homemade Glass Cleaner – DIY recipes for All Glass Surfaces
As you’ll soon discover, you are likely sitting on a wealth of natural glass cleaner recipes; you just don’t know it. If you’re anything like me, and I know I am, you will want to kick yourself for all the time you wasted making trips to the store to buy glass cleaner.
So, what is the best homemade glass cleaner? Well, each one is different and therefore yields different results. You might want to try out all of them to find the one that works the best for your needs.
These DIY glass cleaner recipes that I’m about to share with you can be made using everyday household items. That’s right, you don’t need anything fancy or expensive to create these cleaning solutions.
And that is the best part. They are great for when you’re in a pinch, and yet they work better than much of the store-bought stuff. There are many name-brand glass cleaners that are admittedly pretty cheap.
But you get what you pay for, and oftentimes they leave streaks and make your glass look terrible. Well, I’m going to help you put an end to wasting your money, once and for all.
Be sure to read all the way through for more cleaning advice on how to get your home looking just beautiful.
Don’t miss out on our DIY bathroom cleaner hacks and DIY floor cleaning tips, either!
1. Basic Natural Glass Cleaner
This first homemade glass cleaner is a breeze to make and works wonders in getting your glass clean. This is one of my favorite go-to recipes when I need to clean glass in a jiffy.
So let’s start with the most basic window cleaner of them all. You’ll find this to be an excellent recipe for getting glass cleaned.
Recipe for Natural Glass Cleaner Spray
The ingredients for this vinegar and water cleaner recipe are as easy as it gets. Start with an empty spray bottle and add equal parts water and white vinegar.
That’s it! There’s nothing to it. The results speak for themselves. If you didn’t know you could clean windows with vinegar, you’ll be amazed at what it can do for you.
Fingerprints disappear immediately, and streaks are a thing of the past (as long as you use a good microfiber cloth). You’re left with sparkling, clear windows that stay cleaner much longer than using traditional store-bought chemicals.
It’s much safer, too, making this one a winner through and through. With that being said, there are some people who are sensitive to vinegar and don’t like using it.
Thankfully, I have a homemade glass cleaner without vinegar that I think you’ll love. It works just as well in getting your glass cleaned. Read on to learn the secret recipe for this DIY window cleaner.
2. Homemade Cornstarch Glass Cleaner
This recipe is for a cornstarch window cleaner. Believe me, it works like a dream and leaves your glass spotless.
This is one of those old-timey recipes that has been passed around for generations. I’ve often found that the old ways are the best ways. They tend to run circles around the synthetic, man-made solutions we’re sold today.
So let’s see what this DIY cleaner calls for. There’s a good chance you already have everything you’ll need to whip up this cleaner.
DIY Cornstarch Glass Cleaner Recipe
I want to begin by adding that you can certainly use cornstarch and vinegar in this recipe if you don’t have an adverse reaction to the latter. It helps extend the cleaning effects, but certainly isn’t a necessity.
For the sake of those who don’t like vinegar, I’m going to be focusing only on the cornstarch recipe, sans vinegar.
Alright, get that empty spray bottle handy. Add in one cup of hot water, along with a cup of rubbing alcohol. Next, you’re going to add four tablespoons of cornstarch.
Finally, combine 20 drops of your favorite essential oil. Some people like to add as much as 60 drops of different oils, but I find that to be a little overkill. I want to make it clear that this is just my personal preference.
You most certainly may add in more (or less) drops. It’s all about the scent you’re trying to achieve in your home.
Make sure you shake, shake, shake – shake your bottle. This will prevent the cornstarch from clumping up on you, making it difficult to spray.
It’s important to note that you will need to wipe your windows and glass until the spray is gone. Leaving any of it on your windows will leave behind a cornstarch residue.
If you’re tired of streaked windows, you will absolutely love this glass cleaner recipe.
3. DIY Vinegar Glass Cleaner
Alright, we’re going to come back to vinegar for another DIY glass cleaner that works well. This is a really simple recipe that just about every home has the ingredients for.
It can be made in a minute or two, and delivers impressive cleaning in its application. I recommend using a microfiber cloth for the best results.
This vinegar glass cleaner is easy to make when you need to clean a mirror or a window. But it’s also great for cleaning the whole house. Let’s have a look at what it entails.
Vinegar Glass Cleaner Spray
First of all, make sure you have an empty spray bottle ready to fill. In the bottle, add two cups of water. I prefer a clean, filtered water, as it doesn’t leave behind unsightly residue.
You can use distilled water, too. I usually have a couple gallon jugs of this stuff at all times in case I need it for something like this. It works just as well at the filtered stuff.
Now, with your two cups of water in the spray bottle, add in two tablespoons of vinegar. Next, you want to add a couple squirts of dish soap. Finally, put in five to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. The same can be applied to your DIY floor cleaner.
This will help mask the vinegary smell. That’s it. Spray your glass down and use a microfiber cloth to wipe them down.
Wondering how to clean mirrors? You’ll be amazed at how clean this solution leaves them. Your windows too!.
4. Homemade Streak-Free Window Cleaner
If you’re still plagued by those pesky streaks, let’s try a vinegar and rubbing alcohol solution. I’ve found this to clean filthy car windows with ease. Imagine what it will do for your home.
If all else fails, I think you’ll be pleased with what this formula can do for you. It’s a good idea to avoid wood with this cleaner as much as possible, as the alcohol can potentially damage it.
DIY Streak-Free Window Cleaner Recipe
Spray bottles up! Now, add in a half a cup of white vinegar, along with half a cup of rubbing alcohol. On top of that, you’re going to toss in one tablespoon of cornstarch.
Finally, add in around 10 drops of your favorite essential oil to help mask the scent. I recommend not skipping this step, as the alcohol and vinegar mix has a tendency to set your nostrils on fire.
Now just shake that bottle really well and begin your window cleaning for a streak-free shine. As much as that sounds like a commercial, I assure you it’s true.
This vinegar and alcohol window cleaner is another one of those passed-down recipes that works remarkably well. In the past, I believe lemon juice was used to mask the smell. But our modern essential oils serve as an excellent update on this old classic.
5. Homemade Glass Stovetop Cleaner
Grimy, filmy stovetop got you down? Well, turn that frown upside-down, because I have the ultimate homemade glass cleaning solution for stovetops. This, of course, is geared toward more modern ovens that don’t have traditional burners.
This is an easy fix for grungy glass stove tops. It’s an instant favorite that is so effective that you will find yourself returning to it again and again.
You’re going to be using white vinegar and baking soda for this recipe. As you’ll soon learn, these two ingredients work together to deliver a knock-out cleaning solution.
Homemade Glass Stovetop Cleaning Solution
Begin by pouring the white vinegar in a spray bottle. Just enough to saturate your stovetop. After it is covered evenly in vinegar, sprinkle some baking soda on top of it. Make sure that it too is completely covered.
Now stand back and watch the magic happen. The two ingredients will break up anything caked onto your stovetop.
Next, simply fill a small bucket with hot water and add in a little bit of dish soap (I prefer Dawn for this job).
Immerse a towel into the bucket, gently wring it out, and place it evenly on top of the vinegar and baking soda, covering your stovetop.
Now, here’s the kicker. Allow that towel to sit for about 15 minutes. Remove the towel, wipe down the stovetop, and you are good to go! You can always use a soft brush to clean up any excess that has gotten into the corners and edges of the glass stovetop.
For an extra-shiny shine, spray the stovetop once more with white vinegar and wipe down. Your oven will now look brand-spanking-new!
How to Best Clean Glass Surfaces at Home
If you want some tips on how to clean glass, I’m going to share with you some excellent tips for getting a great shine.
First and foremost, always make sure you’re using the right cleaning material. I’ve found that microfiber typically delivers the best results. Some folks like to use newspapers, but I have never had good luck with them.
Always be sure to gently shake your homemade cleaning solution before spraying. This serves to mix up all the ingredients for better results.
It’s also important that you wipe the glass down in straight, even motions. Top to bottom and side to side work well to help eliminate streaks. Circular motions are better left to cleaning floors and waxing cars.
I have learned that the faster I work, the less streaks there are. As soon as you spray your cleaning solution on the window, wipe it off immediately. The goal is to work fast enough that the spray doesn’t have time to dry.
To help with this, make sure that you have everything you need right in front of you before you begin. Spraying the glass down and then running off to find a cleaning cloth is all the time the solution needs to begin drying.
