Seven Things to Know About Cleaning Your Windows with Vinegar
When it comes to spring cleaning, or any cleaning endeavor, there can be a lot of tasks to get done in order to get your house back to its shiny, pristine condition. You sweep the floors, dust the shelves and bleach the white tile. You steam the carpets and power wash the deck. But what will you use to clean those smudgy windows?
Instead of reaching for the harsh chemicals in regular window cleaner, you may have a window washer right in your pantry already. Vinegar can be a great, green cleaning option to wipe away those fingerprints and smudges on your windows. Here, we share seven things to know about how to clean your windows with vinegar.
1) You Can Create a Window Cleaning Solution with Just a Few Ingredients
Did you know that you can be just minutes away from getting sparkly, shiny and crystal clear windows and mirrors?
An article from Brian Clark Howard from Good Housekeeping shares an easy mixture. You can create this solution with just a few ingredients to get your surfaces clean. The article says to mix two tablespoons of white vinegar with one gallon of water.
Once you have the solution, pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the window or mirror. Scrub the surface with newspaper, not paper towels. It’s important to not use paper towels, as they can cause streaking.
With those simple ingredients, it’s easy to create your own solution for smudgy windows and mirrors.
2) Window Washing Can Be Quick and Easy
Choosing to clean your windows with a vinegar solution can be a quick and easy solution to those annoying fingerprints and smudges. By combining just vinegar and water, you can easily create your window washing cleaner.
According to Weston Window Cleaning, which offers window cleaning services in Weston, MA, the acidity in vinegar works to quickly and effectively break down the film that builds up on glass. Using a vinegar solution will get you streak-free and sparkly windows and mirrors in no time.
3) Cleaning with Vinegar Can Save You Money
Purchasing window cleaner from the store can get expensive. With material, shipping and handling costs, the price of a quality cleaner can add up. By choosing to use just vinegar and water, you can save a lot of money on your cleaning supplies.
4) Clean on a Cloudy Day
While using vinegar to clean your windows is a safe and effective process, there are some things to keep in mind when cleaning. Do not clean when there is direct sun on the windows. This will prevent any damage to the window surface. Clean and dry the windows right away to avoid any potential damage from the vinegar settling on the window for too long.
5) Vinegar Is a Useful Ingredient
Not only is a vinegar and water solution cheaper to use, it’s also better for your health. Rather than breathing in those chemicals from a store-bought cleaner, a vinegar solution is non-toxic. Vinegar also has anti-bacterial properties. This makes it useful for many home cleaning projects. Especially if you have young kids, you want to be sure the materials you’re using are safe to use.
6) Lemon Juice and Club Soda Are Good Alternatives
Vinegar isn’t for everyone. Whether the smell is too overwhelming or you don’t have it on hand, vinegar is just one option for a homemade window cleaner.
Good Housekeeping suggests using lemon juice or club soda rather than vinegar. Rather than diluting vinegar, you can spray your window or mirror with just lemon juice or club soda and rub the surface with newspaper. The acid in either ingredient will work to remove those stubborn smudges and fingerprints.
7) Store Your Vinegar with Care
While vinegar is a safe ingredient to ingest, be sure to keep your cooking ingredients separate from your cleaning materials. An article from The Balance mentions labeling your spray bottles so that you can be sure what kind of vinegar it’s used for.
Whether you’re venturing on a spring cleaning overhaul or just a daily task, cleaning your windows can be quick and easy. By making a simple solution of just vinegar and water, you can have your own non-toxic and anti-bacterial cleaner.