This one may come as a surprise, especially if you have a mother like mine who’s been handed down the same toxic concoction of a window cleaning solution by family members for generations. These solutions usually include vinegar or ammonia (never both!) and give off quite a pungent aroma. I could always smell the windows being cleaned long before I noticed my mom cleaning them.
That being said, those home made solutions are generally much better than most of the “glass cleaners” that are on the market today. Most of the spray and wipe solutions sold in stores work once or twice but eventually a film develops that leave windows looking streaked and foggy. So what’s the best solution?
It’s a tip right from the pros… All you need is a little dish soap and water
Dish soap is designed to separate and lift oil, grease, and grime left on pots and pans, and dishes that have been baked in the oven. Imagine what it could do for the grime found on windows. A small amount of dish soap in room temperature water helps to break down any dirt, dust, handprints, smudges, animal paw and nose prints, etc and leave the windows crystal clear.
A Little Goes a Long Way!
Start with a few drops, add just enough to have a few small suds in the water. Too much soap may result in the appearance of grey ghost-like streaks that appear a few days after cleaning The general rule of thumb is; In a bucket or container mix 3 small squirts of soap (Original Blue Dawn is best) mixed with a gallon of water. The buckets we use are 5 gallon buckets, we fill them ⅓ of the way with water so we use closer to 5 squirts Slowly stir to mix.
*Testing is important, because what is a squirt? It’s not a scientific measurement, It’s gonna be different for everyone*
Too much soap may leave residue!
It’s possible that too much soap in the water will leave a residue so no need to over do it. I’ve learned that one the hard way. I’ve had to sacrifice a Saturday or two back at clients place to redo a few windows, yikes, lessons learned! Only use a few drops.
Start small!
It’s like salt, you can always add more but too much and the dish is ruined.
The right amount = perfection!
We hope this tip helps, thanks for reading!