DIY Window Cleaning Alternatives In Grand Rapids

If there’s anything that all Grand Rapids homeowners can agree upon, it’s that no one enjoys the appearance of dirty windows. Not only are they impractical and difficult to see through, but smudged or damaged glass can also tarnish the appearance of an entire space. If your windows look like they haven’t been properly cared for, this could impact the way that guests see the room as a whole.

Although windows aren’t impossible to clean and take care of, there are some important factors that you’ll need to keep in mind – especially if you’re taking a DIY approach to the job. When you’re cleaning windows or other glass surfaces, you’ll need to utilize special cleaning agents to properly maintain them. So, if you don’t know what agents to use, you might waste your time and end up with dirtier windows than you started with.

Ultimately, it makes sense if you’d prefer to DIY your window cleaning job. This is the more affordable approach, and it’s often the eco-friendlier option too. Although harsh chemicals can do a great job at making your home’s windows spotless, they aren’t always the most environmentally friendly.

Mixing a Homemade Window Cleaner

There isn’t just one way to make your own household cleaner. You can test out a few different methods before determining the mixture that works best for you and the windows of your home. Here are a few quick and easy recipes that you can try out. They feature just two to three ingredients each, so you won’t need to deal with a complex mixing process.

Method 1: Vinegar-Based Window Cleaner

Making your very own window cleaner may be easier than you’d expect. Rather than breaking out the Windex, all you’ll need is 2 cups of distilled water, ½ cup of vinegar, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. All these ingredients can be combined in a spray bottle. And just like that, you have an effective window cleaner that’s free of harsh chemicals.

Are you unsure about which essential oil to add in? Try using lemon oil. This oil has a fresh scent that works well for any homemade cleaning product.

Method 2: Dish Soap Glass Cleaner

In a way, it sounds a bit too simple to be effective. The truth is, however, that this is a reliable way to keep your glass surfaces sparkling.

For this DIY cleaner, you’ll only need two ingredients: 2 cups of hot water and a bit of mild dishwashing soap. In a large bucket, you’ll want to combine just a few drops of the dishwashing soap with the hot water.

As we noted in the previous recipe, it’s best to use distilled water in your DIY window cleaners. There’s a reason for this, actually: distilled water is less likely to leave you with a streaky window after you’ve finished cleaning. Water that hasn’t been properly distilled can do more harm than good, leaving you with a glass surface that looks anything but freshly cleaned.

Method 3: DIY Rubbing Alcohol Glass Cleaner

Maybe you’d like a cleaning solution that can evaporate quickly, not long after you use it to refresh a glass surface. After all, it can be frustrating to finish up your cleaning job only to realize that you’ve left behind several water spots. By adding rubbing alcohol into your DIY window cleaner, the mixture is more likely to evaporate speedily without a trace of water remaining on the glass.

But it’s important to keep in mind that rubbing alcohol is a highly flammable chemical. This means that you’ll need to be cautious if you have a rubbing alcohol-based cleaner sitting around the house. Make sure that you’ve stored this DIY concoction in a safe location that isn’t accessible to pets or children.

You can prepare this cleaner by mixing 1 cup of distilled water with ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol and 2 to 3 tablespoons of white vinegar. After you’ve thoroughly combined these ingredients in a spray bottle, the cleaner is ready to use on your windows.

Why Use Vinegar to Clean Windows?

You may have noticed that vinegar is a recurring ingredient in the recipes we’ve provided. When you’re preparing , in Grand Rapids, your own homemade glass cleaner, distilled white vinegar is one of the most reliable ingredients you can include.

White vinegar contains acetic acid. This organic, colorless compound has the impressive ability to kill certain bacteria, so that your window is free of more than just smudges – it’s also free of many kinds of germs. In fact, it’s actually this chemical that gives vinegar its pungent smell and taste.

Cleaning solutions that use white vinegar as an ingredient can break down grease, dirt, and mineral deposits, as well as fight some bacteria.

Still, it’s essential to note that vinegar-based cleaning solutions shouldn’t be used as a replacement for true sanitizing cleaners. A sanitizing cleaner is able to eliminate 99.9 percent of disease-causing viruses and bacteria, and white vinegar simply isn’t as effective.

How to Clean Windows and Other Glass Surfaces

For the best possible result, work from top to bottom whenever you’re using a cleaner – whether it’s store-bought or DIY. This can help you to prevent drips, which could eventually turn into streaks if they’re not adequately taken care of.

In addition, make sure that you’re giving your cleaner the time that it needs to work. You should spray it on the glass surface and then give it a few minutes to sit and do its job, rather than wiping it away immediately. After you’ve waited several minutes, use a microfiber cloth to wipe the window dry.

Also, ensure that the cloth you’re using is clean. Otherwise, you’re at a far higher risk of creating streaks. If there’s any residue on the cloth, such as laundry soap or other substances, you’ll need to clean this off before using the material on your windows.

Thankfully for Grand Rapids homeowners, you don’t need to call in a professional every time you’d like to clean your windows. And rather than using harsh chemicals from the store, you can save money and the environment by making your own cleaner. You can use ingredients like white vinegar, dish soap, and rubbing alcohol to create a solution that works fantastically.

Although there are certainly times when you’ll need to call in a skilled technician to care for your windows, this isn’t one of them – if you know how to take care of the job on your own.