Cleaning the windows is a nasty job, but it has to be done. Oftentimes, you end up with streaks or might find it difficult to reach higher spots. To make the process easier, it’s important to invest in the proper window cleaning solutions and tools.
Today’s article is all about them, as well as more information on how to clean windows overall, so stay with us!
Top 3 Picks
Best Overall: Windex Original Glass Cleaner
“I love Windex! There is no substitute!” (Customer review)
Safest Formula: Better Life Natural Streak Free Glass Cleaner
The Better Life glass cleaner is perfect for people with pets or kids, and for everyone who wants a product without SLS, synthetic fragrances, dyes, parabens, and other potentially harmful ingredients.
Best Price: Sprayway Glass Cleaner Aerosol Spray
If you’re a bargain-seeker, this two-pack of Sprayway glass cleaners is the perfect budget-oriented pick for you.
What to Look for In a Glass Cleaner
When you’re looking to purchase a glass cleaner, the following features and characteristics are the ones you should pay most attention to:
- The most important thing is to consider how you’re going to use the glass cleaners you’re thinking of purchasing. Even if some products are labeled as all-purpose cleaners, that doesn’t guarantee that they’ll give you the shine you’re looking for. Make sure that you look for products that are marked with the word “glass” in the label.
- The ingredients inside the cleaner also play a very important part in how efficient that product will be in actually cleaning the glass surface. The majority of glass cleaners that you see in supermarkets are water-based. Others are surfactants and solvents, and usually include ingredients such as lauryl dimethyl amine oxide, isopropanolamine, or hexoxyethanol. If a product contains ammonia, you want to be really careful when using it because it can irritate your eyes and nose. Products that contain ammonia and those that have bleach should never be used in the same area at the same time, as these two combined can create a gas that’s toxic even when present in small amounts.
- One of the best parts about using certain types of cleaner is the fact that they leave the room smelling clean and fresh. Window cleaners can do that too, as they can have natural or synthetic scents. In spite of the pleasant freshness they leave behind, some people might be sensitive to these scented solutions and if you are one of those people, you may want to choose products that are labeled as fragrance-free formulas.
How to Get Glue Off Glass
Getting glue off glass can be a little bit tricky, especially since not all glue-based formulas are identical. Here are some techniques for glue removal recommended by one of the largest glue manufacturers worldwide:
- When you have to remove wet glue from glass, it’s really important that you know what type of glue you’re dealing with. Some products can be removed simply by using hot water, while others can be peeled away. Tougher glues are more difficult to remove. It’s going to be way more difficult to remove glue once it sets. You want to begin the removal process while the glue is still fresh, as this gives you the biggest odds of a full removal.
- When you’re working with wet glue, you want to use a disposable soft cloth and hot water, scrubbing the glass until the glue is gone. You can also press the cloth on the glue to soften it.
- Another method for removing wet glue is by using ice to freeze the adhesive and, once that’s done, use a soft-edge knife to scrape it off.
- In some situations, you can also remove wet glue by using solvents, such as vinegar, lighter fluid, nail polish remover, or alcohol. These solutions can be applied using a cloth and rubbing until the glue goes away.
- If you want to remove dried glue from glass, you can use solvents such as the ones mentioned before. Keep in mind that a concentrated dose will do wonders.
- For dry glue, you can also use a commercial degreasing agent. These products are designed to clean off grease and motor oil, so they are very likely to remove glue residue as well.
- If none of the suggestions above seem to do the job, consider the old-fashioned method: scraping glue off. You can use tools such as utility knives, razor blades, or plastic scrapers. Remember that whatever you use, you need smooth motions to help prevent slicing the glass. Also remember to apply a solvent to weaken the glue before you start scraping it. Soaking steel wool in a water and soap solution and rubbing the glue might also help.
Tips for Efficient Window Cleaning
Cleaning windows can be a real nuisance, especially since not leaving streaks behind is a pretty complicated task. We’ve put together a list of tips that might help you make the best out of this chore, making window cleaning a little less dreadful:
- If you clean your windows on a sunny day, there are chances that direct sunlight will cause the solution to evaporate before you’ve actually had the chance to clean the window. That being said, it’s best if you clean your windows on a cloudy day.
- Avoid using paper towels or newspapers to clean your window because they are likely to break down and leave a nasty trail of lint behind. Instead, you can purchase microfiber cloth pieces which are way more efficient for cleaning windows.
- Squeegees can go a long way in making sure your windows are left shiny and streak-free. Thanks to their design, they can easily remove all the water and soap from the window.
- If you live in an area where it rains on a regular basis, you might want to try a window cleaning solution that repels rain. These are usually spray-on products designed for car windshields. They cause rain droplets to bead up and roll straight off the surface of the window.
- You might want to invest in separate cleaning tools for the indoor and the outdoor side of your windows. The outside is likely to be dirtier than the inside, so you might want to keep an extra microfiber cloth for that.
- Aside from cleaning the windows, you want to make sure that you clean the curtains and blinds too, because it kind of beats the point to have squeaky-clean windows and dirty materials coming in contact with them.
Best Window Cleaning Solutions
Microfiber Glass Cleaning Cloths
As we mentioned before, having multiple microfiber cloths for cleaning your windows is essential and will help speed up the process considerably (rather than using one cloth and having to clean it multiple times as you’re taking care of your windows). This is why our first suggestion for today is a pack of eight cloths that are bound to keep you supplied. The pack includes six 16 x 16-inch cloths designed specifically for glass and windows, and two all-purpose cloths that can be used to clean multiple surfaces and that measures 12 x 12 inches each.
Windex Original Glass Cleaner Trigger
When it comes to window cleaners, Windex is a brand familiar to many. It has been on the market for ages and it is the go-to solution for a lot of people that are looking to have clean windows without putting in too much effort. The patented Ammonia-D ingredient that’s found in their formula promises to start working on dirt the second you apply it on your window. This pack contains six bottles with 23 ounces of liquid each.
Sprayway Glass Cleaner Aerosol Spray
The next item on the list is spray that’s designed specifically for cleaning glass, using a formula that contains ingredients such as water, butoxyethanol, and ethyl alcohol. This ammonia-free formula is designed to make sure that all your windows and glass surfaces are left squeaky-clean and sparkling, whilst leaving behind a fresh fragrance. For a more convenient purchase, we recommend getting this pack of two spray cans, with 19 oz. of content each, instead of purchasing individual cans (since it’s always better to have spares).
Invisible Glass Premium Glass Cleaner
Another very good window cleaning solution that you can try is the Stoner Invisible Glass one, delivered to you as a single bottle, but also convenient packs of two up to six bottles, in case you want to stack up on supplies. Each bottle contains 22 ounces of cleaning solution and is tint-safe. It has a residue-free formula and you can use it to clean a lot of different shiny surfaces.
Rejuvenate Scrub Free Soap Scum Remover
Whenever you want to clean those nasty glass surfaces in your bathroom, having a product such as this one is bound to be very handy. It has a bleach-free formula that allows you to spray it on a multitude of different surfaces, including fiberglass, porcelain ceramic tiles, and even natural stone. Simply apply the product, wait for three minutes, and then scrub/rinse to remove scum and other residue that prevents you from having shiny surfaces all over the house. It is a fragrance-free product.
Better Life Natural Streak Free Glass Cleaner
Using a plant-derived list of ingredients, the Better Life glass cleaner is one in many safe-to-use products developed by the same manufacturer. This glass clean doesn’t contain any of the controversial ingredients that are found in other cleaning products, such as dyes, ammonia, parabens, petroleum solvent, and others. Instead, it uses plant-derived cleaning agents that are made from palm kernel, corn, and coconut. It’s one of the best products to try if you have allergies, children, or pets.
Best Window Cleaning Tools
Tyroler Bright Tools the Glider S-1 Magnetic Window Cleaner
Having a magnetic window cleaner is essential if you have large windows or live in an apartment building and have no way of completely cleaning the window from the exterior because you lack safe access to its entire surface. It only works with single-glazed windows that are between 0.1 and 0.3 inches thick. There is an instructional video that you can watch in order to learn how to use and get the very best results each time you’re looking for shiny and streak-free windows.
Hand-held Groove Gap Cleaning Tools
This set of five brushes might be just what to need to complete your window cleaning process. They have a design that sports a curved handle to make it easier to get a good grip on the brush and hold it more comfortably. These are the kind of brushes that you could use to clean window sills and frames. The large brushes are made from hard nylon and have a scraper scooped end that you could use to clean dirt and debris. The smaller brush is designed for cleaning nooks and crannies and features a collapsible design.
Baban Squeegee Window Cleaner
This is probably one of the most efficient squeegees on the market because it comes with a telescopic handle that makes it easy to clean tall windows with spots that are otherwise difficult to reach. It is a set that includes a flexible head that takes the strain off your body and puts it on the ergonomic handle. The handle can be extended from 34 inches to an impressive 61 inches, which should be more than enough for cleaning home windows. The set comes with two microfiber pads that will ensure a streak-free window cleaning experience.
Karcher WV 1 Plus Window Vacuum
The last glass cleaning tool that we wanted to show has left us pretty impressed because it’s designed to be an everything-in-1 product with some amazing features. It is called a “window vacuum” and it has a tank that’s meant to hold the cleaning solution which is sprayed on your window or the glass surface you’re looking to clean, and then you use the integrated microfiber cloth to spread the entire solution and scrub the surface. The last step is vacuuming the window and getting rid of the dirty cleaning solution. The vacuum is equipped with a LED light that lets you know when the unit needs recharging.
FAQ
What is the best glass cleaner on the market?
There are plenty of good options if you’re on the lookout for a window cleaning solution that won’t fail you but plenty of people will stand by their choice of using Windex time and time again.
What is the best homemade glass cleaner?
Generally speaking, there are two ingredients that people use for almost every homemade cleaning solution: baking soda and vinegar. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the best homemade cleaning solution can be made by mixing one tablespoon of vinegar with a cup of water and one cup of rubbing alcohol.
What is the best streak free glass cleaner?
There are plenty of reliable products that you can use if you want to clean your windows and glass surfaces without leaving any streaks behind, and some of the most popular brands are Winder, Better Life, and Rebel Green. However, it’s also important that you use the right tools and accessories to clean your windows perfectly, so make sure that you opt for plenty of microfiber cloth pieces, squeegees, and window scrapers.
What cleans glass better than Windex?
It really depends on who you ask because Windex is actually a customer favorite when it comes to cleaning windows, being a best-selling product with a lot of positive buyer feedback. You can try some of the other products we’ve listed in today’s round-up or you can experiment with some homemade window cleaning solutions, like those made from rubbing alcohol, water, and vinegar.
Bottom Line
Managing to give your windows a luscious shine means more than just applying the right cleaning solution and scrubbing the surface down. It also implies investing in proper tools that will help remove the streaks and offer satisfying results each time. Remember that the tips we listed in this article can give you a helping hand when it comes to making sure that you don’t end up feeling frustrated in spending too much time scrubbing your glass surfaces.
The post What’s the Best Solution for Cleaning Windows? appeared first on Home Decorating Trends - Homedit.
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