How to clean windows with vinegar and baking soda

When I moved into my first home, I was overwhelmed by the grime and filth left behind by the previous tenant.

My living room windows were covered in a layer of filth that I had never seen before. It’s almost impossible to see outside without squinting your eyes.

So, I made up my mind to try to clean them myself using my favorite natural cleaning product: baking soda.

Today, I’m going to show you how to clean your glass windows by wiping them with baking soda paste.

Let’s begin.

What You’ll Need:

Baking Soda
Water
Bowl
Spoon
Rags or microfiber cloth
Towel or paper towels

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Table of Contents

1. How to Make Vinegar and Water Cleaner
   • Basic Water and Vinegar Recipe
   • Glass Window Cleaner Recipe
   • All Purpose Window Cleaner Recipe
2. Washing Windows with Vinegar
   • Dust
   • Spray
   • Scrub
   • Dry
   • Clean Window Blinds and Frame
   • Repeat
3. Cleaning Windows with Vinegar Outside

How to Make Vinegar and Water Cleaner

Vinegar is a household staple that not only adds a bit of zip to your cooking, it can do wonders when it comes to cleaning your home. It is, therefore, one of the most convenient and easy to use products to clean windows and many other household surfaces – both inside and out.

All of the recipes for cleaning with vinegar use water and other ingredients to tackle more specific or harder to target grime. From dirty windows to mildew in the bathroom to musty laundry, you can’t go wrong with adding vinegar to your cleaning product arsenal.

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Supplies Needed to Make Vinegar Solution Window Cleaners

• Spray bottles
• Paper towels
• Microfiber cloth
• Water
• White vinegar
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cornstarch
• Essential oils
• Dish soap

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With these simple ingredients, we will show you how to use vinegar to clean window blinds, window frames, glass windows, car windows, and more!

Basic Water and Vinegar Recipe

Though it may sound simple, cleaning with vinegar and water is very useful. It’s one of our favorite recipes not only because it works, but because it only requires two easily accessible ingredients. Vinegar can quickly kill germs and break down dirt, leaving your windows free of grime.

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Basic Water and Vinegar Recipe

• 1 part hot water
• 1 part vinegar

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For cleaning hard water stains from exterior windows or to make the interiors shine, make this basic vinegar and water cleaner by mixing equal parts hot or warm water and vinegar.

Pour the vinegar solution into a glass spray bottle. Spray this on your windows for cleaning stains on glass, plastic blinds, and frames for an all-over clean.

Glass Window Cleaner Recipe

This glass cleaning solution eliminates dirt and leaves no streaks after washing. It not only works on windows, but any other glass surface in your home, such as shower doors, glass tables, and more.

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Streak-Free Glass Cleaner Recipe

• ¼ cup white or apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup rubbing alcohol
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 cups of water
• 10 drops essential oil (lavender, lemon, or orange)

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For one of the best ways to clean windows without streaks, combine these basic ingredients in a plastic spray bottle and shake. Spray on any glass surfaces you wish to clean and wipe away. A squeegee is ideal for wiping and preventing unsightly streaks.

To ensure a lint-free finish, you can also wipe with balled up newspaper. This recipe works particularly well on hard water stains in bathrooms and is the best way to clean car windows.

All Purpose Window Cleaner Recipe

This is our favorite all purpose cleaner recipe that works on all windows in your home. Mix the ingredients and pour into a spray bottle and use as needed.

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All Purpose Window Cleaner Recipe

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 ½ cups rubbing alcohol
• 2 drops dish soap or dishwashing detergent

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This all purpose cleaner is great for dirty windows, but can also easily be modified for other areas around the house by adding a little bit of baking soda. Our DIY vinegar cleaning solution is ideal for cleaning windows using vinegar, Dawn, and baking soda to help you cut through dirt on tough to clean surfaces like floors and bathroom tile, too.

If you’re in a bind or a hurry and can’t make any of these vinegar window cleaning solutions, you can also warm up a cup of full strength white vinegar and use it to get rid of hard water stains on outside windows or other surfaces like countertops, toilets, and floors. This simple method works great on grime throughout your home.

If you need a good recipe for cleaning a windshield on your car, try this one. This homemade car windshield cleaner is great for removing bird poop, sap, and bug spatter from even the dirtiest car windows. The grime just melts away, leaving your windows shining and streak-free.

Maybe you took off the parking sticker from your old apartment or one of the kids decorated the windows with Frozen stickers. This recipe works well to remove a sticker from a car window, as well as the lingering adhesive.

Washing Windows with Vinegar

Now that you have your homemade, non-toxic vinegar-based window cleaning solutions, you need to use the proper techniques to get the perfect clean. While spraying and wiping will make a big difference, that is not all you have to do to get a streak-free window.

Dust

Before you start window washing, make sure to get rid of loose debris like dust and spider webs. Dust the window with a microfiber cloth or paper towel. This will ensure that you’re getting the best clean instead of just moving the dirt and dust around.

Spray

If you haven’t yet put your vinegar windows cleaning solution in a spray bottle, now is the time. To prevent any spilling or dripping, you may want to put a dishcloth or towel on the windowsill or the floor beneath the window you’re cleaning. Spray the window surface, ensuring there is enough solution to wet every area before you begin scrubbing.

If you’re planning to clean multiple windows, spray one at a time, as you do not want the cleaning solution to leave smudges. For interior windows, you may also have to remove the screens first. Vacuum the screen to remove dust and spray with water.

Dip a sponge or cloth in a mixture of warm water with a little bit of vinegar or dish soap and wipe. Allow the screen to air dry and replace it once you have finished cleaning the window.

A vinegar solution is also the perfect eye glass cleaner. Store it in a tiny bottle to keep in the car or in your purse!

Scrub

After you’ve sprayed your vinegar solution, it’s time to clean with a cloth or lint-free towel. Paper towels will also work to scrub the dirty window. Wash in a circular motion and concentrate on any areas with stains or grime. To help avoid streaks, work quickly.

Dry

After scrubbing the window clean, it is time to dry it. Ensure that the lint-free towel absorbs the moisture from the spray and wipe the glass with a microfiber cloth.

For best results, use a squeegee to produce a streak-free finish. Dampen the squeegee and stroke from top to bottom, removing excess liquid from the blade after each stroke.

Clean Window Blinds and Frame

To get the perfect clean, it is essential that you don’t neglect the window blinds and frame. One of our favorite window cleaning tips with vinegar when it comes to blinds is to use a pair of white cotton gloves. Put on one of the gloves and dip your hand in a solution of equal parts vinegar and hot water.

Slide your covered fingers along each of the blinds. Use a sponge or a cloth to clean the frames and dry immediately to avoid damage.

Did you know that you can also use vinegar to clean wood? One way to clean wood furniture with vinegar is to combine it with olive oil. The mixture effectively cleans away grime and polishes the surface at the same time.

Repeat

Washing windows with vinegar at least twice a year will go a long way towards maintaining clean windows. Of course, if you notice your windows looking a little dirty, don’t wait to clean them. It is easier to clean off dirt when it is fresh than after it settles in.

Cleaning Windows with Vinegar Outside

All of our recipes are also suitable as an outdoor window cleaner, though the cleaning techniques for larger windows vary. For cleaning big outdoor windows, mix a larger quantity of one of the vinegar cleaners listed above into a bucket.

Dip a sponge into the mixture and, using an extension pole or the handle of a broomstick for high windows, scrub the surface. Before moving on to the next window, dry it with a microfiber cloth until the liquid is absorbed. Again, a squeegee is the best way to get a streak-free finish.

As outdoor windows are more prone to stains and grime like bird droppings or minerals, you may first need to do a spot treatment. This will make washing the windows easier and give a sparkling result. Spray tough stains directly with vinegar and allow it to sit for about five minutes.

Using a damp sponge or cloth, rub the stain until clean. Now you can proceed with the regular cleaning instructions.

With these vinegar window cleaner recipes, your home will look better than ever! These step-by-step instructions apply to all windows or glass surfaces, including car windows and interior and exterior windows.

When you make your own homemade cleaning products, you not only get to save on costs, but you get the peace of mind and satisfaction of knowing the exact ingredients you’re using in your home. All of the ingredients listed in this article are non-toxic and environmentally friendly, so they are safe for homes with pets and children and will not damage your property.

If you found these window cleaning tips helpful, we encourage you to share our vinegar recipes with your family and friends on Facebook and Pinterest!

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