Save Money with Homemade Glass Cleaner

Homemade glass cleaner not only saves you money, but also releases less harsh fumes into your apartment. There are a number of glass cleaning solutions made with common household cleaning supplies that are just as effective as, and even more versatile, than commercial cleansers.

Buy a Spray Bottle

Part of the cost of commercial glass cleaners is for the packaging. Rather than purchasing a new bottle of cleaner every time you run out, you just need to have one reusable spray bottle on hand that you can refill with your own homemade glass cleaner mixture.

Clean with Vinegar

Distilled white vinegar is a natural cleaning product with acidic properties that wipes surfaces clean and safely and effectively kills bacteria, mold, soap scum, grease and mildew. A mixture of 1 cup distilled white vinegar and 1 cup warm water poured into a spray bottle can clean glass (windows, mirrors, etc.) without leaving annoying streaks behind. You can also add a squirt of lemon juice, which acts as a natural safe bleach and also gives the mixture a fresher scent.

This versatile mixture can be used to clean more than just glass surfaces. Most hard surfaces, including countertops, sinks, tubs and wooden and linoleum floors can be cleaned with vinegar and water. (Avoid using vinegar on stone and marble floors and surfaces, just like you would most commercial cleaners.) You can save a lot of money by cutting out the multiple different commercial cleaners you buy for every surface in your home.

Concoct a Strong Mixture

For really dirty glass surfaces, you might want to make a mixture of more than just vinegar and water. Another homemade glass cleaner is made of:

• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
• 1/4 liter water
• 2 tablespoons of dish detergent
• a squirt of lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in your spray bottle, shake and you’re ready to use.

The alcohol helps the cleaner evaporate more quickly after you wipe it on the glass surface and the detergent adds a little scrubbing action to the mixture. Just use a paper towel or a specialized glass cleaner towel instead of traditional hand towel, which will lead fibers behind on your glass. This mixture can also be used on other hard surfaces, including chrome, to leave a virtually streak-free shine.

Although you can always mask some of the strong vinegar odor with lemon juice, don’t avoid making homemade glass cleaner because of the strong vinegar smell. Ventilate your apartment by cracking open windows and turning on fans when you clean. Once the vinegar solution has dried, you will no longer smell it.

Making your own homemade glass cleaner is just the start of the number of homemade household cleaning supplies you can use to keep your apartment clean. Remember to stock up on vinegar!