Sometimes the best things in life are free… or really, really cheap, like this natural glass cleaner recipe. I’ve experimented with many types of natural cleaners and have finally found natural options that are as good (or better) than conventional cleaners.

I was motivated to create a natural option for cleaning windows when I discovered my one-year-old licking a window one time. I wasn’t sure what was in my conventional glass cleaner but I was pretty sure I didn’t want her eating it. Also, with so many professional “Fingerprint-on-Window-Creation-Experts” in my house, cleaning windows is sometimes a daily job!

How to Make Natural Glass Cleaner

This DIY glass cleaning recipe was a pretty easy recipe to figure out after I got the tip to use vinegar from an elderly neighbor. Apparently, that is what everyone used in past generations and we’ve just been slow to figure it out. What’s old is new again, I suppose…

Granted, I don’t always make my own cleaners now that there are so many good natural store-bought options, but you can’t beat a quick, convenient recipe from ingredients already around the house. It saves money and is always there when you need it!

I love that this cleaner is completely non-toxic so I can let the children help clean without worrying about them being exposed to chemicals.

In fact, I now keep little glass spray bottles and cleaning rags in a basket in our pantry. Cleaning the lower part of windows is now a daily job for our 4 and 5-year-olds.

I also found large glass spray bottles and prefer to use those now. You can make your own with an empty glass apple cider vinegar bottle and a spray top.

This cleaner has a somewhat strong smell that completely evaporates once it dries. I no longer use microfiber cloth to wipe down the windows (here’s why), but old newspapers or t-shirts also work. Just avoid paper towels as they tend to leave lint on them.

4.25 from 28 votes

Natural Glass Cleaner Recipe

This DIY natural glass cleaner recipe is very inexpensive and effective. It works on glass and smooth surfaces and only needs three ingredients!

Prep Time2

Yield: cups

Author: Katie Wells

Equipment

Glass spray bottle

Materials

2 cups water (distilled or filtered is best so it doesn’t leave residue)
2 TBSP vinegar
10 drops essential oil (optional, I use lemon)

Instructions

In a spray bottle, combine all the ingredients.
Use as needed to clean windows.

Notes

If you have always used commercial window cleaner in the past, mix a couple of drops of liquid castile soap or liquid dish soap in some of this mixture the first time you clean the windows to remove detergent residue.

If you are new to natural cleaning, check out these other easy recipes for cleaning your whole house without chemicals:

What’s your favorite natural cleaning recipe? Share below!

Sources

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

51 responses to “Simple Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe”

angela guerrero

June 18, 2020

Just a quick question: What is the shelf life of this glass cleaner?

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Brandi

April 24, 2019

You should try adding a bit of cornstarch to this window cleaner. Your windows will be the most spotless you’ve ever seen. Honestly I’ve gotten my family hooked with adding cornstarch. My windows look almost invisible it works so well!

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Melanie

April 22, 2019

Katie, I’m having trouble finding a squirt bottle nozzle that will fit the Apple Cider Vinegar Bottle. Any suggestions? Thanks so much for all of your terrific advice & support.

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Prudence

August 13, 2016

After about ten years of (happily) using a recipe similar to this one, I tried the corn starch-vinegar-alcohol recipe (without essential oils), and I found that my windows stayed clean much, much longer. I love the smell of essential oils, but I suspect that they may attract some dirt. Maybe that’s not the key (it could be the alcohol), but in any case, I’m very happy I stumbled upon the alternative because my house is almost all windows, and it’s cut my weekly chore list significantly! The recipe above is certainly healthier than the commercial alternatives, but if you want the most effective, try 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 Tbs (or a bit less) corn starch, with 2 cups warm water.

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1. Bill
  
  September 11, 2016
  
  What does the cornstarch do?
  
  Reply
Hira Rai

July 10, 2016

its amazing I am no expert… It could be your essential oils, but that may or may not be good. They may have found the oil irritating. And, no doubt, having them cough at night was not helpful for anyone’s sleep!!

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Frances

June 10, 2016

Rose,
I am no expert… It could be your essential oils, but that may or may not be good. They may have found the oil irritating. And, no doubt, having them cough at night was not helpful for anyone’s sleep!!
Some oils are decongestants, like eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary. If the boys were a bit congested, the oils could have induced beneficial coughing. But you probably want them to clear whatever before bedtime! For their room, and everyone’s rest, I would try a oil free batch on their room.
You can also have them sniff the oil to see if that is what they are responding to. Every human body & reaction is a little different.

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Rose Kuebler

May 12, 2016

Katie, I used the cleaning products (glass and surface cleaner) to clean my young boys’ bed room and both times they have had coughing spells for a couple nights to follow. Could it be my EOs? I made the mixture and put it into plastic spray bottles. What could I be doing wrong?

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Kelly

April 26, 2016

So simple yet so amazing! Decided to stop with the store bought stuff when my 10 month started licking the doors. Now we’re safe and this cleans much better. Lick away little one! One question….Why use a glass bottle?

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Ana Padilla

March 12, 2016

With all due respect, this recipe doesn’t work. I made a batch and added orange essential oil drops, gave it to my husband to clean the windows of the car. He came back upset saying what the ingredients of “this” are. I said water, vinegar and essential oil, I also added some drops of castile soap as per your advice. He reply to me saying, why you put essential oil in it?, that is obviously he reason why is not cleaning! common sense! I had to agree with him. Threw the batch out and prepared a new one with just castile soap. He came back saying: this one worked well. Leave the essentials oils out of the recipe!

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Eva

February 1, 2016

I have always used this – the vinegar smell doesn’t last long, If you use it on the interior car windows, it will take all of the nasty smells out of your car. I used to smoke, and it would even take away that smell.

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Morgan

December 19, 2015

Hi! Is this safe for reptile tank cleaning or will it leave a really bad smell in my reptile tank at all because of the vinegar? Thanks!!!

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Tanya

August 29, 2015

Would these work for eye glasses? Thanks!

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Tia Lily

May 16, 2015

I use this and works way better than windex. I don’t put any essential oil though as it leaves an oily streak.

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George

May 10, 2015

My suggestion: In preparation of various cleaning solution, instead of pot (drinking) water should be used distilled water. Reasons for this: Drinking water contains dissolved minerals, somewhere between 120 to over 300 mg/L (very hard water). Most of those minerals are reacting with other constituents which are used in DIY cleaning solution. When cleaned surface is dried, those minerals are crystallizing and staying on the surfaces. Some of those newly formed minerals could be wiped out but some of it stays on and accumulate during repeating sequences of cleaning. Just to remind you: Distilled water is de mineralized with zero dissolved and suspended solids and its pH is slightly acidic; between 6 and 6.6 (7.0 is neutral)

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Courtney

March 25, 2015

Ok I’ve read where someone asked if u could use Apple cider vinegar but didn’t see a response. So can u use Apple cider vinegar?

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1. Katie – Wellness Mama
  
  March 25, 2015
  
  I’m honestly not sure but I would think it would leave a slight residue
  
  Reply
Leslie

March 2, 2015

I use vodka to make a streak free window cleaner with the same ingredients as above. I found that eucalyptus essential oil mixed with peppermint masks the smell of the vinegar the best.

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Shelby

February 14, 2015

It’s a tried a true recipe that never should have gone out of vogue! I’ve cleaned with vinegar for years. Its cheap and does a superb job! I mix a few drops of an eco dish liquid into my spray bottle. It also works fabulously on my timber blinds. The more people that see this recipe the less people will visit the cleaning aisle of the supermarket

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1. Elayne Green
  
  March 31, 2016
  
  Katie, Water and white vinegar for windows or most cleaning has been around for centuries. Don’t use glass bottles as cleaning can be hazardous and a dropped bottle can be broken and cause injuries. Plastic is fine. Essential oils causes streaking. Vinegar smell dissipates as the window dries. I have always used black print newspaper for drying, although microfiber is neat. The print ink on newspaper makes a beautiful shine on windows as well as being very absorbent. White vinegar only. Apple cider vinegar on some things will stain. I also use this on my black stove top for a shinny finish. This is also great on glass shower door. Spray on prior to shower, Finish your shower then squeegee off walls and door. .I do this about every two weeks and never have a spotted shower door or walls. Great for killing mold in shower corners. 87 yrs. old frugal farmers wife.
  
  Reply
Lourdes

December 14, 2014

BEST GLASS CLEANER! I have tried so many DIY recipes, all of them leave trace or have to spend quite a while whipping it down. The secrets of this recipe I think is the amount of water and vinegar together= balance. I just clean my bathroom mirror and is shiny! I used I rug to clean it and remove all the vinegar, and another one to dry it out completely. Also added 15 drops of peppermint EO.
Five stars!

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