Natural Glass Cleaner (With Surprise Ingredient for the Cleanest Windows Ever)

Using a natural cleaner is important to me, as we’ve switched out all the nasty chemical cleaners for gentler, safer ones. This natural glass cleaner is made from four basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

White distilled vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner around that home that is not only effective, but very safe. It’s been used for a long time to clean glass. Adding alcohol gives it an extra boost.

I have also been making my own lens cleaner for my eyeglasses for several years now, and rubbing alcohol is the main component. Using a combination of the vinegar and rubbing alcohol is pretty great alone, but sometimes there can be stubborn streaks left behind, particularly on mirrors. That’s where the cornstarch comes in.

I was searching online for a better option that would eliminate the streaks and came upon several recipes that used cornstarch. I had to delve a little deeper. On numerous websites and forums, everyone raved about this miracle window and glass cleaner.

But in all my searching I couldn’t find the reason why adding cornstarch makes such a fantastic window and glass cleaner. All I could find was that this kind of solution in one form or another has been used by professional window cleaners for years. Good enough for me!

And you know what? My windows and mirror have never been clearer or cleaner.

It does take a little more elbow grease, but the results are amazing. I’m guessing it’s something to do with the cornstarch particles acting as a mild, gentle abrasive that helps in shining up the glass.

From what I found, you can make this one of two ways: just cornstarch and water mixed together in a bucket, which is nice if you’re washing a lot of windows; or a solution of rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, cornstarch and warm water.

The solution does not last forever, so make it in small enough batches that you’ll be able to use it before it goes “off.” I haven’t done the bucket method because it’s more convenient for me to keep the solution in a spray bottle and mix up smaller batches as needed.

The cornstarch will settle at the bottom, so be sure to really shake things up before spraying. If the nozzle gets clogged, just run some warm water through it to clear it out.

Equipment

• 16 ounce spray bottle

Materials

• 2 Tablespoons rubbing alcohol

• 2 Tablespoons white vinegar

• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

• 1 1/2 cups water

Instructions

• Place everything into a spray bottle and shake well. Shake well before each application.

• Spray onto glass and use newspaper or a terry cloth to wipe clean. Continue wiping until any white residue is gone and glass is sparkling clean.

Notes

The solution does not last forever, so make it in small enough batches that you'll be able to use it before it goes "off." I haven't done the bucket method because it's more convenient for me to keep the solution in a spray bottle and mix up smaller batches as needed. The cornstarch will settle at the bottom, so be sure to really shake things up before spraying. If the nozzle gets clogged, just run some warm water through it to clear it out.

Have you ever tried this cornstarch concoction? I don’t think I’ll ever go back!

Please be sure to share when you create these products at home and tag The Farmers Touch.

Next Weekend I will be posting how to make your own disinfectant spray at home.