Popular methods for making liquid for cleaning car windshields

Keeping your car's windshield clean is a very important component of accident-free driving. Even not very dirty glass glares much more and prevents the driver from adequately assessing the situation on the road. In the same case, if the trip is made in bad weather conditions, and even on not very good roads, moments often arise when the glass becomes almost “blind” from the dirt flying from under the wheels of the car in front. It is at times like this that it is very important that your windshield wipers work well, and for this it is important to use high-quality windshield cleaning fluid. In the summer, all motorists use plain or distilled water with the addition of various detergent additives, but with the onset of frost they are faced with the question of which “anti-freeze” is best to choose. Unfortunately, high-quality non-freezing liquid does not cost much, and all experts unanimously say that there are too many fakes on the market. Not only can such a low-quality liquid freeze at any time, it also quite often contains a number of additives that cause irreparable harm to the health of the driver and his passengers. Considering all these negative aspects, some motorists prefer to prepare antifreeze washer fluid themselves. Let's look together at ways to prepare glass washing solutions suitable for different weather conditions.

Options for creating windshield wiper fluid.

Water instead of special liquid

In the summer and until frost, motorists can use plain water as a windshield washer without any problems. Some car owners prefer to fill the tank with distilled water, which avoids the formation of salt deposits on the glass and inside the mechanism that supplies liquid to the windshield. Considering the fact that dirt flying from under the wheels of the vehicle in front can be washed off very poorly, drivers are constantly experimenting with adding various additives to increase the cleaning effect of the composition and preparing summer windshield washer with their own hands. Since the onset of sub-zero temperatures, the tactics for preparing washer fluid have changed. Such mixtures will necessarily have to contain ingredients that prevent water from freezing - alcohol, acids, etc.

Method No. 1 - using a regular windshield wiper

Very good results can be obtained by mixing any household glass cleaner, which can be purchased in the household appliances department. These products are designed to clean any glass surfaces. It is important to check that these products contain alcohol; it is this that will prevent the liquid in the washer reservoir from freezing. In order to save money and to avoid excessive foaming of the composition, the glass cleaner should be mixed with ordinary or distilled water. It is recommended to mix in a ratio of 1 to 2, that is, take one part of the glass cleaning liquid and add two parts of water to it.

What to look for when choosing

What are the main criteria you need to focus on in order to choose a quality product for cleaning windows and glass surfaces?

Compound

You should choose glass cleaning products depending on the type and degree of contamination. To do this, you will have to carefully study the composition.

The most effective glass cleaners are those that contain benzyl alcohol with the addition of anionic surfactants to form foam. They do not require much effort to dissolve various contaminants and do not leave streaks or cloudy residue. The only drawback is the pungent smell, but it quickly disappears after good ventilation.

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It is advisable to wash the outer glass with products containing water-repellent components. Raindrops will simply roll down the glass, leaving no traces behind.

An acid-based product containing vinegar or citric acid will help remove soap stains and limescale deposits on mirrors or shower walls - they dissolve alkali well. However, any universal windshield wiper can handle such problems.

If you need to wash tinted or frosted glass, then in order not to damage the surface, it is better to use alcohol-based products or mild surfactants. For severe contamination, it is better to purchase an ethyl alcohol-based cleaner.

Skin safe

Don't believe manufacturers' advertising promises. Any substance that dissolves dirt and grease in one way or another will affect the skin. Do you want to keep your hands soft and tender? Then work with gloves.

Ability to cope with various contaminants

A good product should be universal - effectively remove grease, dirt, drips, insect marks, soot and other contaminants.

In this case, the main criterion is the absence of drips, stripes, cloudy veils, and rainbow highlights.

Convenient capacity

Bottles are usually designed for 0.5 liters. The large volume is difficult and awkward to hold with one hand. The shape of the bottle should be curved, it is advisable to have ribbed bulges for fingers so that the product does not slip out of wet hands.

An important design element is the sprayer. It can be standard with a blocker or work in several modes, for example, have a fine mesh, thanks to which foam is formed.

Smell

If the formula contains aggressive substances, then an unpleasant odor is inevitable. Manufacturers try to disguise it with fragrances with fruit, berry, pine or sea scents. Unfortunately, things aren't working out well for them so far.

A complete absence of odor occurs only in environmentally friendly preparations made on the basis of natural ingredients. But they are not cheap, so they are not very common in our supermarkets. You can only buy them online.

Method number 3 - using dishwashing detergents

This method involves adding dishwashing detergent to the water. Since any product that housewives use to wash dishes foams very much, it needs to be added in small quantities. This is about one tablespoon of quality dishwashing detergent per three liters of water. This method must be treated with some caution - it can only be used in the warm season, but even in mild frosts, it will freeze. To avoid possible complications, it is best to follow the advice of experienced motorists and expose the solution you prepared yourself to the cold. If the solution is not frozen, everything is fine and you can safely pour it into the tank, but if the liquid has signs of crystallization, then this clearly indicates the need to add any alcohol-containing liquid to the solution.

Alcohol is rightfully considered an ideal addition.

Homemade Window Cleaning Recipes

Homemade cleaning solutions often contain the following ingredients:

• lemon,
• alcohol,
• soap,
• starch,
• ammonia,
• vinegar,
• soda,
• glycerol,

If it is necessary to remove severe contamination, add potassium permanganate, ammonia and ash.

To wipe mirrors, it is recommended to use a cloth made of soft materials. This will help avoid streaks.

Water and lemon

One of the simplest and most affordable products to make with many positive reviews.

It's easy to prepare the essence:

1. Add citric acid or lemon juice in an amount of 50 g to one glass of water.
2. Stir thoroughly.
3. Wipe the surface with the resulting liquid.

For mild contamination, the concentration of lemon juice can be reduced . The advantage of the method is the absence of streaks and a pleasant fresh aroma: a lemon-scented flavor is added to many chemical compositions.

Starch

Starch works well with dust and stuck dirt.

A recipe based on it can be made like this:

1. Add a tablespoon of starch powder to a liter of water.
2. To stir thoroughly.
3. Apply to the area with a sponge and leave to dry.
4. Remove the remaining starch with a damp cloth and wipe with newspaper.

Raw potatoes are also used - they contain a lot of starch. The tuber is cut and rubbed on the surface, left until completely dry. To add shine, the surface is wiped with microfiber.

Vinegar

If the windows have not been washed for a long time, use vinegar. It is able to remove heavy stains without leaving streaks. It is used for cleaning window frames and polishing mirrors.

To obtain a concentrated essence, you need to add a quarter glass of apple or white vinegar to half a liter of liquid and stir thoroughly.

Important! To enhance the effect, add half a teaspoon of ordinary liquid soap; this ensures quick cleaning of the glass from dirt.

Acetic acid should be handled with care. It is recommended to use rubber gloves.

Vinegar, alcohol and starch

A mixture of these three components is considered the number one remedy in the fight against pollution.

How to prepare it:

1. Gently heat 500 milliliters of water (2 cups).
2. Dilute 1 tbsp. l. starch.
3. Add pure industrial alcohol and vinegar (a quarter cup each).
4. Shake the bottle.

You can put a special spray nozzle on the bottle, which will facilitate the process of spraying the liquid. After spraying it, wipe the surface with a dry soft cloth.

Advice! Instead of industrial alcohol, you can add regular vodka (a third of a glass).

Black tea and vinegar

A lesser-known method of preparing glass cleaning liquid is a mixture of black tea and vinegar.

It’s easy to prepare, all you need is:

1. Brew strong tea and let it brew.
2. Add 3 tbsp. l. acids.
3. Mix the ingredients thoroughly until the liquid acquires a uniform color.

The resulting liquid is applied to the surface, then washed off with water. The glass is wiped dry with a napkin or rag.

Ammonia

Ammonia is toxic; it is recommended to work with it especially carefully.

The process of preparing the solution:

1. Pour a liter of heated water into a glass container.
2. Add 1 tbsp. l. ammonia.
3. Use the resulting liquid to wipe the window with a microfiber cloth.

It is recommended to wipe the glass with newspapers: printing inks contain carbon. By interacting with ammonia, it allows you to give the glass a special shine.

Liquid soap and vinegar

When these substances are mixed, a foamy liquid is obtained that perfectly washes away most of the contaminants.

Cooking process:

1. Add 2 tbsp. l. acetic acid per 500 ml of water.
2. Pour in half a teaspoon of soap.
3. Shake until foam appears.

If there is not enough foam, add more soap.

Vinegar and soda

Pure vinegar mixed with baking soda can even wipe off a marker or pen. This is relevant for washing old window glass and mirrors.

Simple cooking method:

1. Pour 2 liters of clean water into a saucepan or other container.
2. Add 100 ml of acid and 50 g of baking soda.
3. To stir thoroughly.

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Instead of soda, ordinary table salt is sometimes used; it gives the glass a distinctive shine. But the disadvantage of salt is that its crystals can scratch the surface, so you cannot wash PVC products with it.

Means for heavy soiling

Sometimes it is necessary to clean heavy stains, for example, drops of dried paint after repairs.

To do this, it is recommended to use a special ammonia concentrate with the addition of vinegar..

You need to work with this mixture carefully; just blot the dirty areas with a sponge. It is recommended to purchase a respirator to avoid inhaling harmful ammonia fumes.

Many also use potassium permanganate - dilute several of its crystals and apply the resulting liquid to the windows. Some people wipe the surface with wood ash before doing this to keep it clean longer.

Method number 4 - using medical alcohol

As noted earlier, the method when alcohol is added to water is the most effective. This solution can be made in the following proportion:

1. 3 – 3.5 liters of water.
2. 750 gr. (3 glasses), 70% alcohol or 650 grams - 96%.

Add a tablespoon of any washing powder to the resulting solution and mix it well. This additive is necessary to improve the cleaning properties of the liquid, because dirt containing various oily substances flies onto the windshield.

How to make window cleaner at home

Existing liquids do not always help figure out how to wash windows quickly and effectively; many housewives prefer to make their own streak-free window cleaners, which are no less or even more effective than store-bought ones.

The simplest recipe is this:

• mix 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of any dishwashing liquid;
• make a solution by adding water, and then pour it into a spray bottle;
• After shaking the product, you can wash the window; not only does it perfectly clean the surface and is washed off with water, this substance leaves almost no streaks.

Each housewife has her own window cleaning product in her piggy bank, which was developed independently and tested more than once through personal experience. They are not only absolutely environmentally friendly, but also save the family budget quite well.

How to clean windows with vinegar

Folk window cleaning products are much more effective than industrial ones, so when choosing what to wash windows with, you need to remember about the products that are in every kitchen cabinet.

Vinegar is most often used, which has good properties for disinfecting and cleaning surfaces. It is absolutely safe when inhaled and it is quite easy to wash glass with it. How to do this?

• First you need to clean the dirt from the glass.
• Vinegar diluted with water is a good cleaning composition that needs to be applied using a spray bottle (the proportions don’t really matter here; if there is more vinegar, it will be easier to wash off large stains).
• Window cleaning is carried out in this way:

• apply the mixture to the surface;
• rub the composition over the window using napkins;
• wash the window with vinegar;
• wipe it dry with a microfiber cloth.

How to clean windows with ammonia

Ammonia and vinegar are wonderful remedies that are in no way inferior to store-bought ones.
Ammonia is another fairly effective product that removes dirt and stains from the surface of glass well. To clean your windows quickly, you need to do the following:

• remove the curtains and remove all foreign objects from the windowsill;
• process the frame and window sill;
• moisten the sponge in a composition containing ammonia and water, which must be diluted first;
• Apply the substance to the surface, then thoroughly polish it with a soft cloth.

Having figured out how to wash windows with ammonia, you may not want to use store-bought compounds that will not give the same result, but also have a decent cost. Ammonia washes windows cleanly and does not leave any treacherous streaks at all.

Folk remedies for cleaning windows without streaks

Half a potato will help get rid of stains on windows.
When wondering how to wash windows without streaks, in addition to the above methods, you should know about these fairly popular folk recipes:

• How to clean windows after renovation? The answer is simple: starch. A tablespoon of this substance should be mixed with water and ammonia should be added. The product will allow you to rub your windows until they are squeaky and mirror clean.
• Half a raw potato can spot clean dirt stains on glass. Simply wipe the glass with it and polish it with a dry cloth.
• A light pink solution of manganese can help with the problem of washing glass surfaces; it is only important to make sure that all the grains are sure to dissolve in the water.

• Three tablespoons of chalk powder should be diluted with water, the resulting paste should be applied to the glass and left until it dries. After this, just rub them with microfiber until shiny.
• If there are flies on the windows, you can wipe the surface with onion juice.
• One hundred grams of glycerin, diluted in 50 ml of water, will allow you not only to wash these delicate surfaces, but also to create a special film that will protect them from dust and will allow you to once and for all solve the problem of how to wash the windows on the balcony from the outside.
• Don’t forget about fabrics that will allow you to polish glass surfaces. For example, you can remove stains using nylon stockings.

Method number 5 - add ammonia

Sometimes motorists prefer to make a solution by adding ammonia to it. Here you should adhere to a ratio of 1:3 (one part ammonia to 3 parts water). When preparing the mixture, try to prevent the formation of foam. The main disadvantage of this solution is that it is strictly not recommended to use it if the temperature drops significantly; it will quickly freeze. To prevent this from happening, you can try adding about one hundred grams of vinegar to the composition.

Method No. 7 - add methanol

Methanol is also a non-freezing alcohol, but it is an extremely harmful substance for humans. When deciding to prepare such a mixture, you need to be extremely careful and avoid getting it on the skin or in the respiratory tract. This toxic liquid should be mixed with water as follows: 900 ml. add no more than 100 ml of water. methanol.

Making your own windshield washer fluids can save you some money in the long run, but it requires some knowledge and care on the part of the car owner. Thus, only you can decide what is better: buy a ready-made solution or prepare it yourself.