Review of the 8 best window cleaners. Rating based on user reviews

Sometimes, even the most advertised window cleaning products leave streaks. This is the truth of the market that most window cleaning products have an almost identical composition, with the exception of eco-products, the difference is only in the concentration of similar components, as well as in flavors and dyes.

Surfactants and alcohol are responsible for cleaning glass from dust, dirt, and greasy stains. Surfactants are surfactants, the same chemical compounds that dissolve contaminants. And alcohol is responsible for the evaporation of substances without residual stains. Of course, these 2 components, which are the basis of any glass cleaner, are not harmless, so it is recommended to use rubber gloves when cleaning. Manufacturers also like to add bright exotic flavors to overcome the pungent aroma of alcohol. They will not cause any harm if you do not inhale them for more than 30 minutes in a closed, unventilated area. Our rating contains the leaders of reviews on resources for housewives. In this collection, we reviewed them, mentioning all the pros and cons.

Glass cleaner “Mr. Muscle”: varieties

Today, in the line of glass cleaning products, there are several varieties depending on their purpose, as well as the shade of the liquid and its smell.

The most common is “Mr. Muscle” for glass (bright green liquid). It contains ammonia, which in the old days was used for high-quality cleaning of mirrors. This glass cleaner - "Mr. Muscle" - easily cleans all glass surfaces from dust and any dirt, even old ones: windows, mirrors, shop windows in shopping centers and more. This glass cleaner is also available in pink color with a berry scent.

Among other things, a slightly different version of this cleaning agent is very popular - for glass and surfaces (blue liquid). Unlike the previous one, this one specializes in all surfaces, not only glass, but also wood, plastic and ceramic. Therefore, instead of ammonia, this liquid contains another active component - isopropyl alcohol. This product is also available with a lime scent (light green liquid).

How to wash without streaks?

Before you start cleaning the glass, you should prepare the window opening area. To do this you need:

1. Remove foreign objects.
2. Remove the curtains.
3. If the windows are very dirty, wash off most of the dust and dirt. Dusty - wipe with a dry or damp cloth, remove cobwebs.

Washing procedure:

1. 
   Wash frames and slopes. This can be done with any suitable means, including those prepared for glass - with ammonia. It is most convenient to use a sponge or rag for these purposes.

2. Wash the glass using a sponge or rag. For high windows and hard-to-reach areas, it is better to use a special mop.
3. The glass should be washed primarily from top to bottom to avoid smearing dirt.
4. Wipe dry.
5. Put the blinds in proper shape.

Ammonia, which is included in cleaning solutions in small quantities, does not harm metal-plastic.

How to choose a window cleaner

When choosing a window cleaner, there are several important factors to consider. One of them is the ingredients of the product. Three types of household chemicals can be found in retail sales.

1. Alcohol .
   As the name implies, the main active ingredient in this case is alcohol. Only now they most often use not the usual ethyl, but isopropyl. It ensures the best dissolution of dirt particles and does not leave streaks. However, isopropyl alcohol does not work well on stubborn stains. In this case, you should pay attention to products based on benzyl alcohol. They are a little more expensive, but much more effective. Products based on benzyl alcohol do not leave streaks and cope well with old stains
2. Ammoniacal .
   Ammonia, or ammonia, has long been used to remove various contaminants from glass surfaces. Detergents based on it are still produced today. They not only cope excellently with dirt without leaving streaks, but also give the glass surface a characteristic shine. The main disadvantage of ammonia-based products is a sharp, unpleasant odor that is difficult to remove from the room after cleaning. Window cleaners based on ammonia make windows shine
3. Based on surfactants (surfactants) .
   Surfactants are chemical compounds that are activated only upon contact with oxygen, and in the boundary layer (that is, where the solution comes into contact with atmospheric air). Today they are widely used for cleaning various surfaces, including glass. The main disadvantage of surfactants is that they are quite expensive. In addition, when working with surfactants, you must be careful - if these substances come into contact with the skin, irritation or an allergic reaction may occur. Surfactant-based glass cleaners are characterized by low allergenicity and a pleasant odor

The second important criterion that you should pay attention to before purchasing is the manufacturer of the products. You should not purchase products from little-known manufacturers. It is far from a fact that they are as highly effective as proven branded formulations.

Important! The lion's share of the price of many expensive liquids is usually the brand fee. Therefore, the ideal choice would be cleaning products in the mid-price range. On the one hand, they use high-quality and effective components, on the other hand, there is no overpayment for an advertised brand.

Another selection criterion is the purpose of the detergent. All products available for purchase today can be divided into several large categories according to this criterion.

1. For removing intense organic contaminants . Suitable for cleaning windows that have accumulated residue from car exhaust fumes, traces of insect repellents and other organic contaminants that are difficult to remove. Also, such products are used for washing glass surfaces in the kitchen, on which fatty fumes that occur during cooking often accumulate.
2. For removing traces of soap and lime . Suitable for the final stage of cleaning, the first step of which was washing the glass using laundry soap. Excellent for removing soap stains. Also, such liquids are widely used for cleaning glass surfaces in the bathroom and mirrors.
3. For matte surfaces . Used to clean windows with frosted glass.
4. For tinted windows . Designed for cleaning windows on which light-protective film is glued. Also suitable for cleaning tinted car windows.

Purchased funds

The following professional products are considered the best window cleaning products in terms of price-quality ratio:

1. Homestar is a streak-free product. The inclusion of surfactants in the blue substance does not exceed 5%. The structure also includes isopropanol alcohol. Homestar removes fingerprints and grease stains and easily removes dust deposits from the surface.
2. “Froch Spiritus” is safe and created primarily from natural ingredients. Even the packaging is recyclable. It thoroughly removes dirt, has an antistatic effect and does not leave streaks. The product is hypoallergenic, but does not have a very pleasant aroma.
3. "Mr. Muscle" is a sales leader. The structure contains surfactants, ammonia and acetic acid, organic solvents, fragrances, dyes, and water. Application according to the instructions allows you to ultimately observe a good result. It is not a common case when an excellent result is achieved at a low cost.
4. Help (Help) is a budget version of domestic production. No surfactant was detected in the structure, but there is water, ethyl, stylene glycol, and sodium sulfoethoxylate. The absence of surfactants in the composition makes the product safer, and does not affect the quality of cleaning. Thanks to ATX dyes and perfume composition, the product has a subtle aroma. When washing glass, there are no streaks left, but when faced with sediment in the form of grease, Help may not be able to cope.
5. “Clin” does not differ in composition from its opponents, but the quality of removing contaminants of varying complexity is more noticeable. Dirt can be removed easily, the first time. This is explained by a personal recipe with carefully selected proportions. The feed dispenser has two modes. One sprays, the other emulsifies to a foamy state.
6. “Second for glass” is a promising name and justifies itself with good cleaning quality. The product has an average price and is sold in the form of liquid and spray. Although the composition is no different from others, its smell is too strong.
7. “Cif” is a substance of Italian origin, the structure of which contains surfactants, benzyl alcohol, natural solvents, and perfume aromas. Eliminates any dirt, even after construction. The aroma of the product indicates that it is not cheap.
8. “Ecover” is a Belgian substance with a natural composition. It is worth noting that in order to achieve mirror clean glass, you will have to make a lot of effort. The product is ideal for fans of environmentally friendly products.

Mister Muscle is a top-selling window cleaner

Plastic window cleaners

The shelves of hardware stores are overflowing with cleaning products for plastic double-glazed windows. Commercials promise that you don’t need to put in any effort to achieve the desired result. When choosing a popular product, people are often disappointed, since such promises are a marketing ploy. Most glass cleaners have identical compositions, which puts them under the same category. The detergent contains:

• Water.
• Surfactants that can destroy the structure of dirt on the surface of glass. Typically, a surfactant is a natural chemical element.
• Alcohol or acid.
• Dyes.
• Preservatives.

It is worth noting that additional additives that improve the quality of cleaning, in the form of ammonia, antistatic agents and silicone, may affect the price. But this is a justified expense, since the surface of the windows acquires shine and remains clean longer.

Sunscreen window cleaners

The function of windows is to protect the room from the sun's rays. Such a film restrains flows by 90% and does not allow air to burn out. It does not require special care. Thanks to the layer of protection, they withstand microdamage and scratches, therefore, cleaning should not be a concern.

The best eco-friendly window cleaners

Currently, people are seriously concerned about the environmental situation and the influence of harmful factors on the general condition of the body. An increase in the number of allergy sufferers also played a role in the promotion of a new line of environmentally friendly window cleaners.

HG WINDOW CLEANER – ecological window cleaner

Organic People Eco-spray for cleaning glass and mirrors

The product is an organic cleaner. It effectively cleans glass of any deposits and is suitable for washing mirrors. Its composition does not contain harmful substances and dyes, and the product is odorless.

Pros:

1. Suitable for glass and mirrors;
2. Does not leave streaks;
3. Odorless;
4. Refers to organic cleaners.

Minuses:

1. A low-quality sprayer that often leaks and sprays the product unevenly.

Top 3 alternatives

In addition to using ammonia, other products that can be found in the household will help you achieve good results in washing glass. What they have in common is that they are affordable and provide good cleaning performance.

Vinegar

Depending on the degree of neglect of the window, a solution suitable in concentration is selected. The standard recipe involves preparing a mixture of ½ liter of water, a quarter cup of vinegar and less than half a teaspoon of dishwashing gel.

Dentifrice

Chalk or tooth powder is suitable when the glass is very dirty.
To do this, you need to dilute 50 grams of powder in a liter of water . The resulting composition is applied to the glass and cleaned off with a napkin after drying.

Particularly dirty areas can be treated separately by preparing a cleaning mixture in the form of a slurry. The recipe is similar, only much less water is used.

Onion

A head of onion cut in half is quite capable of coping with persistent stains on windows - drips, traces of insects, etc.

To remove stains, rub the problem area with a fresh cut . After this, the window is washed in the usual way.

Cleaning an entire window with an onion is labor-intensive, but it is very suitable for removing local stains.

How to wash windows without streaks using improvised compounds if there are no special ones?

When planning to wash windows, you should prepare free space - remove foreign objects, remove curtains. It is also important to take care of the tool in advance.

For hard-to-reach areas, you may need additional tools - special mops for washing glass, magnetic brushes, etc.

Soapy water

Before you start washing the glass itself, you should put the frames, window sills and slopes in order. Soapy water is an effective and simple way to clean windows from dirt and dust without causing scratches.

The soap solution is prepared based on one of the cleaning products:

• grated bar soap;
• washing powder;
• liquid soap;
• dishwashing or laundry gel.

The selected product is carefully diluted in water in an arbitrary proportion. Use the prepared solution to wash the frames. After removing the dirt, the composition is washed off the windows with clean water.

In advanced cases, you can apply a soap solution in advance and give the product time to work. To do this, you can leave the applied product on for 10 minutes. After that, wash the windows.

For heavily soiled glass, you can also use a soap-based cleaner. But it is necessary to take into account that after this the windows will need to be washed off very carefully.

Soda plus vinegar

Using soda in its pure form allows you to wash away dirt, but this method can lead to scratches due to the abrasiveness of the powder. Because of this, the product is not recommended as a stand-alone cleaning agent either for washing frames or for washing glass.

To keep windows clean, a composition containing soda can be used:

• water – 2 liters;
• vinegar - ½ cup;
• soda - ¼ cup.

All components are thoroughly mixed until the soda is completely dissolved. The solution is applied with a sponge or cloth, after which the glass is wiped dry, without additional rinsing with water. Warm water will dissolve the soda faster.

Lemon

Lemon is often used to clean windows. Using this option, cleansing is achieved through the action of acid in the product.

The simplest option:

1. Pour a glass of water into a container with a spray bottle.
2. Add ¼ cup lemon juice.
3. Apply to glass using a spray bottle.
4. Wipe with a soft cloth.

You can only use freshly squeezed juice, not canned juice.

Chalk solution

For very dirty windows, a composition based on finely ground chalk will help. If the windows have not been washed for a long time, there are streaks and traces of insects, then the chalk is diluted with water to a paste, and in this water is spread over the glass surface.

As a means of regular treatment, the solution may be less concentrated:

1. Pour 0.5 liters of water into a container.
2. Add 25 grams of chalk powder.
3. Stir until smooth.
4. Apply.
5. Wait for the composition to dry.
6. Wipe with a rag.
7. Rinse off.

Instead of chalk, you can use tooth powder.

Glycerol

Glycerin as an independent product is not intended specifically for cleaning windows.

His tasks:

• give the surface shine;
• prevent the appearance of ice;
• reduce the amount of deposited dust.

For these purposes, glycerin is often added to window cleaning solutions. One of the simple recipes:

1. In a small container, mix water (40 ml) and glycerin (60 ml).
2. Add 3 drops of ammonia.
3. Stir.
4. Use to wipe glass.

The composition with glycerin must be rubbed in, leaving no wet areas for it to dry on its own.

Blue

Blue is not an independent cleaning agent capable of dealing with complex stains. Adding it in small quantities (a pinch per liter of water) to any homemade window cleaning mixture will allow the glass to acquire an interesting bluish tint .

For washing frames, a composition with blue is not used due to the risk of stains from uneven painting.

Starch

Edible potato starch is one of the products that can be used to deal with dusty windows by washing them without streaks.

A simple and effective recipe includes only 2 components:

• liter of water;
• a tablespoon of starch.

The prepared composition is applied to the glass and left until dry. Afterwards, wipe the surface with a napkin.

Ammonia

Ammonia is a pharmaceutical product that is often used in everyday life to remove dirt from various surfaces.

The following use case is suitable for cleaning windows

1. Pour a liter of water into the container.
2. Add ammonia - 10 ml.
3. Mix.

We recommend: How to wash laminate flooring with detergent and how to add shine?

If the windows are very dirty, you can also add vinegar to the composition.

Vinegar

A water solution of table vinegar is a good option to wash glass without streaks and clean frames. It should be borne in mind that to clean frames, vinegar should be used only in diluted form, so as not to damage the plastic.

Standard solution preparation option:

• pour ½ liter of water into a container;
• pour in vinegar (1/4 cup);
• pour in dishwashing liquid (1/2 tsp);
• mix.

If the glass is very dirty and has not been washed for a long time, then you should use a recipe in which water and vinegar are mixed in equal quantities.

This publication will tell you more about cleaning windows with vinegar.

Fabric softener

Fabric softener has an unexpected but effective use. It's very easy to prepare:

1. Pour a liter of water into a convenient container.
2. Add a glass of conditioner.
3. Mix the composition.
4. Use with a napkin.
5. Polish with a dry cloth.

Clin Lemon, 500 ml

One of the most affordable and popular brands of glass cleaners is a good detergent. The composition of the product contains isopropyl alcohol, which effectively removes dirt and does not leave streaks. The light aroma of lemon will brighten up your cleaning, and convenient spray modes will allow you to create a lot of foam or use standard spraying.

Pros:

1. Convenient sprayer;
2. Pleasant aroma;
3. Doesn't leave streaks.

Minuses:

1. Severely dries out the skin of your hands.

Product “HG” 500 ml

To clean glass and window frames efficiently, this option is best suited for you. The product is presented in the form of a concentrate, which is diluted with water. Its composition contains a large number of active components, but all of them belong to the safe series. The manufacturer recommends using a diluted product for light stains, and a concentrate for complex stains.

Pros:

1. Economical consumption;
2. Safe composition;
3. Does not dry out the skin of the hands;
4. Does not corrode paint and varnish;
5. Doesn't leave streaks.

Minuses:

1. No spray bottle;
2. It is difficult to find goods on free sale;
3. High price.

Amway LOC

Amway LOC is a safe detergent that does not contain chlorine and phosphates. It is sold in concentrated form, which is recommended to be diluted 1 to 3, but here everything will depend on the degree of contamination. The product perfectly cleans glass without leaving streaks, and is also suitable for washing plastic and any other surfaces. The use of concentrate is not recommended.

Pros:

1. Safe composition;
2. Economical consumption;
3. Suitable for cleaning any surfaces in the house;
4. Does not leave streaks;
5. Has a pleasant aroma;
6. Doesn't dry out the skin of your hands.

Minuses:

1. High price.

Is it possible and how to properly wash windows with ammonia?

Ammonia is one of the means of removing dirt and stains from various surfaces.
With its help, you can also clean window glass efficiently - until it shines and without streaks. To do this, you need to know exactly how to use the drug, and how best to prepare the most effective solution for glass.

In this article we will tell you whether and how to wash windows with ammonia.

The procedure for preparing and proportions of the solution

Before you start washing windows, ammonia needs to be diluted. It is possible to prepare the solution using several recipes.

You should first prepare the necessary equipment:

• container for mixing components;
• sponge;
• rags or napkins.

Standard recipe

To prepare the simplest recipe based on ammonia, you only need it and water. The process of creating a solution:

1. Pour 5 liters of water into a container.
2. Add 5 ml of ammonia.
3. Stir.

Despite the apparent simplicity of the composition, the solution is very effective.

Composition with glycerin to prevent ice formation

If the goal is not only to wash the windows, but also to make them shine, and also to prevent ice from forming, then you can use a recipe with an additional component - glycerin .

By itself, this substance does not have the ability to clean dirt and remove stains. Its introduction into the composition is intended to provide additional shine to transparent glass. An additional effect is to prevent the appearance of frost on windows in winter and the settling of dust.

Preparation procedure:

• Pour a glass of water into the prepared container;
• add 0.2 l of glycerin;
• add ammonia (5 drops);
• stir.

Details

About the concentration of the solution

How to dilute ammonia for cleaning glass

Before you start washing windows, you need to prepare a solution of water and ammonia. There are several ways to do this. But before that, you need to prepare your inventory. You will need:

- container for preparing the solution;

- napkins or rags.

Ammonia has a strong, unpleasant odor, and even when used in minimal quantities, good ventilation must be provided.

How much ammonia to add when washing windows

The usual method is the simplest and to prepare such a solution you only need ammonia and water. Necessary:

— fill the container with water (5 liters);

- add 5 ml of ammonia to it;

- mix the components thoroughly.

Although the method of preparing the solution is very simple, it turns out to be very effective.

Supplements

Cleaning windows with glycerin and ammonia

This recipe helps prevent ice from forming. If this is your goal, then you will need an additional component in the form of glycerin. In addition, after using this solution, the glass will shine.

Glycerin does not have the ability to clean dirt and remove stains. It is added to the composition so that the glass acquires shine. A bonus to this is that glycerin helps prevent frost from appearing on windows in winter and dust from settling.

- pour a glass of water into the container;

- add 200 ml of glycerin;

- pour 5 drops of ammonia;

- mix everything thoroughly.

REFERENCE! After using this solution, less dust will settle on the glass.

Cleaning streak-free windows with ammonia

Before you start cleaning the glass, you should first prepare for this procedure. To do this you need:

- remove all foreign objects from the window;

- remove curtains, tulle;

— in the presence of heavy contamination, you must first wash off the main dirt and dust. Remove cobwebs, wipe the glass with a damp or dry cloth.

Windows should be washed in the following order:

1. Wash frames and slopes. This is done with any suitable solution, which includes ammonia solution. It is best to do this with a sponge or rag.
2. Wash the glass using a sponge or rag. If the windows are high, you can use a special mop to reach all areas.
3. It is necessary to wash off dirt from top to bottom so as not to smear dirt on the glass.
4. Wipe the glass dry.
5. Clean the blinds.

REFERENCE! A small amount of ammonia in cleaning solutions does not harm metal-plastic materials.

3 alternative ways

If for some reason you cannot use ammonia, then there are other means that give good results, which are available in every home. What they have in common is accessibility and good cleaning results after use.