How To Clean Windows With Vinegar

Total Time:10 - 20 minutes

Complexity:Beginner

Cost:$5–10

By Ally Childress

Family Handyman's Editorial Process

Updated on Mar. 14, 2023

Grease-cutting, mineral-removing vinegar cleans everything, even windows! Here's how to get your windows shining with vinegar.

Time

10 - 20 minutes

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

$5–10

Introduction

Streak-free windows have been a priority for home and professional cleaners for generations. Low-tech methods like soap and vinegar worked for years. Then commercial products that promised better living through chemistry marketed their way into homes around the world.

Now, consumers increasingly want cleaning options that aren't harmful to the environment. So tried-and-true, natural solutions staged a comeback, surging in popularity in recent years. Analysts predict the natural cleaning products market will rise more than 11% per year through 2025, to a whopping $7.8 billion valuation.

While you can buy natural cleaning products for your windows, simple DIY recipes abound. Leanne Stapf, chief operating officer of The Cleaning Authority, says mixing one part vinegar to 10 parts water works to shine up your windows practically for free. Vinegar's natural acidity cuts through grime and deters streaking, and it's safe around children and pets.

Below, Stapf walks us through the steps to get your windows gleaming.

Ally Childress for Family Handyman

Tools Required

Microfiber cloths
Spray Bottle

Materials Required

Distilled white vinegar

Project step-by-step (5)

Step 1

Make vinegar solution

Add one part vinegar to 10 parts warm water in a spray bottle.
- For a 32-oz. bottle, add about three ounces (or a little more than 1/3-cup of vinegar) and fill with water.
Label the spray bottle so you can safely identify the mixture later.

measuring white vinegar in a measuring cup — Ally Childress for Family Handyman

filling spray bottle with water from the sink — Ally Childress for Family Handyman

Step 2

Dust windows

Wipe down the window with a dry microfiber cloth to remove excess dust.

Wipe Down Window with microfiber cloth — Ally Childress for Family Handyman

Step 3

Spray

Spray window glass until wet with vinegar solution.
Avoid spraying window frames. Vinegar can damage fiberglass, vinyl and wood.

Step 4

Clean

Wipe glass with a clean microfiber cloth. Start from the top and work down.
Spray extra vinegar solution if you encounter stubborn grime.

Wipe Down Wet Windows — Ally Childress for Family Handyman

Step 5

Dry

Wipe with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.
Repeat steps to clean the window if any streaks or dirty spots remain.

Clean Window — Ally Childress for Family Handyman

Author

Ally Childress

Ally Childress writes practical, informed stories and how-to guides for Family Handyman and Reader’s Digest. An experienced electrician, Ally's beat naturally includes electrical and construction topics. She also tackles cleaning, gardening, technology, bugs and anything else you can throw at her. She has a knack for finding just the right subjec...