Want to learn how to make your own homemade glass cleaner? Here are 6 easy recipes to try!
While cleaning may not be the most exciting thing about your day, it certainly feels great to look through a sparkling clean window, doesn’t it?
I started making my own homemade glass cleaner about 8 years ago, after my first child was born. She was super sensitive to every type of cleaner, so I learned to make pretty much everything from scratch, with non-toxic ingredients.
Another great advantage of making your own DIY glass cleaner is that it’s super cheap! You’ll save a considerable amount of money every time you decide to create your own batch of glass cleaner, instead of buying it in the store. Some of these recipes only cost about $.25 to make!
Table of Contents
DIY Glass Cleaner
Vinegar Window Cleaner Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups warm water
- A clean spray bottle
How to Make it:
Add all of the ingredients to a clean bottle and shake until mixed. Shake before each use to make sure cornstarch is dissolved.
This is a great recipe to try, especially if you’re starting out, because it is so easy. It’s streak-free and will leave your windows and glass spot-free and shiny.
The addition of the alcohol and vinegar in this mix also helps cut through any grease that may be on your glass surfaces.
All Natural Glass Cleaner
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 tbsp white vinegar
- A clean spray bottle
How to Make it:
Add all ingredients to a spray bottle and mix well.
This is probably the least expensive recipe for homemade glass cleaner, and it’s super easy to make and re-make whenever you need it. It works great for windows and glass surfaces.
Streak Free Window Cleaner Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups warm water
- 15 drops orange essential oil
- A clean spray bottle
How to Make it:
Add all ingredients to a clean bottle and shake until mixed. Shake before each use to make sure cornstarch is dissolved and essential oils are dispersed throughout the mixture.
This is really similar to the Vinegar Window Cleaner Recipe, with the addition of orange essential oil. Like the other recipe, it will leave windows and glass surfaces spotless and streak-free, and the orange essential oil will help mask the smell of vinegar and alcohol, leaving your home smelling fragrant and uplifting.
The Easiest Homemade Glass Cleaner
Ingredients:
- White vinegar
- A clean spray bottle
How to Make it:
Add vinegar to a spray bottle and use as a glass cleaner.
This recipe is the easiest (I mean, all you’re doing is adding vinegar to a spray bottle). If you don’t happen to have anything else on hand, this is a decent glass cleaner. It won’t do as well as the other homemade glass cleaner recipes on this list, but it’ll work in a pinch.
Vinegar and Cornstarch Glass Cleaner
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups warm water
- A clean spray bottle
How to Make it:
Combine all of the ingredients in a clean spray bottle and mix until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Mix before each use.
If you don’t have rubbing alcohol on hand, this is another great glass cleaner recipe that is easy to put together and use. It works great! Expect clean, spot and streak-free glass surfaces when using this cleaner.
Basic Homemade Window Cleaner
Ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 10 drops essential oil
- A clean spray bottle
How to Make it:
Combine all of the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to mix.
This recipe is basic and minimal in ingredients, while still being really effective. The essential oils in this recipe (I use lemon or orange) help mask the smell of the vinegar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find a Spray Bottle?
It’s possible you could reuse empty cleaner bottles, but I get a bit nervous about mixing chemicals. For instance, did you know that it can be dangerous to mix hydrogen peroxide or bleach with vinegar (source)? Since I can’t guarantee I can completely clean empty bottles, I typically will buy a new spray bottle and use it exclusively for a certain cleaner.
Plus, amber glass spray bottles look nicer than plastic bottles, and they’ll last forever.
You can grab a 2-pack of glass bottles from Amazon for less than $10.
Where Can I find Essential Oils?
If you’re new to the DIY Cleaning realm, and you don’t happen to have a friend who constantly tries to sell you expensive essential oils on Facebook, no worries.
I have used a lot of different essential oil brands, and for all of my cleaning and beauty recipes, I use Plant Therapy essential oils. They’re high quality, organic and really affordable. They’re available on Amazon, so you can snag that free Prime shipping, too.
What Other Cleaners Can I Make?
Caught the DIY bug? It’s super fun, inexpensive, and healthier for your home and family members in it 🙂
Here are some other DIY cleaning recipes you can make at home:
Sounds good! But, do you know why cornstarch?
Thanks for stopping by, Judy!
The cornstarch is supposed to help make the mixture streak-free. I actually forgot to add it to my last batch, and it worked just fine without it, so adding it is optional 🙂