Keeping the windows clean and streak-free at home can be an absolute nightmare. Over time, fingerprints, dirt and other debris can clog up on the glass, making the whole room look messy and unkempt.
Dirty windows are even more noticeable during summer thanks to the sun shining through the glass. While many people would typically reach for the white vinegar to tackle this chore, there’s actually one item that could work a lot better. The tip was shared on TikTok by The Austins, a family account dedicated to making home life easier for people with busy lives.
In one of their videos, they wanted to highlight some of the best cleaning hacks they’d come across since being on TikTok. And one of these involved ditching white vinegar if you want sparkling, streak-free windows, and reaching for a bottle of washing up liquid instead.
The mum hailed this trick as her ‘absolute favourite’ because of how easy yet effective it can be. So if you struggle with keeping your windows clean at home, here’s how you can do it with a simple bottle of Fairy Liquid.
How to clean windows with washing up liquid
To carry out this trick, all you need is some dish soap – which you can buy for as little as 67p from Asda if you don’t already have some at home – and a damp cloth as well as a dry one.
Squeeze a blob of washing up liquid on to the damp cloth and gently buff it into the window glass using sweeping up and down motions. It might look blurry at first, but trust the process – once the soap has fully been wiped off with the dry cloth, your windows will be sparkling, and you don’t even need any water.
The mum said: “I learnt this hack from the Clean Up Company and it never fails to amaze me and brings out shiny glass every single time, even if there’s handprints and muck all over them.
“There’s no need for any water, the Fairy Liquid does all the work.”
If you’re looking for another unusual yet effective window cleaning hack, one expert recommends ditching the cleaning products altogether for one bizarre ingredient – cornflour. TJ, a mum and founder of Measuring Flower, says there is an easy way to prevent streaks and keep the glass shiny.
TJ said: “I mixed alcohol, water, and cornstarch. Voila! I think I have found my perfect window cleaner. The alcohol disinfects, the cornstarch does something magical to make it streak-free and clear, and the water simply dilutes it.”