Windows are particularly prone to becoming grimy during summer months, especially when you’re frequently opening and closing them, allowing dust to accumulate on the interior glass surfaces. It can prove maddening attempting to maintain spotless windows as the glass has a tendency to smear, but TJ, a mother and creator of Measuring Flower, reveals there’s a straightforward method to avoid streaking. TJ explained: “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.”
Cornstarch has the ability to disrupt water’s surface tension, meaning it assists a window cleaning mixture in spreading across the glass so it will dry more uniformly. It’s also extremely absorbent, so will soak up any leftover residue from a cleaning formula, ensuring there’s no possibility of any streaks remaining.
While some individuals advocate using white vinegar to clean windows, it tends to dry extremely rapidly, which means it often creates numerous visible streaks.
White vinegar can be utilised when combined with cornstarch, but rubbing alcohol generally performs more effectively as it’s a powerful disinfectant and doesn’t leave behind any residue.
TJ remarked: “Some say to just use plain white vinegar. But, when I tried just plain white vinegar (diluted with water, of course), it left streaks on my glass.”
How to create an effective DIY window cleaner
You will need:
- 650ml of cold water
- Two tablespoons of cornstarch
- 300ml of rubbing alcohol (ethyl is best but you can also use isopropyl)
Method
- Pour all the ingredients into an empty spray bottle. Spray bottles can be purchased in the gardening section of most supermarkets or in pound shops.
- Ensure that the water you use is cold as cornstarch begins to thicken when heated, which could transform your cleaning solution into a gloopy mess that may block the spray bottle.
- Secure the cap on the spray bottle and give it a vigorous shake to blend all the ingredients together. Then, simply spray it onto a window and wipe it clean with a dry cloth.
Your windows will be gleaming and sparkling clean in just 10 minutes. This straightforward solution can also assist in cleaning other glass surfaces like mirrors or shower doors.
