Frugal Way To Clean Windows and Mirrors

United States
August 4, 2008 2:59am CST
Nearly everyone is watching their money these days. A great way to save money is by making your own cleaners This is how I make my Homemade window cleaner 2 cups water 3 TBS vinegar 1/2 tsp dish detergent (liquid) I then use newspaper instead of paper towels or rags. The newspapers will not let your windows streak like paper towels can.
8 people like this
11 responses
@redchase (347)
4 Aug 08
i know this has almost nothing to do with what you wrote but the way to keep a mirror in the bathroom fog free is by cleaning it with shaving cream. that way when you take a hot shower you dont have to deal with a foggy mirror and earn yourself some mirror cleaning with that awesome window cleaner you make. :)
5 people like this
• United States
4 Aug 08
Thanks for the tip. I am sure others will read your tip when they read mine. Thanks for adding it.
3 people like this
• Canada
5 Aug 08
Kozzak (remember him from Gather?) sent me something similar the other day aout all the reat things that we can do with vinigar. I'm thinking of trying the tip aout puting vinigar and water into my bucket and making my carpet look a little bit bette. It might also take any kitty smell in the air out of my apartment if I do that.
4 people like this
• United States
5 Aug 08
Let me know if it works for you on the carpets. I didn't have much luck getting the cat smell out of my carpet with it. The cats just liked the smell and were drawn to the area even more!
2 people like this
• United States
9 Sep 08
Thanks for the tip! I had no idea how to make homemade window cleaner. It's a great idea with everything getting to be so expensive. I know we are having to watch our money.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Aug 08
I know quite a few people who swear by using newspapers in place of paper towels for washing windows. I haven't tried it myself. My hubby does the windows. He is a die-hard paper towel fan. I have convinced him to use peroxide for the mirrors. There are no streaks on the mirror when this is used to clean them with.
4 people like this
• United States
15 Aug 09
Newspapers are great. They clean better than paper towels and they are free. Both are desired results for me. You know how I am about "Free"
@mistissa (1349)
• Netherlands
10 Aug 08
There is another even more frugal way to clean your windows and your mirrors without leaving stripes. Just take 1 onion and slice it in half, put the half of an onion in a pale of water. That's it, leave it in for a few minutes and wash your windows how you would usually do so. It does not leave any onion smell and does not leave stripes either.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (168421)
• United States
6 Aug 08
Newspaper are good to clean windows with, not only are they cheap but they dont leave streaks. I'm not sure if they are still good for recycling if they have some kind of chemicals on them, but it probably doesnt matter. A friend of mine his parents never used paper towels for cleaning windows they alwasy used newspapers.
1 person likes this
@brimia (6581)
• United States
6 Aug 08
I use a vinegar and water mix too to clean lots of stuff...I never heard of adding dish detergent...I'll have to try that. My husband turned me onto the newspaper thing years ago. I'd never heard of that until I was washing the car one day and he told me to use it on the windows...works great on mirrors too. I also like to use baking soda as a good scrubbing cleaner and then following it with the water/vinegar solution.
@ricknkae (1721)
• United States
8 Nov 08
Thankx I knew about the newspaper but now I knwo how to make my own cleaner I already used vinegar to make all my tap "chromes" shine and it works wonders
@ruby222 (4847)
5 Aug 08
Hi yes vinegar is a brilliant window cleaner,and mirror cleaner too,and as you say it is inexoensive to buy ,I have used it time and time again,recently ive been using a little spot of Ecover washing up liquid,this is trhe environmentally friendly liquid,and i apply a little to a damp cloth and wipe the glass over and then buff up with a clean soft cloth,it seems to make them shine well.
• United States
6 Nov 08
Great tip. I've never used newspapers to clean with, but I know someone who does. When I get into my own place again, I think that is what I may do.
• United States
17 Oct 08
Thanks for reminding me of this. I am trying to think of any ways that I can save money because cleaning supplies are getting expensive and I need that money to spend on groceries. I appreciate the recipe.