Ah, cleaning windows. I’ve spent hours throughout my life trying to get windows clean – washing off dog slobber, kids’ fingerprints and trying to remove the foggy, streaky haze left by so many chemical varieties of glass cleaners.
Like most cleaning chores, it seems like washing windows is a task that never ends.
After trying many commercial products, I realized I just didn’t like them. They didn’t clean windows effectively and their scent and spray left me sneezing.
It’s no wonder. I checked out Windex glass cleaner on the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning and discovered it received a D rating. Specifically, Windex contains:
- Ammonium Hydroxide, a chemical that affects a person’s respiratory system and causes acute aquatic toxicity.
- Hexoxyethanol, a chemical that affects organs; and
- Fragrance, a combination that’s a trade secret, yet known to irritate allergies, respiratory tract, and skin.
Now it makes perfect sense why it makes me sneeze!
Homemade alternatives
In the past year, I tried a homemade version of window cleaner. After attempting a spray made of three tablespoons of white vinegar, two cups of water, and ten drops of lemon essential oil, I was not impressed.
In her eBook, Clean, Naturally! Kresha Faber suggests mixing a spray made of 1 cup vodka, 1 cup white vinegar, 2 cups water, and 20 drops essential oil.
What I use in my home
In June I was introduced to Norwex cleaning products – and my window cleaning has forever changed. Using Norwex’s Enviro Cloth and Window Cloth together, my windows are spotless and streak-free – and it hardly takes any effort or time on my part.
Many birds have died as a result of flying into my sparkling clean windows. And now when my children get fingerprints on my windows, I’m not annoyed by having to dig out my spray and paper towels to clean. I simply wet the Norwex microfiber with tap water and quickly swipe the dirty areas with my dampened window cloth. Everything returns to its crystal clear glory.
I’ve loved the results I’ve gotten with Norwex. I love how it’s safe. I love how I don’t have to deal with any store-bought or homemade sprays.
How do you like to clean your windows without chemicals?
Disclosure: Purchasing Clean, Naturally! or Norwex through this post will result in a commission for Accidentally Green.
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