There’s another non-toxic cleaning ingredient hiding in your pantry, and it’s not vinegar or bi-carb soda.
The quiet achiever we’re talking about is cornflour (also known as cornstarch in Australia). And it’s a key ingredient in this DIY glass cleaner recipe one mum shared in the popular Facebook group Mums Who Clean.
“I keep seeing posts about cleaning glass, so I thought I would share my foolproof miracle,” she wrote.
“I have tried every product and machine on the market and could never get a streak-free finish until I tried this,” she says.
“I swear it’s a real game changer, and you couldn’t get streaks even if you tried.
“It has cleaned all my glass and mirrors perfectly, and it will even clean stainless steel and make it nice and shiny again.”
How to make this streak-free DIY glass cleaner
- 1 cup of warm water
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup Isopropyl Cleaning Alcohol
- 1/2 tablespoon of cornflour (don’t overdo this, or you will have powder left on your windows)
- 1 microfibre cloth
“Mix thoroughly in a spray bottle, spray on windows, and wipe off with a microfibre cloth,” the mum said.
“The contents don’t have to be used right away. Just give it a good shake before using it again.
“Try it, and I promise you will never know how you managed it before!”
How this homemade glass cleaner works
Other mums quickly tried this recipe and reported on their findings.
“I just tried this on my pool glass, and it’s brilliant,” one commenter said.
Another added: “I tried this recipe last night, and it is indeed amazing!!! Thank you.”
Someone else wanted to know, “Why corn flour?”
“Glass isn’t a smooth surface. Microscopically, it has imperfections. The corn flour fills in the imperfections, allowing a streak-free finish,” clarified another commenter.
Non-toxic cleaning
In her book How to Detox Your Home, Lisa Butterworth also says cornflour is an essential building block for people who want to make non-toxic cleaning supplies.
“This powdered carbohydrate derived from corn is a toxin-free way to remove stains, absorb odours and make surfaces sparkle,” she writes.
As well as in glass cleaner, Lisa also uses cornflour in her homemade deodorant recipe and her DIY upholstery cleaner.
Want to know more? Get the book here.
Is alcohol or vinegar better for cleaning glass?
You can use alcohol or vinegar as homemade glass cleaning solution. But this DIY glass cleaner combines them, along with cornflour, to create a more powerful homemade cleaner that works on windows, glass tables, mirrors and even stainless steel.
Can you use straight vinegar on windows?
Yes, you can use white vinegar directly on window glass to clean it. But the acetic acid that makes vinegar an effective glass cleaner can damage or discolour other materials, such as paint. So it’s a good idea to do a spot-test on your window frame first if you plan to use this method.
Other DIY glass cleaner options and tips
- While the reviews of this particular homemade glass cleaner suggest it is one of the best, here are a few other options you can try:
- Soapy water is a classic glass cleaner you can make by adding some dishwashing detergent to water.
- A combination of dishwashing detergent, white vinegar and water is also a popular DIY glass cleaning solution.
- Many people swear by microfibre cloths to wipe down windows after you’ve applied a cleaner, including the mum who shared this method and the FlyLady.
- Wiping down windows with old newspaper or a squeegee are two other methods some people use for a streak-free finish, but you may need to practice to get the technique right so there aren’t any streaks or lines left when the glass dries.
If you want to try a few homemade cleaners out, you could simply start with whichever of these solutions you have at home. Then, consider mixing them to decide what gives you the best results for your home.
