Homemade Glass Cleaner
I love using eco-friendly and sustainable cleaners for our home. Learn my favorites and also how to make Homemade Glass Cleaner today!
Is there any better feeling than a clean home?!? I mean when the WHOLE house is clean at once. I have to say with two boys and two dogs and a husband (who may not always notice mess) – it’s fleeting BUT it is the best feeling! I enjoy using eco-friendly and sustainable cleaners in our home. I thought it would be fun to share my favorites and also how to make homemade glass cleaner. Streak free glass cleaner at that!
Jump to TutorialIf you can’t wait for the recipe. You can skip right to it (by clicking above).
I know everyone is either thinking about Thanksgiving, shopping for Christmas, or decorating for both holidays. I haven’t decorated for Christmas yet, and am feeling very behind based on my Instagram feed, but we usually decorate the day after Thanksgiving. We’re doing the same this year. So I thought I’d take a break for holiday gift guides and Thanksgiving ideas to share some fun and sustainable cleaning products. I figured everyone will be cleaning their homes for guests, right?!?
Why Should You Use Sustainable Cleaning Products
Over the years, as I’ve watched more and more documentaries and read more stories. It is clear that we need to find more ecological and sustainable ways to clean our homes. I always thought plastic was recyclable until watching a documentary with the kids. NOT ALL PLASTIC IS RECYCLABLE. In fact, many are not at all. Plastics are being shipped to other countries and being put on islands. Plastics are getting into our waterways where they are breaking down becoming mircro-plastics – contaminating our oceans and killing fish or making the fish we ingest full of plastic. It really is worrying. To aid this we bring reusable shopping bags when we go grocery shopping, we buy from companies who recycle bottles in their products, like Fair Harbor, and we try not to buy plastics. That means using reusable bottles. That means trying to use sustainable products that won’t damage our environment and finding things that are re-usable or biodegradable.
On top of the plastic issue, you have to wonder what is in some of these cleaning products?!? I’m concerned about chemicals with my kids and dogs. Knowing I’m using products that are natural makes me feel better.
This post also contains affiliate links, if you purchase a product via the link I may receive a percentage of the sale. You can read my full disclosure policy here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my blog in this way.
Favorite Sources and Types of Cleaning Products
Over the past couple of years, I’ve found a few favorite products and I keep adding new favorites to the list. I actually just discovered a brand new shop in Cohasset the other week!
Zero Refills
Zero Refills is a shop filled with a curated collection of sustainable products and also a refill station. People can bring a refillable containers to stock up on cleaning supplies or you can buy glass spray bottles and containers there. I had such a great chat with Charissa, the founder, and she is the one who gave me this glass cleaner recipe, too. Her site is eye-opening when it comes to talking about plastic and breaking the cycle.
At Charissa’s shop I stocked up on some cleaning products and bought the reusable spray bottles. I’m hooked on the clove All Purpose Cleaner. It did such a great job in our home. I loved it so much I went back and bought a second bottle so I have a spare bottle to refill between cleanings.
I also bought these eco dish sponges and the Coconut pot scrubber. It is biodegradable – Brillo Pads are not.
Favorite products from Zero Refills:
- Bamboo dish wand
- Coconut Pot Scrubber
- Reuseable Glass Bottles
- All Purpose Cleaner in Clove
- Ingredients for Window Cleaner
- Toilet Cleaner
Bamboo Drying Rack
I use our bamboo drying rack EVERY day and I love that it’s eco friendly. You can get one here. I’ve put a heavy duty mat underneath (I have two and I switch them out each week)
Reusable Cloths for Cleaning
In an effort to stop using paper towels, I’ve bought special cloths – some are great for stainless steel, others work for glass, microfiber dusters, and scrubbing cloths. I love how well they work and I can wash them again, and again, and again. These are my favorite ones here, here and here.
Washing Line
Luke installed this laundry line for me when our tumble dryer broke. It’s now fixed. The vent wasn’t installed properly and the lint and dust was backing up inside the dryer, which was such a huge fire risk. I’m relieve it’s fixed. There’s nothing better than air dried clothing. I love when our clothes smell like the ocean air!
Lavender Drying Bags
When it’s too cold out I use the tumble dryer and I love these lavender drying bags instead of drying sheets. I get them at Trader Joe’s but just found out Zero Refills also sells them.
It leaves our laundry with the fresh scent of lavender and after 40 washes I open the bags and sprinkle our rugs with lavender buds and vacuum.
I adore the smell of lavender. It’s so calming.
I’m also a huge fan of the pop up sponges made from vegetable cellulose and their tea towels.
Okay, finally let’s talk about the glass cleaner! I can’t believe how it doesn’t streak!
Homemade (Streak-Free) Glass Cleaner
I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make this glass cleaner. This is Charissa’s recipe and I got the witch hazel, vinegar at Zero Refills but you may already have these ingredients at home! I went with lemon essential oil because lemon always smells clean to me, but you can add any essential oil you want!
Adding the cornstarch is a must! It’s what makes it streak free! It really is and I couldn’t believe it. Gone are my days of buying lots of plastic bottles! Hooray!
A special note – do not use this glass cleaner on screens, computer monitors or glasses. All of those surfaces have a protective coating on them.
If you’re finding the solution is streaking, I find it useful to use a cloth specifically made for glass (pictured above) and sometimes use one cloth for cleaning and one for drying.
Homemade Glass Cleaner
Materials
- 2 ounces Vinegar White distilled
- 2 ounces Alcohol or Witch Hazel
- 5-6 drops Essential Oil I used lemon
- 16 ounces Water
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together in a spray bottle.
- Make sure to shake before using!
Notes
I hope this gave you some eco- friendly ideas.
Shop my favorite supplies below:
Be sure to pin this for future reference. Together we can help preserve our beautiful earth!
Hi Danielle, Thank you for all the ideas. I too, am trying to cut down on my paper towel use. I don’t know if I could use those micro-fiber cloths…they make me painfully aware of any dry skin on my hands!!! It snags and give me the creeps!!! I printed out your recipe for window cleaning. For years I have been using water and vinegar with the secret of using newspapers for a rag/towel. It works very well. But I do like to try new things. I have the bamboo rack for dishes….LOVE it!!! And I have been hanging clothes… Read more »
I hope you enjoy the new way for doing glass cleaner! I bet the clothes dry quick in the Arizona heat. Keep practicing! You’ll get there! Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family xx
Hi Danielle, thanks for sharing the recipe. Have you ever made your own powder laundry detergent? Those plastic jugs of liquid detergent are also not recyclable.
Hi Diane, you’re welcome! No, I haven’t tried to do laundry powder. I usually use liquid but Zero Refills has laundry detergent I’m going to try. I’d love your recipe for powder if you have one! xx
Hello again, Danielle! Thanks so much for all the wonderful and helpful ideas you share! I especially reuse, reduce, recycle and repurpose in my household. Paper towels are out. Bamboo towels are in. I, too prefer drying laundry outside and like the clothesline link you show. I hope to get one myself. Thanks again. Regards to you and yours….