Cleaning glass without leaving behind streaks, a cloudy film, or lint comes down to two things: the right glass cleaner, and the right cleaning cloth.
Best Glass Cleaners
The best solutions for cleaning glass are ammonia-based glass cleaners like Windex, or a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Unlike bleach or soap, ammonia and vinegar won’t leave behind streak and film causing residue.
Best Glass Cleaning Cloths
Frankly, the best cleaning solutions for glass are pretty well understood. It’s the paper towels most of us use to wipe up glass cleaner that are the real culprit behind streaky, cloudy glass. Most paper towels are treated for absorbency. That makes them great for wiping up spills, but terrible for cleaning glass. The absorbency treatment is why your glass tables, mirrors and windows end up covered in lint and dry with a film.
If you must use paper towels, go with untreated towels such as SCOTT Glass Towels. Skip anything touting its absorbency. In fact, I recommend skipping paper towels altogether if you can. Who wants to waste time scrutinizing paper towel packaging, or keep a special glass cleaning roll on hand?
Instead, go with lint-free cotton clothes such as KIMBERLY-CLARK WYPALL Microfiber Cloths or Bag-A-Rags Reusable Wiping Cloths. They are super cheap, reusable and versatile. Cotton cloths are gentle and durable enough to clean practically anything. Just don’t use fabric softener when you wash your rags. It’ll leave behind a film when you clean your glass.
Lots of people swear by using newspaper to clean glass, but I disagree. In my experience, newspaper practically disintegrates the moment it hits wet glass. Plus, the ink gets all over your hands if you aren’t wearing gloves.
Got your own tips for giving your glass that streak-free shine? Leave your advice in the comments.
