How To Clean Glass Without Leaving Behind Streaks

One of the most common complaints people have when cleaning windows or similar glass surfaces is the production of streaks. Even if you purchase and use some expensive glass-cleaning product, there's a chance it will still leave behind streaks. To make matters worse, these streaks are even more visible once the glass is cleaned, resulting in a messy, unfinished appearance. Whether you are cleaning glass inside your home or place of business, you should do so without creating streaks. If you are still scratching your head trying to find out how to accomplish this, keep reading.

Things To Avoid...

Did you know that cleaning glass surfaces in direct sunlight will increase the chance of streaking? This is due to the fact that moisture evaporates more quickly in the sunlight than it does in the shade. Once you spray the cleaner on the glass surface, the sunlight will likely evaporate some of the it before you are able to clean the surface. To prevent this from happening, only attempt to clean glass surfaces in a shaded area. If you are cleaning glass inside your home, office or a building, pull the curtains down over the windows to block out the sun.

Paper towels should also be avoided when cleaning glass surfaces. This may not seem like an issue, but paper towels will contribute to streaking. The reason for this is because of their lint surface which doesn't effectively dry up all of the moisture. Rather than using paper towels to clean glass, try using a microfiber cloth, a squeegee or even a wad of newspaper.

Choosing a Glass Cleaning Product

It's a common assumption that all glass cleaning products are the same. Unfortunately, most of the products you'll find available at your local grocery store or home improvement store will likely result in streaks. Rather than using a glass cleaning product, try using vinegar. Simply fill up a spray bottle with half white vinegar and half distilled water. Spray the diluted vinegar over the glass surface and immediately clean it off using either a microfiber cloth, squeegee or some newspaper.

As long as you wipe up the diluted vinegar within seconds of spraying it, this should clean the glass without leaving behind any streaks. Some people might be turned away at the smell of vinegar, but thankfully it goes away in a few minutes. Of course, the smell of vinegar is no worse than the smell of ammonia-based glass cleaner.