How to Choose Soap for Window Washing

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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When preparing to wash your windows, there are many choices you must consider when it comes to soap. Look for nontoxic, low toxic or consumer formulated products, or consider making your own with common kitchen ingredients for an environmentally-safe solution.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Vinegar
Water
Spray bottle

Step1

Mix ¼ cup vinegar and 2 cups water in a spray bottle for a nontoxic soap. Shake the mixture to combine the ingredients, spray the windows and then wipe with newspaper for brilliant streak-free cleaning.

Step2

Choose a low-toxicity cleaner to avoid skin or eye irritation and to minimize other health-related concerns. Find soap with few or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by reading the ingredients label on the container.

Step3

Use soap formulated for consumer use around your home rather than concentrated industrial cleaners. When using a commercial cleaner, wash windows in well-ventilated areas and according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Step4

Buy soap that is a pump spray, liquid, paste or powder cleaner. These are safer forms of chemicals compared with aerosol forms.

Step5

Compare price and choose an economical soap based on the size and number of windows that need cleaning. Concentrated cleaners that you combine with water may cost less overall for a bigger job.

Tips & Warnings

Keep commercial cleaners in their original containers to retain safety information and usage instructions after choosing soap for window washing.
Add a tiny amount of liquid dish soap if the vinegar mixture leaves streaks. The dish soap cuts through waxy residue left by previously-used cleaning products.
Don't buy cleaning products in aerosol forms because you are more likely to breathe in the chemicals, even when working outside.