Homemade window cleaner with ammonia and vinegar Updated for 2025
Updated: February 3, 2025
Sometimes it’s best to keep things simple in life, your cleaning routine included. We’ve all been there breathing in the fumes of commercial cleaners as we spray them on our windows. Wondering what exactly we’re using, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a few simple homemade solutions you can use to keep your windows sparkling clean instead. And some great all-natural products on the market too.
Homemade window cleaner with ammonia and vinegar: Two of our favorite homemade solutions use ammonia or vinegar to keep your windows clean and streak free. These homemade solutions have been used for years and can be extremely effective. Ammonia is great for breaking down stains and grease. It is a powerful tool to use on grimy or dusty windows. Vinegar, specifically white vinegar, has a high acidity making it great for fighting build up. These cleaners combined with some newspapers are the perfect tools for giving you a beautiful streak free windows.

Homemade window cleaner with ammonia
Ammonia is perfect cleaning windows with buildup grease or grim. You’ll love the powerful cleaning qualities of ammonia. We’ve included a few instructions bellow for making your own homemade ammonia window cleaner:
- Mix two tablespoons of ammonia with two quarts of warm water
- Mix 1/2 cup of ammonia, 1 pint of rubbing alcohol, 1 teaspoon of liquid dish detergent, and enough water to give you 1 gallon of solution
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Homemade window cleaner with vinegar
Vinegar is another great home cleaning product. Due to its high acidity vinegar is great for cleaning all around your home. It is tough on build up and residue, perfect for bathrooms, stains, and windows. Follow these instructions for the perfect vinegar window cleaners:
- 2 cups of water (distilled or filtered is best), 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and 10 drops of your favorite essential oil (we suggest lemon)
- 2 cups water, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dish detergent
- For dirty windows combine a 1 cup water and 1 cup vinegar and spray directly on windows

Window Cleaning Resources
When cleaning your windows, it’s also important to have the right resources and tools at your disposal. When making a homemade solution the two biggest things you’re going to need are a spray bottle and something to clean the window. We recommended purchasing a reusable spray bottle if you plan to make your own homemade solutions. We love this two pack of refillable glass spray bottles you can use keep your home and our environment clean for years to come. When it comes to shining up your windows, we recommended using something that won’t leave streaks. Paper towels can often leave streaks behind, while squeegees and newspaper are great steak free alternatives. You can purchase microfiber glass clothes like this one, to leave your windows spot free!
Best Way to Clean Window Screens
Window screens can be a pain to clean. The good news is you can use ammonia and vinegar to clean them too! The easiest way to clean your window screen is to remove them first and find a flat surface to lay them on. You’ll want a place you’ll easily be able to work on them. Gather your supplies next, you’ll need a towel, scrub brush, bucket, garden hose (if outside), vacuum, small brush, and the vinegar or ammonia. Follow the steps bellow to get your perfect clean screens:
- Take off screens and find a flat clean area to lay them. You may want to lay down a drop cloth or tarp to keep them from getting dirty as you clean them.
- Vacuum off any loose dirt or debris from your screens.
- Mix your cleaning solution. You can use a mix of 1 gallon of water to 1 tablespoon of vinegar or a ratio of 3 to 1 for ammonia.
- Using the scrub brush soak the screen in your mixture using gentle circular motions.
- Rinse the screen and repeat scrubbing as needed. Use the smaller brush if needed to get in the small holes (toothbrushes work great).
- When your screen looks clean, rinse well you don’t want to leave any residue from your solution.
- Leave the screen to air dry before reattaching.
Homemade Natural Cleaning Products List
Cleaning your home doesn’t have to be a battle for your health anymore, or for your nose. You don’t have to breath in all kinds of harsh chemicals and smells just to get your house clean. There are so many great homemade natural cleaners out there that you can make on your own. Products like ammonia and vinegar are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to natural ways to clean your home. There are so many great examples of home cleaners but here are a few of our favorite, some of which you probably already have:
- lemon
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide
- salt
- Corn starch
- Tea tree oil
- Apple cider vinegar
Where To Buy All Natural Cleaning Products
Thanks to the recent shift to a greener lifestyle it has never been easier to get green cleaning products. Of course, you can always continue to make your own homemade solutions. The products for many homemade solutions can be purchased at your local store. You can also search your local stores for clean products but remember not all, all-natural cleaning products are created equal. Be sure the company you are purchasing from is a trusted source and that their product really works. You’ll love the Force of Nature Cleaner. It’s easy to use and contains only salt, water, and vinegar. Once mixed the solution is good for two weeks and can be used on nearly everything in your home from floors, bathroom surfaces, pet stains, mildew, and even disinfecting.
Benefits of All Natural Cleaning Products
The benefits of all-natural cleaning products are far beyond just a clean home. Natural cleaning products are great for the environment both inside and outside your home. In your home they reduce the amount of harmful chemicals you and your family are exposed to. No more breathing in harsh chemicals or worrying about what’s on your surfaces. Chances are you’ll recognize everything on their ingredients list putting your mind at ease that your children and pets are safe within your household. They are also skin safe and allergy free. Unlike commercial cleaners they don’t contain chemicals that could harm your skin when using. Outside your home they produce less waste for the environment and run less of a risk of harmful chemicals seeping into the environment. Natural cleaners are often cost effective and leave your home smelling pleasant too!
Don’t miss out on all the benefits of natural cleaners. Find the perfect all-natural cleaner for you or make your own using one of our homemade cleaner recipes above. We hope you enjoy finding new ways to clean your home and windows safely and effectively!