Homemade Glass and Mirror Cleaner

Glass is the job that tells you right away if you did it well. One pass of the light across a mirror and every streak shows. The good news is you don't need much to clean it. Vinegar, water and two decent cloths handle most windows and mirrors in a house.

Use these at your own risk, and test a small hidden spot first. Some glass has coatings or films, and a homemade mix doesn't come with a label telling you what's safe.

The recipe

New Mexico State University Extension lists a simple spray of 1 cup distilled vinegar and 1 cup water. That's our go-to for everyday glass.

For bathroom mirrors with hairspray haze or kitchen glass with greasy fingerprints, NMSU has a second version. It uses 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dish soap, 1/4 cup of distilled vinegar and 2 cups of water. The soap lifts the grease. Use it lightly, because too much soap is its own streak.

If your tap water is hard, and Fort Worth's own report puts its water at 6 to 9 grains per gallon, make the mix with distilled water. Tap water minerals can dry into a faint film that looks like a streak but is really just what was in the water.

How to clean glass so it doesn't streak

1. Dust first. NMSU's directions start by taking off surface dirt with a soft cloth or paper towel. Spraying a dusty window turns the dust into mud.
2. Use less than you think. A light mist is enough. Soaking the glass leaves more liquid to dry into lines.
3. Spray the cloth for mirrors. Liquid that runs down to the edge of a mirror can creep behind the glass. Mist the cloth instead.
4. Wipe in one direction. Then buff dry right away with a second cloth that's clean and completely dry.
5. Stay out of the hot sun. On a Texas afternoon, a west-facing window can dry the spray in seconds. Do those in the morning or on a cloudy day.

NMSU also lists newspaper for drying. It works, but we like microfiber better. It doesn't leave ink on white window frames, and it washes and reuses for a long time. Skip fabric softener when you wash microfiber, because it coats the fibers and they stop grabbing dirt.

Which side is the streak on

This little trick saves a lot of frustration. NMSU suggests wiping the inside of a window in one direction and the outside in another. Say up and down inside, side to side outside. When you spot a streak, its direction tells you which side to go back to.

Hard water spots on glass

Sprinklers in DFW spray hard water on windows and patio doors all summer, and those white spots don't come off with a quick wipe. NMSU notes that vinegar, as a mild acid, removes lime deposits on the outside of windows. For stubborn spots, use the vinegar mix full strength on a cloth, hold it against the spot for a few minutes, then wipe and buff dry.

Shower doors are a bigger project. Our hard water spot remover guide covers those.

Where this cleaner doesn't go

• TV, computer and phone screens. These have coatings that household cleaners can damage. Follow the maker's instructions, which often just say a dry or barely damp microfiber cloth.
• Stone window sills. If drips land on marble, limestone or travertine, wipe them up right away. The Natural Stone Institute says products with vinegar or other acids may dull or etch these stones.
• Window film and tinted glass. If you've had film added to your windows, use what the installer recommends.
• Wood frames. Don't let the spray sit on painted or stained wood. Wipe the frame dry as you go.

Never mix these

People often keep a store glass cleaner and a bleach bathroom cleaner under the same sink. Some store glass cleaners contain ammonia.

• Bleach and ammonia make chloramine gas.
• Bleach and vinegar make chlorine gas. Poison Control says chlorine gas burns the eyes, nose and throat and can cause coughing and lung damage.
• Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar in one bottle form peracetic acid. The Missouri Poison Center describes it as corrosive.

Never pour one cleaner into another cleaner's bottle, and never top off an old bottle with something new. If you reuse a spray bottle, rinse it out well and relabel it.

Labeling and storage

The American Cleaning Institute says to keep cleaning products in their original containers with the label intact. A homemade spray doesn't have an original container, so make one. Write "vinegar + water, glass" and the date on the bottle with a permanent marker.

Store it with your other cleaners, out of sight and reach of kids and pets. Never use an old water or juice bottle for any cleaner, even for a day. If anyone swallows some or gets it in their eyes, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.

Sources

1. Drinking Water Quality Report, 2025 data (City of Fort Worth Water) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
2. Hardness of Water (U.S. Geological Survey Water Science School) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
3. Green Cleaning Methods for Your Home, Guide G-315 (New Mexico State University Extension, revised Jan 2019) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
4. Cleaning Product Safety (American Cleaning Institute) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
5. Chlorine gas, what happens if you mix bleach and other cleaners (Poison Control, National Capital Poison Center) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
6. Some Things Just Don't Mix (Missouri Poison Center, updated Jul 7, 2025) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
7. Learn About Cleaning Products for Natural Stone (Natural Stone Institute) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)