Yeah, alcohol-water definitely beats vinegar. I was skeptical at first, but it's legit—especially paired with microfiber. One tip though, avoid cleaning windows in direct sunlight... learned that the hard way, streak city every time.
Totally relate to the sunlight thing... I remember one weekend, decided to tackle all my windows on a bright sunny afternoon—figured it'd help me spot dirt easier. Big mistake. By the time I finished, it looked worse than when I started. Had to redo them all over again later that evening when the sun went down. Lesson learned.
Also, interesting you mention alcohol-water mix. I've been using vinegar forever because that's what my mom always swore by, but honestly, never loved the smell lingering around afterward. Might have to give your method a shot next time around. Microfiber cloths are already my go-to for pretty much everything else around the house, so it makes sense they'd work wonders on windows too.
Thanks for sharing your experience—nice to know I'm not the only one who's had window-cleaning mishaps!
"I've been using vinegar forever because that's what my mom always swore by, but honestly, never loved the smell lingering around afterward."
Haha, same here with the vinegar! My grandma swore by it too, and I stuck with it for years out of habit. But after moving into my first house and dealing with windows that probably hadn't been cleaned since the 90s (seriously...), I finally switched to the alcohol-water mix. Game changer. No more pickle-house smell lingering for hours afterward.
Also learned the hard way about sunny days—thought I'd be clever and clean windows midday to see all the streaks clearly. Yeah... not my brightest idea. Ended up looking like a toddler smeared them with greasy hands. Now I wait till late afternoon or cloudy days—way easier to spot streaks without the glare.
Microfiber cloths are definitely MVPs around here too; can't believe how much better they work compared to paper towels or old rags. Anyway, glad I'm not alone in window-cleaning struggles—makes me feel slightly less ridiculous about my past mistakes, haha.
I've never tried the alcohol-water mix, but now I'm curious. Does it really leave no streaks at all? I've been using store-bought cleaners forever, and honestly, they're hit or miss. Totally agree about microfiber cloths though—they're a lifesaver. Also, learned the sunny-day lesson the hard way myself... thought I was being smart, ended up redoing everything later. Might give your method a shot next weekend and see how it goes.
"I've never tried the alcohol-water mix, but now I'm curious. Does it really leave no streaks at all?"
Honestly, it's pretty close to streak-free, especially if you're already using microfiber cloths. I switched from store-bought cleaners a while back because I got tired of paying for something that worked half the time. Plus, the alcohol-water mix dries super fast, so fewer chances for dust to settle and ruin your hard work. Speaking of DIY window hacks... anyone ever tried adding a bit of vinegar? Heard mixed things—some swear by it, others say it smells like salad dressing for days.
anyone ever tried adding a bit of vinegar? Heard mixed things—some swear by it, others say it smells like salad dressing for days.
I've tried the vinegar thing a few times, and honestly, I'm in the "salad dressing" camp. It does clean pretty well, but the smell lingers longer than I'd like. Funny story—once I cleaned a client's windows with vinegar-water mix, and they called me later asking if I'd spilled something in their kitchen. Took me a minute to realize it was just the vinegar smell drifting in from the windows... awkward. The alcohol-water combo sounds interesting though, might give that a shot next time.
"Funny story—once I cleaned a client's windows with vinegar-water mix, and they called me later asking if I'd spilled something in their kitchen."
Haha, that's pretty relatable. I've been using vinegar for years, and yeah, the smell can linger a bit longer than you'd expect. But honestly, it fades faster if you crack open a window or two afterward. Never tried alcohol-water myself, but now you've got me curious... might just experiment next weekend and see how it compares.
"Never tried alcohol-water myself, but now you've got me curious... might just experiment next weekend and see how it compares."
I've actually switched over to alcohol-water mix recently, and honestly, it's been a game changer. Vinegar works fine, but the smell always bugged me a bit—especially in smaller rooms. With alcohol, it evaporates quicker and leaves zero residue or streaks. Plus, no lingering kitchen smells to confuse anyone, haha.
One thing though: I've noticed that alcohol can dry out rubber seals or weather stripping if you're not careful. Has anyone else run into this issue? I'm wondering if there's a good workaround or maybe a different ratio that helps avoid drying things out too much.
"One thing though: I've noticed that alcohol can dry out rubber seals or weather stripping if you're not careful."
Good point about the rubber seals—I ran into something similar when cleaning my car windows. Alcohol definitely cleans better than vinegar, but it can degrade rubber over time. I've found that following up with a silicone-based lubricant or conditioner every now and then helps keep the seals flexible and prevents drying out. Might be worth trying around your windows too...
I've tried silicone sprays before and they're decent, but honestly, I find that rubber conditioners (like the ones meant for automotive weather stripping) last longer. Silicone helps temporarily, but it seems to wear off quicker, especially if exposed to sun and rain regularly. I've had better luck applying dedicated rubber treatments every few months—seems to keep the seals softer and less prone to cracking...just my two cents.