Cleaning windows and glass can be a tricky task, but a professional cleaner has shared their ‘secret ingredient’ which is guaranteed to leave a streak-free finish
Washing windows and glass to a streak-free standard is no mean feat – supermarket aisles are packed with products claiming to deliver that much-sought-after crystal clear finish.
Vinegar is widely championed as an eco-friendly and economical choice for those eager to clean up without the use of harsh chemicals. However, there’s another household hero tipped to outperform vinegar when it comes to cleaning glass – a homemade glass cleaner using nothing other than old tea bags, reports the Express.
According to cleaning professionals, this pantry leftover is the “secret ingredient” for impeccable windows. After trial and error, the streak-free window and glass cleaner was perfected, disclosed by the team at Crowd Cleaners: “After years of trying all kinds of methods, ingredients, and techniques, we’ve found the secret ingredient to streakless windows!”
For this, you’ll need to gather your spent tea bags over the course of the week, so you have around 10 to 15 black tea bags. The experts also advise that when you’re ready to get down to cleaning, a squeegee or old newspaper can help achieve the best results.
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“Of course, it’s always best to prep beforehand,” they shared. “I find for window cleaning, either a professional squeegee will do the trick, or newspaper. Yes, newspapers are one of the best things for achieving streakless windows.”
They added: “And other than that, all you need are about 10-15 used black tea teabags. Yes, you heard me, black tea teabags. Make sure they’ve been removed from the tea before you’ve added milk though!
“Milk will definitely leave your glass at home quite muggy, to say the least! Other than that, you need a small amount of general glass cleaner. And that’s it!”.
How to clean windows without streaks:
DIY window cleaner recipe
- Drink 10-15 cups of tea, removing the tea before milk is added, and set aside the tea for the solution
- Boil around 300ml of water and add the teabags
- Get your standard glass cleaner and add about 20-50ml
- Put your DIY glass cleaner in a spray bottle and clean away!
Method
- Spray your glass with your DIY cleaner, don’t be shy!
- Using the soft side of a sponge, lightly go over the glass surface. Pay special attention to any smudges or greasy areas
- Rinse the glass with hot water and spray the glass again
- Using either your squeegee or newspaper (whichever you feel more comfortable with), dry the glass surface
Cleaning glass with a squeegee:
If cleaning with a squeegee, there’s a certain technique to get the best clean. Crown Cleaners explained: “When using your squeegee, start from the top right corner, drag horizontally across the top until the edge, kind of like a rainbow shape, and then drag down.
“Exercise the amounts of pressure you use until you find the perfect amount to leave your glass streakless.
“More than likely, you’ll have to wet and dry with a squeegee at least two or three times before achieving crystal clear glass.”
Cleaning glass with a newspaper:
As for cleaning with newspaper, they advise not to get the glass too wet. Spraying too much will turn the newspaper soggy and leave streaks behind.
They said: “We advise using at least three or four sheets at once. Make sure there are no creases in the newspaper before you start the drying process.
“Get your sheets of newspaper, place them on a top corner of the glass, apply pressure, and drag slowly down. You may have to lightly wet the glass and repeat the process a few times.
“If there are any small smudges, using the newspaper and rubbing firmly over the spot will help break down the grease and dirt.”
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