Clearer Than Ever: The Importance of Eco-friendly Window Care

Consumers are becoming more and more environmentally conscious of their purchases, and thankfully, there are several ways to make eco-friendly switches into our everyday lives - with household cleaning being one of the easiest changes. With that said, window care is often regarded as a daunting task, requiring the leading brand of window cleaner to achieve a streak-free shine.

However, what many don’t know is that these cleaners can have a profound impact on the environment and your family's health, meaning that making a switch to eco-friendly methods is a smart choice.

Window cleaners and the environment

While the leading brand of window cleaner might bring your windows a streak-free shine, it can also have a profound impact on the environment. Traditional cleaners often contain toxic chemicals like ammonia, which can contribute to releasing harmful toxins into the air and your home. Not only that, but your typical store-bought window cleaners also negatively contribute to the environment with their packaging, which is almost always plastic. Many people also use additional products to clean their windows, such as disposable paper towels, which shouldn’t be recycled since they can potentially contaminate other recyclables during the recycling process.

The benefits of eco-friendly solutions

Eco-friendly cleaning solutions not only benefit the environment by releasing fewer toxins but can also be much healthier for the human body. This is because cleaning indoors with eco-friendly cleaning products can help to improve your home’s indoor air quality and may help to reduce health issues (such as headaches, watery eyes, coughing, etc. that may come with using harsh traditional products). Using eco-friendly cleaning products in conjunction with windows that are already environmentally friendly themselves by saving on energy can lessen the impact on the environment even more, as can using reusable cloths or cleaning tools. And, while many may be hesitant to make the switch to an eco-friendly window cleaner due to the cost, there are cheaper options out there — such as making a cleaning solution yourself.

The perfect DIY solution

It might seem more convenient to pick up a window cleaner while you’re at the store, though getting an eco-friendly version can be just as easy. In fact, it’s likely that you already have the perfect window cleaner in your home: white vinegar. White vinegar is a great eco-friendly and cost effective alternative to traditional cleaners, as it’s acidity allows it to counteract buildup on your windows. This makes it the perfect solution for when your children might leave their handprints on the glass. What’s more, vinegar can be used throughout the home for cleaning, making it a truly versatile cleanser.

Cleaning your windows with white vinegar can be quite easy. All you have to do is dilute it with water. When it comes to actually getting it on the windows, however, placing your vinegar/water solution into a reusable spray bottle is a great idea, and using equally as reusable cleaning tools can help to achieve a fully sustainable cleansing routine. For instance, a squeegee can work wonders to leave behind streak-free glass, and reusable cleaning rags can also work to do the same. Recycling old t-shirts or other cloth materials can be a great idea as an eco-friendly alternative to paper towels, as they can be washed and reused over and over again.

While eco-friendly products and ways of life are becoming more popular around the world, it’s important to take into account that the way we clean our homes needs to change as well. For these reasons, switching to an environmentally friendly window cleaner like vinegar can help to ensure you get a streak-free shine without compromising the health of your family or harming the environment.