From the traditional spray bottle of blue liquid to a variety of products labeled "green," the endless supply of glass cleaners may be effective, but not safe to use inside your home and around your family and pets. Found in most glass cleaners, ammonia gas can irritate your skin and eyes while affecting your respiratory system. Prolonged exposure to ammonia can be deadly especially if you or a family member suffers from a respiratory condition, such as asthma. Thankfully, safer alternatives are available. Here are a few simple and safe solutions to clean your glass window panes.

Squeegee

You may be surprised to learn you can clean your windows without using any cleanser. A bit of water and a squeegee tool will be sufficient.

To get started, fill a spray bottle with warm water. Douse the water on one section of a window and allow it to run down the glass. Move the rubber blade of the squeegee tool down the glass to wipe off the water. After swiping, wipe the rubber blade of the squeegee tool off on a clean towel.

Repeat the process until each window has been sprayed and squeegeed dry.

Vinegar and Soap

If water and your squeegee tool are not sufficient, a more involved cleanser may be necessary. Again, you do not need to use toxic sprays to remove light dirt, dust, and residue from your glass. Here is a safer solution you can make using a few common items in your home:

• 2 cups of warm water
• 3 tablespoons of vinegar
• ½ teaspoon of liquid dish soap

Add these ingredients to a spray bottle and shake the bottle to mix. Spray a generous amount of the vinegar and soap solution onto your windows and allow it to sit and soak for a few minutes.

Use the squeegee tool to wipe off excess cleaner. After each swipe, dry off the rubber blade of your squeegee tool on a clean towel.

Streak Removal

If you are like some homeowners, you may think the traditional glass cleaners with ammonia are best for cleaning the windows without leaving streaks behind. Thankfully, this is not true, since you can clean your glass panes in an effective, non-toxic manner that will not create streaky residue.

After washing with the vinegar and soap solution, dry off each glass pane using a few sheets of balled-up newspaper. Avoid using the newspaper on your window frames, since the black ink may leave some residue on your white or beige vinyl frames.

You do not have to use harsh-smelling, unhealthy sprays to clean your windows. With these eco-friendly, non-toxic solutions, your windows will be clean without affecting your home and health. To learn more, contact a company like Bravo Cleaning & Restoration.