While the vinegar mixture can effectively dissolve mineral stains on various types of glass in our tests, it does have an unpleasant odor, and mixing the solution at home adds a step that you may want to skip. Ashkin, a sustainable cleaning consultant, recommended using a ready-mix that is certified by the nonprofit Green Seal or the EPA Safer Choice program. Unfortunately, our recommended all-purpose cleaner, labeled Safer Choice, was the least effective cleaner in our tests.
Ashkin also said that vinegar is not as effective at removing grease, which was confirmed in our tests. If you have a particularly oily mess, we’ve found that Windex is the most effective cleaner. In our tests, Windex worked best using the same workflow as the vinegar mixture: dust off, remove heavy dirt with a scraper, and then wipe and polish with a wet and dry microfiber cloth.
The vinegar mixture has advantages over Windex in terms of versatility and affordability, but we wondered if Windex contained something special that might give it a special edge. In an emailed statement, a Windex spokesperson acknowledged that soap, water and vinegar “can and do help clean glass.” They added that Windex contains “cleaning agents such as hexoxyethanol, isopropanolamine and lauramine oxide.” The company says these ingredients “loose dirt particles and deposits and dissolve residue.” According to PubChem, a chemical database published by the National Institutes of Health, the chemicals do perform these tasks. But they also come with their own baggage: Hexoxyethanol is labeled as corrosive and irritating, isopropanolamine is corrosive and irritating, and lauramine oxide has warnings that it is corrosive, irritating, and an environmental hazard. However, the Windex Safety Data Sheet (PDF) notes that there is nothing hazardous in the cleaner as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and there is no specific classification of inhalation or other exposure hazards. According to PubChem, acetic acid (vinegar) is also technically corrosive.
One final personal tip: Don’t ask us how we know: When spraying Windex or vinegar mixture over your head, consider wearing safety glasses or another method to avoid getting it in your eyes.
This article was edited by Jen Gushue and Harry Sawyers.
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