Crystal Clear Window Cleaning With Newspaper!

When everything in the world seems to be getting more and more complicate, its refreshing to discover a simple solution to a common problem.

If you've ever had to clean your bathroom mirrors, windows of your house and even your car windscreen getting that crystal clear movie standard finish can be very frustrating. The greasy smudges and long unwanted streaks seem to stick around like a bad smell.

This is a technique my grandparents told me to use when cleaning the car windscreen. I couldn't get rid of the streaks and smudges when the sun shone on the windscreen. I thought it was a trick to get me to clean my car with newspaper but honestly i haven't used anything else since!

This Instructable will guide you through the super simple process for that professional looking clean glass.

Disclaimer: No "super high tech fiber" cleaning cloths or 'new proven "chemical formula" window fluid have been used in the making of this Instructable.

Step 1: The Ins and Outs!

It might seem a bit strange using vinegar and newspaper in the process but it made a lot of sense when i did some research!

Why Vinegar?

Its important to use white vinegar. When white vinegar dries it leaves no residue. This is extremely important when cleaning glass. The acidic nature of the vinegar helps to break down any pesky grease and oil on the glass so that they can be wiped away!

Why Newspaper?

The real star of the show is the newspaper. This is down to the fact that newspapers are made from really densely packed fibers with nothing in the paper that can scratch or mark the glass. These densely packed fibers mean that the fibers cannot separate which is very important. You see this unwanted separation first hand when you use other materials like tissue paper or cloth to clean your glass. These materials leave a trail of lint across the glass when you use them! This is also the reason why, when using newspapers to clean windows they will never leave a streak! The absorbing nature of the newspapers also helps to absorb any oils and smudges that may be on the glass allowing for that crystal clear finish.

The combination of both allows for the ultimate glass cleaning combo. The vinegar helps to break down the oils and dirt on the window and the newspapers absorb it all, all the while leaving zero streaks!

Step 2: Gather Your Supplies

Your material list for this Instructable is very reasonable. Everything you need should be found around the house!

Your supply list is:

1. Newspaper
2. White Vinegar (Optional but recommended for glass that you might not have gotten around to spring cleaning in a while)
3. Water

A bowl for your water or a bottle with a spray nozzle would be very useful but they aren't necessary required! Remember the vinegar used has to be white vinegar as it doesn't leave any residue!

Step 3: Scrub

Now its time to get down to work. Grab the newspaper and scrunch up a few sheets into newspaper balls to use for the scrubbing. If the glass is very dirty use a mixture of vinegar and water in a bowl of water to scrub the glass. A mixture of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water is what i used. For heavier dirt you can add more vinegar! Alternatively you can mix the vinegar and water in the spray bottle for easy application onto the glass.

Using your bowl or spray bottle as well as the newspaper scrub the windows until the grease and smudges start to disappear. Don't be afraid to be generous with the water!

Unfortunately it was very hard to photograph the difference between the clean and dirty glass with a normal window so i had to use a frosted glass window.

Step 4: Dry!

After you've scrubbed the glass the last step is to dry them. Again using the newspaper to dry off the glass means that no smudges or streaks are allowed to form when the glass is drying. Not allowing it to air dry also helps to stop the formation of those pesky water-spots on the glass!

It helps if you spread a sheet of newspaper flat to cover more area and just wipe it around on the glass! After that just crumple up a couple of sheets of the newspaper into balls and wipe away whatever moisture remains. Replace your newspaper balls when they become to wet to dry !

And there you have it! Crystal clear professional looking glass using Eco friendly materials, a simple technique and reusing the things you have at home! The elusive trifecta :)

Just an added note, this is extremely effective on car windscreens. When your driving into the sun and you have a dirty windscreen the sun can really blind you as it shines on the smudges and streaks. This technique is perfect for getting rid of those. You can really appreciate the clarity when your driving and not having to shield your eyes!

Thanks for reading guys. If you have the time i would really appreciate your vote in the spotless contest! :)