You can use straight white vinegar and newspaper to clean glass very well.
Spray some vinegar on the surface to be cleaned, then use the newspaper to wipe away dirt and grime.
I would recommend wearing gloves to keep from getting any ink on your hands.
This method, although super simple and great for people prone to bad reactions to chemical cleaners, might leave some streaks.
(I've never noticed any, but I've heard other people complain about it, so maybe it's a technique thing?)
Depending on the amount of dirt, it also might require a little more elbow grease than desired.
In any case, there are many variations on this theme.
This article from Mrs. Clean provides a specifically streak-free formula using ammonia, vinegar, cornstarch, and water, as well as some extra tips on cleaning all things window related.
Good luck!
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/6872/MissJack
In India we use cheap and best glass cleaner called ' vibhuti '
( It is a whitish soft powder which is produced after baking cow dung cakes ).
Take a cup of vibhuti, mix it with a cup of water to form a paste.
Smear this paste all over the glass
& let it dry for 3 minutes.
Use 100% cotton cloth to wipe up.
With a single wipe your glass will be clean & super shiny.
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/4931/Harish S
Get a bucket or container, put in warm water, a squirt of washing up liquid and a slosh of vinegar - wash the window with this, preferably using a cloth (dishcloth, old teeshirt, whatever, but not a microfibre cloth).
Now get another bucket or bowl, this time with plain water and more vinegar (about 1 to 2 tablespoons to 4 pints) and rinse with that, sloshing it on with another cloth, or if you can, throwing it over the glass (depends where the glass is, if its outdoors, throw it on to rinse off the soapy stuff).
If you've got a squeegee, wipe off the rinse water with that, or let it drain down naturally - letting it drain naturally doesn't leave smears, but anything that doesn't run off in terms of water droplets might leave a mark.
Doesn't matter what kind of vinegar, so long as its real vinegar.
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/1738/Bamboo
A mixture of equal parts of water and regular vinegar (white distilled or cider) works well.
The vinegar smell will disappear quickly.
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/6487/Debbie M.
White vinegar works as others have said.
If you have rubbing alcohol it can be mixed with the vinegar.
I would use the paper towels rather than the microfiber as they can be a bit more abrasive for cleaning stubborn grime.
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/4785/briantist
All you need is water and dish washing liquid (preferably Dawn).
Just do like one to two little squirts of dish washing liquid per gallon of water.
Works great.
Don't use paper towels!
They can scratch the glass!
I also hear that they produce static electricity which will attract dust back to the windows!
Preferably, use a squeegee for washing windows.
Doesn't have to be an expensive one.
If you don't want to get a squeegee, a microfiber cloth that you already have is a good alternative.
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/143/CRABOLO
Here's the official Lifehacks technique to use when you clean windows to save time and effort.
It works with every liquid cleaning solution from technological to ecological.
It's not only what you use but how you use it.
When cleaning the exterior of the windows, use all the same direction for your strokes.
BUT Use a different direction for the strokes for the inside surfaces.
For example: use only vertical strokes when cleaning the exterior and only horizontal strokes for the interior surfaces or vice-versa.
WHY When you're finished and you examine your work, if you do see a smear or a mark—You'll know immediately by the direction of the smear which side of the glass it's on to remove it completely.
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/4698/Stan
Use methylated spirits in place of windex.
Spray it on and wipe off in exactly the same way you would use windex.
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/8207/Adam
You can just simply use warm water, sponge and vinegar.
DO NOT USE PAPER!!
I've tried it and it is not very smooth and scratches the glass.
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/17348/Ethnic Girl
Very simple to use rubbing alcohol mixed with water -- I use paper towels to wipe dry -- never had a problem with streaks also do this with my glass coffee table!
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/26525/Vee
I'm all out of Windex/glass cleaner and I want to clean a very dirty window without leaving streaks. I have both a microfiber cloth and paper towels available. What can I use instead of glass cleaner?
How to clean glass without glass cleaner?
lifehacks.stackexchange.com
<cleaning><home><substitute-tool><car><glass>
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/questions/7171
lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/15/Mooseman
The best way to clean class without using glass cleaner is probably by using a mixture of vinegar and water or rubbing alcohol and water and simply rubbing the glass with a sponge or some newspaper. A mixture of water and dish-washing liquid may also be sufficient. The options include spraying on white wine vinegar and wiping off with newspaper, smearing on cow dung paste and wiping with cotton cloth, washing once with water and detergent and a second time with water and vinegar, spraying on methylated spirits and just using warm water with detergent and a squeegee or microfibre cloth.
Spray on white wine vinegar and wipe off with newspaper. Make a paste from powdered cow dung cakes, smear on then wipe off with a cotton cloth. Wash the window first with warm water and detergent and a second time with a bucket of plain water containing 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Use a 50:50 mxture of water and vinegar (white, distilled or cider). Combine white wine vinegar with rubbing alcohol and wipe with paper towels. A bucket of water with two squirts of detergent and use a squeegee or a microfibre cloth to rub off. When cleaning the outside make sure all strokes are in the same direction and for the inside all strokes in a dofferent direction so that you can spot easily where any streaks might be. Spray on methylated spirits and wipe off like you would windex. Warm water, sponge and vinegar - but not paper. Rubbing alcohol mixed with water.