The best glass cleaner I have EVER used just happens to be homemade. Customize this homemade essential oil glass cleaner by using whatever essential oil you like!

These days so many people are looking for alternatives to commercial cleaning products. The amount of man-made harmful chemicals in most of these products is frightening. Many of these ingredients haven’t been around long enough for adequate research on long term health risks and side effects.

Without getting too deep into chemical, shmemical this and that, I’ll just share my personal experience and opinion on these allegedly harmful chemicals.

I say allegedly because some say there really is no solid proof of harm, and that our bodies naturally rid themselves of any exposure. That being said, in my own personal use of commercial products I have definitely experienced harm! A quick google search will pull up plenty of personal stories of commercial products, being used properly and causing harm. For Pete’s sake, don’t eat or drink them!! That is not proper use!

My experience

I’ve been cleaning for like 30 YEARS!

Did I just age myself?

Oh, well.

I’ve cleaned my own home and had jobs that required cleaning. Cleaning is just one of those things that comes with the territory. It’s just part of life, especially the lives of homemakers. So in thirty years, I’ve probably used almost every commercial product under the sun.

At an early age, I was taught to protect myself with gloves while using some of these products. It really seems to be common sense. I mean they sell rubber gloves in the same aisle they sell these products. I can’t figure out why they don’t sell masks in the same aisle. After all, most of the warning labels mention lung irritation!

But, I digress.

Anyway, in all my years of cleaning the worst experience, I have ever had was with a product called LA’s Totally Awesome.

First I have to say, THIS STUFF WORKS!

I can’t, and I won’t lie it works very well on grease! It literally MELTS grease on contact. My first use with this product was on kitchen cabinets in a rental home that we had just moved into. They had a thick layer of grease on them. The grease was so thick I could take a putty knife and scrape a curly-cue off the fronts of the cabinets. NASTY! I mean NASTY, sticky mess. This stuff was the only thing that would touch it.

I was smart enough to use rubber gloves while using this product but somehow not smart enough to wear a mask. In the words of Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts…

“BIG mistake, BIG…HUGE!”

There I go aging myself again.

While this stuff is Totally Awesome on grease, it is gnarly on the lungs! I was coughing the entire time I used it and still didn’t have enough sense to get a freaking mask. After two days of using it to clean cabinets, (they were so bad it took THAT long) I felt like I had an upper-respiratory infection, phlegm and all. Gag! The symptoms lasted months!

NEVER again! Never again will I use this product without gloves, a mask and every window in the house open. It will also be kept out in the garage and only used when ABSOLUTELY necessary!

With the exception of this product on REALLY tough jobs, I have found that homemade cleaners are just as effective. If not more so! And, I don’t have to fool with awkward rubber gloves or a heavy-duty Darth Vador industrial respirator mask. By the way, if you’re looking for a good homemade cleaner that works great on grease and disinfects, you can find that HERE. 

Homemade Essential Oil Glass Cleaner Recipe

There are 4 simple ingredients in this homemade essential oil glass cleaner!

• 1/4 cup white vinegar **If the smell of vinegar bugs you, don’t worry! The essential oils completely cover the smell**
• 1/8 cup rubbing alcohol
• 25-30 drops of essential oil
• Distilled water *see notes
• 1 drop food coloring *optional-see notes

A 16-20 oz spray bottle works perfectly for this recipe. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium-sized bowl or glass measuring cup.

The smartest thing I’ve ever seen on a measuring cup! A half-line. 

Pour the solution into your spray bottle. Top off with distilled water. You might want to grab a funnel to make it a bit easier to transfer the solution to a spray bottle.

Speaking of spray bottles, the pretty glass ones I use are AWESOME! Perfect for this homemade essential oil glass cleaner. I love them! They look nice, don’t leak, AND I can spray upside down! You can find them on Amazon.

Oh! AAAAAANNNd…that sprayer gets every last drop! Take a look.

Nothing is getting past that sucker!

Give the bottle a little shake and it’s ready to use!

Recipe notes

Many people do not appreciate the smell of vinegar and I most definitely am one of them!

I’ve always liked the idea of using vinegar to clean minus the stink factor. It goes away after a bit, I know. However, I personally would like the cleaning experience to be as enjoyable as possible. If I’m being choked out by harsh chemicals or my nostrils are assaulted by the pungent smell of vinegar, that is SOOOOO not enjoyable.

Now to my point, essential oils are a Godsend for many reasons but this particular use is a fave of mine.

I am sensitive to the smell of vinegar and I swear I can smell it a mile away.

The essential oils completely disguise the vinegar smell!!! Click To Tweet

As you can see in the photo above, my essential oil collection consists of all different brands. I buy most of them at Walmart and Amazon at extremely reasonable prices.

I am no authority on oils I just know what works for me! The main thing to remember is to make sure you’re getting 100% PURE essential oil. You don’t want fillers or synthetic scents because really that completely defeats the purpose!

*Distilled water is NOT an absolute must. I typically use filtered water from the fridge dispenser. That said, if your water is untreated hard water with lots of minerals distilled water is your best option. Hard water that leaves mineral deposits means streaky windows and mirrors.

As far as the food coloring, it is completely optional. I like to use it for easy identification purposes. In my mind glass cleaner is ALWAYS blue.

The food coloring does not leave stains on cleaning cloths or surfaces! So go ahead and make it look pretty!

Before & After

I will never share a recipe for cleaning that doesn’t work! That’s just not how I roll. And there is only one way to prove it. Hence the before and after. Who doesn’t love a good B&A?!

Here is a picture of dog slobbers all over the window of my front door. All my fellow dog owners know how hard those can be to clean!

In case you’re wondering how all that dog slobber accumulates. Moose barking at EVERY…teeny…tiny…little…noise known to dogs. Which is a lot because they hear so much more than we do. For some reason, he always thinks said noises are coming from outside and about to come in and get us.

Case in point.

Say it don’t spray it. Why does my dog slobber so much?

Anyway,

Here’s what it looks like when you spray it on glass surfaces. Very different from most commercial products. The first time I used it I thought no way is it going to work as well as W#@$%&!

Drum roll, please…

WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT?! By the way, what you see there is reflection NOT streaks! I promise! I hate streaks. Also, I had the hardest time getting this shot, there was nothing to focus on.

Finally

I’ve been searching high and low for an effective (must be effective) DIY leather cleaner/conditioner, but to no avail. I’d love to hear about any natural leather cleaning techniques or DIY’s you have. A huge leather sectional that lives in my house could use a good cleaning and I’m not feeling the Darth Vador mask.

I hope you enjoy using this Diy glass cleaner as much as I do!

🙂 Leigh Ann