How to Clean Your Windows (and All the Right Products You Need to Do It), According to a Pro (2024)

Window panes may be transparent, but it can be hard to tell just how dirty they really are, both inside and outside. Go ahead, take a paper towel and wipe down a window—dirtier than you realized, huh? Windows trap allergens, dirt, grime, and even fingerprints, all of which actually lower your home’s indoor air quality. Keep that in mind as you go through your spring cleaning checklist, because streaky, opaque glass is the very least of your problems.

Frequent window cleaning encourages proper airflow, and improves indoor air quality, but only if you do it often enough (the pros suggest up to three times a year), and with the right equipment. We’ve enlisted the help of Kellsie Zapata, professional cleaner at Zapatas Cleaning Services, and Yesenia Luboff, cleaning expert at @home.cleaningtips, to share their favorite cleaning product recommendations for windows that sparkle, shine, and keep your overall home cleaner.

Shop Expert-Approved Window-Cleaning Products

• Sprayway Glass Cleaner Aerosol Spray, $5 (was $8)
• Microfiber Pro Multi-Surface Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, $16
• AccoHolly Microfiber Scrub Dish Cleaning Cloth, $14
• Scrub Daddy Dish Daddy Wand and Connector Head, $15
• Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray, $5 (was $9)
• Ettore Mighty Window Washer, $10 (was $12)
• Homax 12-Pad Steel Wool, $5 (was $10)
• Rubbermaid Reveal Power Scrubber with Multi-Purpose Head, $23
• Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner, $150 (was $200)

Sprayway Glass Cleaner Aerosol Spray

Amazon shoppers already love this $5 two-pack glass cleaner. It’s been bought more than 10,000 times in the past month and has an overall 4.7-star rating. But now, the professionals are giving it their stamp of approval, too.

“It’s easy to use, always streak-free, and a little goes a long way,” Zapata says of this ammonia-free formula. Luboff also uses Sprayway and says, “Its heavy-duty foam clings to glass surfaces to dissolve fingerprints, animal slobber, and other grime easily, leaving windows with a great shine.”

Microfiber Pro Multi-Surface Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

Zapata uses streak-free glass cleaner in tandem with these microfiber towels. “They’re thick, plushy, work amazingly with Sprayway, and don’t leave lint behind the way paper towels do,” she says. You get 12 towels measuring at 12 by 12 inches, and they come in almost every color of the rainbow, including orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink. Zapata shares that she likes to fold her cloth “into quarters” or “a hand-sized packet to use several sides while cleaning.”

AccoHolly Microfiber Scrub Dish Cleaning Cloth

Another good microfiber cloth option, Luboff recommends these machine-washable ones by AccoHolly. Each 11.5 by 11.5-inch rag is two-sided with two distinct textures designed to clean up different types of messes. The loopy scrub side is ideal for greasy surfaces that could use a good scratch-free scrub, and the textured microfiber side wipes away smears and other messes easily. Luboff uses them to wipe down and collect accumulated dust on windows without worrying about scratching the glass.

Scrub Daddy Dish Daddy Wand and Connector Head

It might be called the “Dish Daddy,” but Luboff’s best-kept secret for shiny, streak-free windows is this soap-dispensing dishwand. The water temperature actually changes this clever tool’s abilities: It is soft and malleable in warm water, and firm in cold water.

“I use the Scrub Daddy with cold water, so it stays hard in consistency…to really scrub windows when they’re particularly dirty,” Luboff says. “It lets you into those hard-to-reach window corners.”

Fill up the Dish Daddy with liquid soap (see both experts’ favorite cleaning soap below), then as you wash, press the button to dispense the soap directly onto the window. The replaceable scrubbing head coaxes off even the stickiest and grimiest of residues, without leaving behind scratches.

Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray

Bought 10,000 times in the past month, Dawn isn’t just for your dishes anymore. While its powerful cleaning formula is designed to cut through grease five times faster on dishes, it has actually proven to work on many other kinds of grime—not just food-related—as well.

“For outdoor window cleaning when windows may have visible cobwebs, dirt, and water spots, I start with Dawn Power Wash for tackling extra build-up. Then, I follow with water to rinse down any residue,” Zapata says. And with this new Powerwash mechanism, you can disperse Dawn using continuous spray to conveniently maximize coverage and cut back on the amount of elbow grease necessary.

Ettore Mighty Window Washer

When it comes to cleaning windows, the right squeegee is key to a clean end result. Zapata loves this all-purpose option for “how well it washes windows.” She adds, “It has a great ergonomic grip, is machine washable, and it doesn’t scratch the windows.”

At 13.5 by 3 inches and just 5.6 ounces, Zapata points out this squeegee is “very lightweight and easy to use.” It’s compact and light enough to carry around but makes a surprisingly big impact despite its size. The window washer itself is 10-inches long, so it can cover more surface area at once, and the microfiber sleeve it comes with is both removable and machine washable, so you can reuse it again and again.

Homax 12-Pad Steel Wool Grade #1000

Another must-have in your window-cleaning arsenal, according to Zapata, is the proper grade of steel wool. If you know anything about cleaning, then you know this is what you break out for the heavy-duty jobs.

“If there is hard water build-up on the windows, I use Homax Steel Wool Grade #1000 with Dawn to scrub,” Zapata explains. “This specific wool is extremely fine and won’t scratch delicate surfaces like glass.” hile it is intentionally abrasive enough to clean, polish, buff, and refinish surfaces, the #1000 grade is gentle enough to use on glass without having to worry about scratches or marks of any kind.

Rubbermaid Reveal Power Scrubber with Multi-Purpose Head

When your hands fail to manually massage away grime, electric spin scrubbers are a godsend. Luboff’s favorite is this best-selling handheld from Rubbermaid, which has over 15,800 five-star ratings and has sold more than 4,000 in the last month.

“This spinning brush works wonders on the outside of windows when microfiber cloths may not do the trick,” Luboff says. “This multi-purpose brush can also tackle tough bathroom stains like hardened toothpaste and yellow water residue.”

Because it’s battery-powered, it cuts down your cleaning time, gives your hands a break, and means less work for you. It’s particularly helpful when cleaning windows with grids, mullions, or muntins, as its slender head and frame can get into tough-to-reach spaces your hands can’t.

Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner

You’re probably using your steam cleaner for rugs and hardwood floors right now, but what if we told you it can steam your windows clean, too? The Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner is an Amazon best-seller that has been bought 10,000 times in the past month, and Luboff uses it on a variety of cleaning occasions—not just floors.

“I love this steam cleaner and all of its attachments,” Luboff says. “It removes grime without needing to go over the glass multiple times, and it can be used for other glass surfaces like shower doors and mirrors for a nice polish and shine.” Plus, you can disinfect and sanitize your windows without the use of additional chemical cleaners.