The Best Glass Cleaner

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Adam Barker
Published on
February 19th, 2019

Expert BioExpert Bio

Adam has a passion for cleaning from his youth growing up in England, and he has carried it with him to the US. Adam’s formal training and certifications in cleaning include the Advanced System Cleaning specialist (For HVAC cleaning / ductwork), through NADCA (this is the highest certification that NADCA has), as well as several other certifications from the IICRC. Adam has either advised, consulted, or done research with dozens of cleaning and cleaning related business entities. Adam holds an undergraduate degree from Oxford, a Master’s degree from Oxford, and a Master’s degree from Harvard Business School.

The Cleaning Institute

Glass, when clean, is the most beautiful. It just sparkles. Whether you are cleaning your windows, glass table, mirrors or other glass items in your home, you want them to be clean. And it’s not so easy to get them clean. Not all glass cleaners are the same. We definitely realized that in our research. We cleaned lots of glass, looking for that perfectly streak-free, fingerprint-free and smudge-free result. It wasn’t easy.

So many glass cleaners, so little time. But we persevered, sprayed a lot of cleaner and studied a lot of windows to come up with the best options for you to use. The results were surprising. The well-known tried and true glass cleaners were not at the top of the list. Here is what our testers came up with.

We recommend Invisible Glass Reach and Clean Combo Pack as our top choice.

We gave honorable mention to SprayWay Glass Cleaner, and recommend Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner, Streak-Free Household Multi-Surface Spray as our green pick, the environmentally friendly option.

Testing Categories

Smell – Odor was important in our research. Testers wanted smells that were pleasant, but not too overwhelming or smelled like chemicals.

Power – All glass cleaners were tested on the ability to clean a variety of glass items (windows, mirror and furniture). Specifically, we looked for products that provided streak free results.

Packaging – The type of bottle, method of spraying and the size of the bottle were all factors that were considered in the test.

Price — In terms of price, we considered both price per ounce, and price per use. Some dish soaps required less product to be used, and so they were more efficient.

Top Pick

Invisible Glass
Reach and Clean
Combo Pack

Testers liked this glass cleaner so much, that they called it “addictive”. They couldn’t believe how effective it was at getting their glass clean. The found it very easy to use, especially for cleaning windshields and other hard to reach spots. The misting aerosol did not drip, and came out as a nice mist, instead of a heavy spray.

Price Check

Testers thought that the price was fair, especially with how clean their glass became after using it. They thought the smell was mellow, and not as strong as some other brands.

Most notable upside: It worked like a charm in getting incredibly clear glass surfaces, and did not require a lot of effort.

Biggest downsides: Some testers thought that you had to use lint free cloths to ensure the best results, which may not be so convenient for consumers who usually use paper towels or newspaper. Other testers thought that the price was too high.

5/5
Power
5/5
Smell
5/5
Packaging
4/5
Price

Honorable Mention

SprayWay
Glass
Cleaner

Our testers determined that SprayWay Glass Cleaner came in second place in the glass cleaner category.

Price Check

Testers loved this cleaner. They said that it exceeded expectations for a glass cleaner, and that they couldn’t stop cleaning. They remarked on the strong power and how it made everything sparkle. They liked the foam consistency because they liked how it clung to surfaces, and was easy to wipe and clean. Some did not like the lingering smell of the glass cleaner.

Most notable upside: Testers loved the cleaning power of the product.

Biggest downsides: Some testers thought the smell was too strong.

5/5
Power
5/5
Smell
5/5
Packaging
4/5
Price

Green Pick

Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner
Streak-Free Household
Multi-Surface Spray

Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner, Streak-Free Household Multi-Surface Spray was the top environmentally friendly pick. Our testers liked the fact that this was a multi-purpose cleaner that worked well on other surfaces besides glass. One less bottle to store with the household cleaners! They also appreciated that it was not full of chemicals, and was instead plant-based. They liked the slight smell that was not overpowering and the strong cleaning ability.

Price Check

Some felt that it left streaks on the glass, and did not like the plastic bottles.

Most notable upside: The fact that the product can have multiple cleaning uses, and that the smell disappears quickly.

Biggest downsides: The plastic bottles were very thin, and dented easily.

4/5
Power
5/5
Smell
3/5
Packaging
5/5
Price

All Our Picks

Top Pick

Invisible Glass
Reach and Clean
Combo Pack

Testers liked this glass cleaner so much, that they called it “addictive”. They couldn’t believe how effective it was at getting their glass clean. The found it very easy to use, especially for cleaning windshields and other hard to reach spots. The misting aerosol did not drip, and came out as a nice mist, instead of a heavy spray.

Price Check

Green Pick

Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner
Streak-Free Household
Multi-Surface Spray

Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner, Streak-Free Household Multi-Surface Spray was the top environmentally friendly pick. Our testers liked the fact that this was a multi-purpose cleaner that worked well on other surfaces besides glass. One less bottle to store with the household cleaners! They also appreciated that it was not full of chemicals, and was instead plant-based. They liked the slight smell that was not overpowering and the strong cleaning ability.

Price Check

How to Clean Glass Effectively

Even if you clean glass items frequently, they still get dirty. Thorough cleaning can also result in streaks and lint if you are not careful.

Use a microfiber cloth or squeegee to clean mirrors, glass furniture and windows. These items are better than paper towels because paper towels can leave streaks behind. If you are using a microfiber cloth, make sure you leave out the fabric softener in the laundry when you wash them. That could result in a film on your glass surfaces.

You can even use crumpled up newspaper. The ink won’t stain the glass and will create a streak free shine. Be careful using newspaper on windows, because of the window frames.

Wipe and dry the glass cleaner quickly to avoid streaks. For windows, you should wipe the inside of the window one way (i.e., horizontal), and the outside of the window the opposite way (i.e., vertical) to make it easier to see any remaining streaks.

Hot surfaces can cause the cleaner to evaporate when you spray it, and before you wipe it. Pick a cool cloudy day to wash your windows, and make sure your glass top stove is completely cool before using glass cleaner on it.

Other Unusual Uses for Glass Cleaner

Stain remover: Glass cleaner can be used to pre treat your stains before you put clothes in the washing machine. Make sure to use the clear formula! Spray the stain, wait for 15 minutes, and then wash the item.

Insect repellent: Many bugs don’t like the strong smell of some glass cleaners. Spray some by open doors or windows to keep bugs away.

Jewelry cleaner: Make your jewelry sparkle. Spray a small amount of glass cleaner in a mug of water. Heat the mug in the microwave for 1 minute. When it comes out of the microwave, put your jewelry in the mug. Leave it for a few minutes and then rinse the jewelry well.

Remove grease from kitchen appliances: Glass cleaner can be used to take off grease from a kitchen fan, range hood or pots and pans. Make sure that all of the cleaner is taken off of food preparation surfaces after they are clean.

Clean counters: Glass cleaner can be used to clean marble, granite and laminate countertops.Clean outdoor furniture: Glass cleaner is a great product to use to wipe down your patio furniture.

Clean doorknobs: Doorknobs can make people sick. Think about all of the germs on a doorknob. Use glass cleaner at least once a week to keep the germs away.

Dry erase board cleaner: Use glass cleaner on your dry erase board, the writing will wipe right off!

Take off a ring: That’s right, a ring on your finger that may be stuck. Spray some window cleaner on your finger and the ring will just slip off your finger easily!

Some Tools You Should Assemble to Clean Glass

Rain X: This product is usually used to keep car windshields clear, but it also works great on glass shower doors. Using Rain X as a shield helps because then you don’t get the water droplet smudges that you would normally get.

Bar of Soap: Little known fact, you can avoid your bathroom mirror from fogging up after a shower. Take a bar of soap and rub it on the mirror, then use a clean cloth and rub the mirror off. You will be amazed at the results!

Dishwasher Rinse Aid: Put one to two tablespoons in a bucket of hot water. Use this mixture to wash your windows with. You won’t believe the results!

Ammonia: This product makes a great window cleaner. SImply put two tablespoons into a bucket of 4 quarts of warm water, and clean those windows!

Squeegee: Everyone needs a good squeegee in their lives. It gives you streak-free glass that will simply sparkle.

Newspaper / Paper Towels: Some people find newspapers to be a great way to buff glass windows, but other people would rather use paper towels. The verdict is out.

Rags: No need to buy special cloths to clean glass, just take some old clothing and cut it up into rags and clean away!

Tips for Streak-Free Results

Glass cleaning is tedious, but you have to make sure that you don’t have streaks in your glass when you are done. Follow these tips for the best results in cleaning glass:

After spraying the glass cleaner, let it sit on the glass for a few minutes before you wipe it off.
Make sure your microfiber cloth is clean before wiping. If there are any cleaning products on the cloth, you could get streaky results. Paper towels will leave residue or lint on the glass.
Clean glass from top to bottom to avoid dripping glass cleaner and streaks.
Used distilled water to dilute the glass cleaner instead of using tap water.
Don’t spray too much cleaner on the glass, that will create suds that will then create unwanted suds!
Make sure to buff the glass when you are all done with a clean cloth, that will produce great results!

The Best Glass Cleaner

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Adam Barker

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Invisible Glass
Reach and Clean
Combo Pack

Power

Smell

Packaging

Price

SprayWay
Glass
Cleaner

Power

Smell

Packaging

Price

Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner
Streak-Free Household
Multi-Surface Spray

Power

Smell

Packaging

Price

All Our Picks

Invisible Glass
Reach and Clean
Combo Pack

SprayWay
Glass
Cleaner

Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner
Streak-Free Household
Multi-Surface Spray

How to Clean Glass Effectively

Other Unusual Uses for Glass Cleaner

Some Tools You Should Assemble to Clean Glass

Tips for Streak-Free Results

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

The Best Glass Cleaner

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Adam Barker

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Invisible GlassReach and CleanCombo Pack

Power

Smell

Packaging

Price

SprayWayGlassCleaner

Power

Smell

Packaging

Price

Puracy Natural All Purpose CleanerStreak-Free Household Multi-Surface Spray

Power

Smell

Packaging

Price

All Our Picks

Invisible GlassReach and CleanCombo Pack

SprayWayGlassCleaner

Puracy Natural All Purpose CleanerStreak-Free Household Multi-Surface Spray

How to Clean Glass Effectively

Other Unusual Uses for Glass Cleaner

Some Tools You Should Assemble to Clean Glass

Tips for Streak-Free Results

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Invisible Glass
Reach and Clean
Combo Pack

SprayWay
Glass
Cleaner

Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner
Streak-Free Household
Multi-Surface Spray

Invisible Glass
Reach and Clean
Combo Pack

SprayWay
Glass
Cleaner

Puracy Natural All Purpose Cleaner
Streak-Free Household
Multi-Surface Spray