Glass Cleaners for Manual Brush Use

Commercial Glass Cleaners

• Commercial glass cleaners such as Windex, Seventh Generation Glass Cleaner and 3M Glass Cleaner contain a variety of chemicals including ammonia, isopropyl alcohol, dimethyl carbinol and other alcohol types. Some can cause irritation if they are ingested, inhaled or if you are overexposed to it. Overexposure occurs when it isn't used in a well-ventilated area. Dip a manual brush in the glass cleaner to work out stains.

Liquid Dish Soap

• Liquid dish soap is effective in cleaning soiled glasses or those that have stains on them that have settled for a long time. To do this, fill a bucket with hot water and add 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap to create a sudsy solution. Dip the brush in the solution or pour it in the glasses and scrub them until they are clean. Rinse with clean water and dry them as normal.

White Vinegar

• White vinegar is a mild acid that is natural, nontoxic and food grade, meaning it won't cause harm if you ingest it. It is also capable of cleaning glasses and is especially effective in removing hard water, rust and other alkaline stains. To use it, mix one part white vinegar with one part water. Dip the brush in the cleaning solution and scrub the glasses until they are clean. White vinegar is also effective in helping keep glasses shiny and in removing longstanding odors. It has a pungent odor that dissipates when you rinse the glasses and dry them.

Ammonia

• Ammonia is a common ingredient in commercial glass cleaning solutions, but you can mix a homemade solution. Mix one cup rubbing alcohol with one cup water and 1 tablespoon ammonia. Use nonsudsing ammonia, which is an alkaline cleaning solution that is effective in removing acid stains such as wine or dark vinegar marks. Dip the brush in the solution and scrub it over the glasses until they are clean. Rinse them thoroughly as ammonia residue can be toxic.