In today’s ‘Use This, NOT That’ post, we will explore the dangers of Window Cleaner.
Window cleaner has always irritated my body. Whenever I used it, I would end up with a dull, lingering headache, and my sinuses would burn for the remainder of the day. Windows generally don’t get that dirty. At most, my windows would have a buildup of dust and bug spots on the outside, and fingerprints and smudges on the inside.
This begs the question – do our windows really need such a harsh cleaning product to deal with a little grime?
Window Cleaner is made of chemicals like:
- Ammonium Hydroxide – considered to cause cancer by the World Health Organization and the United States environmental Protection Agency. In addition to being a carcinogen, there is strong evidence that ammonia also causes the following health problems:
- Daily exposure to ammonia will cause high blood pressure, pulmonary edema, and bronchitis.
- Continued contact with ammonia hydroxide will dry the skin, damage skin cells, and can eventually cause serious skin complications.
- Exposure to ammonia fumes will damage the eyes, liver, kidneys, and lungs.
- Even brief exposure to ammonia fumes can be an asthma trigger and irritate or amplify allergies.
- Ethanolamine – a CORROSIVE CHEMICAL and contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible eye damage. Breathing Ethanolamine can irritate the nose, throat, and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. Ethanolamine may cause a skin allergy.
- Synthetic Fragrance
All of the above ingredients receive a “D” or “F” rating by the Environmental Working Group.
When you use spray window cleaner, you spray, then wipe dry with paper towel. Most often you DON NOT wash the solution off – the chemicals linger on your windows for a long time. Even when the smell goes away, trace amounts are transferred to your skin every time you touch the window.
If you have children and/or pets, I am sure you know just how often fingers (and tongues) touch windows and sliding glass doors.
Do we want these chemicals on and IN our children and pets? The answer is a definitive NO.
So, if you had a choice between using chemicals or NOT using chemicals to clean your windows (and the “not using chemicals” choice gave you cleaner, less streaky windows), wouldn’t you choose NO CHEMICALS?
Replace chemical window cleaner with a Norwex Window Cloth!
With the Norwex window cloth, it is so much easier to get a streak-free shine on my windows and mirrors without any chemicals. It works so well, I have used it on my windows, television, computer monitor, mirrors, jewelry, and microwave front (read my original window cloth review here).
With the Window Cloth all you need is is water and a cloth. That’s it. No chemicals. Your toddler can blow raspberries on your sliding glass door or lick windows to his little hearts content, and the only concern you’ll have is the inconvenience of having to clean the window again.
How to Use the Norwex Window Cloth
If your windows are quite dirty or if they have window cleaner residue on them
Wash your windows with a wet Enviro Cloth. Really scrub to remove stuck on dirt or leftover window cleaner residue. Once they’re washed well, use a dry Norwex Window Cloth to soak up the water residue and leave a shiny finish.
If your windows or mirrors are only slightly dirty
If you windows or mirrors are only in need of a little polish, you don’t need to bring in the big guns of the Enviro Cloth – just mist them slightly with water and then use a dry Window Cloth to dry them to a streak free clean.
For an ever faster clean for barely dirty windows, it also works well to slightly dampen your Window Cloth, and give your window/mirrow a quick wipe!
If you haven’t tried the Norwex window cloth, this is definitely one product you will want in your home. It’s the reason I began using and selling Norwex in the first place!
Have you replaced your chemical window cleaning spray with a Norwex Window Cloth? I’d love to hear about your experience with it!
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