My Frugal DIY Experiments: Homemade Glass Cleaner

Have you ever seen a DIY project on Pinterest that looked amazing?  And, then you tried it, and it was a total flop?  It seems that “Pinterest fails” are everywhere these days!

Yet, there are some DIY projects that are actually worth it.  They are easy, money-saving, and really work.

This year I am on a mission to find those projects for you.  I will be tackling one frugal DIY project each month in order to let you know how they really work.  I am letting myself (and in some cases, my family!) be the guinea pig in a new My Frugal DIY Experiments series.

Here is what we have planned for 2016:

January- Homemade Glass Cleaner 

February-Coconut Oil Face Soap

March-Yogurt in a Crockpot

April- Homemade Laundry Detergent

May-Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

June-Homemade Taco Seasoning

July-DIY Dusting Spray

August-Coconut Oil and Honey Hair Mask

September-Homemade Ranch Dressing

October-Homemade Tub and Tile Cleaner 

November-Oatmeal Body Scrub

December-Hot Chocolate Mix

Homemade Glass Cleaner

Up first we have Homemade Glass Cleaner.  I used a fantastic tutorial I found on Frugally Blonde to help with this project.

Step 1:  Gather Supplies

-2 cups water

-1 Tbsp corn starch

-1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

-1/4 cup rubbing alcohol

-(optional) Essential oils if you don’t like the smell of vinegar

-Empty spray bottle

Step 2:  Mix All Ingredients

Step 3:  Transfer to Spray Bottle

Step 4: Use like any other glass cleaner (Windex, etc.)

The Experiment

I decided to test out the Homemade Glass Cleaner on the dirtiest mirror in our house.  I am pretty sure that my kids had a toothpaste war last night, so…..  Pretty gross.  Just keeping it real here, folks!

And, here is the after!  Perfectly clean with no streaks!

The Breakdown:  Is It Worth It?

In this series, I will evaluate each DIY project by three criterion:

1. Does it Work?
2. Is it Easy?
3. Is it Frugal?

If the answer to any of those questions is “no,” then I don’t think the project is worth it.

Does It Work?

Absolutely!  In my opinion, this DIY product works as well as a purchased one.

Is It Easy?

Yes.  It took me about three minutes to make the Homemade Glass Cleaner, and now I will have it for months to come.

Is it Frugal?

Definitely.  I already had all of the ingredients on hand and only used small amounts of each.  All together, I would estimate that the Homemade Glass Cleaner cost around $.30.  A steal when you compare it to a $4 bottle of Windex.  Plus, the ingredients are nontoxic and healthier for my family!

Final Verdict:  Homemade Glass Cleaner is a quick, frugal DIY project that actually works!

Have you made your own glass cleaner before?  How do you do it?

(Linked to Thrifty Thursday.)