I have this mirror in my home that hangs up on the wall above the couch. This mirror is rather large and is an, all around, great mirror. It’s simple and helps my small house look bigger.

 

Plus, it was free. Someone had put it out for the trash and my husband picked it up. Great find! However, there is a downside to this mirror: the smudging. You would think that because the mirror is above the couch, that it would never have a smudge on it… you are wrong.

 

I have this dog, his name is Thor, and he likes to chase flies. These flies are constantly landing on the mirror, leading Thor to jump up and smash his drool face into the mirror. I’m telling you, this dog is half Kangaroo, and has ups like you wouldn’t believe.

 

 

Now as a stay at home, I have more time to do things, like tackle the drool smears on the mirror. Plus, I’m on this journey towards using less toxic cleaners in my home, so Windex is out. I didn’t have anything else, so it was time to whip up some DIY glass cleaner. I did some research and this is what I came up with.

 

Related: DIY Dryer Sheets With or Without the Vinegar

 

DIY Glass Cleaner Recipe

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup rubbing alcohol

1/4 cup white vinegar 

1 tbs corn starch

20 drops lemon essential oil

 

 

This recipe is wonderful. My mirror looked better than it ever had. It came with some scratches and smudges that I’ve never been able to get off. Of course, the DIY glass cleaner did not get rid of the scratches, but it did eliminate the smudges that I thought were permanently on there.

 

I know what you are thinking, “Cornstarch? That’s weird.”

 

I thought so too. Everyone who used it, on the internet,  said it really worked well for them, so I wanted to give it a try. I agree that it does work really well, better than the same recipe without it, but there is one drawback. After you’ve cleaned the surface and everything is dry, there is,  sometimes, a very thin layer of white power left.

 

I didn’t even notice it at first, but it happened to a couple of surfaces that I used this spray on. I took a paper towel, wiped off the residue and the mirror was even more sparkly than before.

 

If you don’t want to deal with having to wipe the mirror a second time because of the dry cornstarch, the recipe does just fine without it. If you want that extra umph and extra shine, then leave it in.

 

 

Other Materials I Used

 

I put the cleaner in glass bottles that I bought off of Amazon. I can reuse these bottle, plus they are safe to use with essential oils. Did you know that certain oils, can eat away at plastic?

 

I found the cute chalkboard labels at a craft store and wrote on it with a gold sharpie. These types of labels can also be found online. I used a waterproof label to put the recipe on the back of the bottle.

 

This helps me make the cleaner again once it is all gone. I’ve raved about these water and oil proof labels before, but they are seriously amazing; especially if you are labeling DIY essential oil products.

 

The oils can easily ruin any other label. (See other projects I did with these labels here). 

 

I also wanted to mention that I did use this cleaner on my stainless steel and it worked just as well on that surface. Just don’t plan on firing up your stove anytime soon after cleaning, considering there is alcohol in the mix.

 

 

 

Need More Help Cleaning?

 

If you are new here you may not know that I have a ton of resources to help you be a productive homemaker, while keeping things as simple as possible. 

 

I have many blog posts that you can read, I’ll leave those below. 

 

In addition to the blog, I can help you with starting a cleaning routine and decluttering your home. 

 

If clutter is your problem, I suggest checking out my Declutter Handbook: How To Declutter Your Whole House In Your Own Time. 

 

 

You may also want to consider my Free 3 – Day Challenge, Declutter Your Bedroom In 3 Days!

 

 

If you are interested in starting a cleaning routine you can read my free ebook, How A Cleaning Routine Can Simplify Your Life. I also have many free printables to help you stay on track with your homemaking. 

 

I hope you find at least one of these resources helpful. Thanks for stopping by. Come back anytime. 🙂 

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