Households told to wipe their windows with vinegar after 9.19pm

A cleaning hack using two items you may already have at home works “surprisingly well”, an expert says – but you’ll get the best results at a particular point in the day. Homeowners will likely be familiar with the experience of wiping down windows only to find that unsightly streaks have stubbornly decided to stick around.

If you don’t go about it the right way, it can even make them look worse. However, many still swear by a simple solution that only requires vinegar, a newspaper, and a bit of tap water. Allan Reid, uPVC specialist and founder of Art Windows and Doors, says it’s an old-school cleaning hack that has never really gone away. “A lot of people hear vinegar and newspaper and think it sounds a bit old-fashioned,” Mr Reid said. “But there’s a reason people still do it. Vinegar is brilliant for cutting through all the marks and smears that build up on glass, and chances are you’ve already got some in the cupboard.”

He acknowledges that using a scrap of newspaper does sound “a little strange if you’ve never tried it before” but “it works surprisingly well”.

“You don’t get those annoying bits of fluff left behind, and it helps leave the glass looking really clear.”

Mr says it’s a good example of how cleaning doesn’t always need to be complicated.

“Sometimes we convince ourselves we need loads of products for every little job around the house,” he said.

“But this is one of those simple tricks that’s stuck around because it genuinely works. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and most people already have everything they need at home.”

The method involves mixing a bit of white vinegar mixed with water to clean the glass, then using some scrunched-up newspaper to give it a polish after.

Some people swear by it as a means of getting rid of build-ups of grime, watermarks, and fingerprints, whilst also avoiding those annoying streaks you can get after cleaning.

However, Mr Reid recommends not cleaning windows when they’re in direct sunlight. According to Time and Date, sunset today (Tuesday, June 16) is around 9.19pm and around 9.21pm by the end of the month.

After this point, you won’t have to reckon with scorching rays. Though obviously, your windows may have shade cover throughout the day already.

Mr Reid’s other recommendations for keeping windows clean longer also include:

• Wiping away condensation before it has the chance to dry and leave marks behind
• A quick clean of window frames and sills at the same time
• Avoiding using too much product, which is often the cause of streaks in the first place