Yep. It can. Simple as that! Newspaper actually does an amazing job cleaning windows and glass. It works. I’ve tried it and I’ll never use paper towels to clean a mirror or window again. So now that you know that it works {and I totally think you shouldn’t take my word for it, you should try it yourself because it just might amaze you!}, let me tell you the WHY behind it:
Newspapers are basically a bunch of dense fibers smushed together that contain no solid or scratchy materials. Plus, newspaper fibers are more rigid and won’t separate and cause lint residue like some paper towels do. And if you are worried about streaks, don’t be! About 90% of U.S. papers switched from petroleum-based ink to soy-based ink that won’t leave ink or smudges.
All I do is mix up a spray bottle of equal parts water and vinegar, spritz some onto the glass and wipe away using the newspaper. You are left with a perfectly clean, streak-free surface! boom. Store-bought cleaning products are really overrated!
Do you use newspaper to clean glass? If not, what products do you swear by?
Clean on,
~Mavis
This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.
Emma B says
The only thing I use!!! cleans way better than paper towels.
Cheri says
I do use vinegar and water, but I don’t use newspapers. I use lint-free rags, because they are zero-waste and because I don’t have a lot of newspaper around.
Stephanie says
I use the same. Haven’t had newspapers in years and the lint free cloths work so well. It’s green, low cost, and the cloths last for years as long as you hand wash them:)
Lilypad says
I used to use newspaper but since I switched to the online subscription years ago and we no longer have newspaper in the house, I’ve used microfiber cloths.
Lace Faerie says
Yes, me too! I use high quality microfiber cloths for glass. I have one well rung out with hot water for washing and a dry one for bluffing dry. I use it on all my glass, table tops, and windows.
Just remember to never use fabric softener with them. I was and hang dry.
Josh says
My mother taught me about the power of newspapers. Use them on your car windows too.
Rita says
Hi! I’ve used white vinegar and it cleans great but I don’t like the smell. I’ve used straight Coca-Cola and newspaper and it did a wonderful job without the vinegar odor.
Rita says
I forgot to mention that I only use black and white newspaper. I don’t know why. Maybe I heard that the colored news pictures and ads don’t work as well. I wonder if that’s true. I never the the plastic-feeling ad pages either. Can those be used?
Meg C says
I use the Norwex brand window cloth. All I need is a light mist of water and then wipe down my mirrors/widows and they’re the cleanest I’ve ever seen! Prior to my Norwex cloth I did use vinegar/newspaper and it always worked well.
LisaMarie says
Same for me! I love my Norwex! I have purchase any window/glass cleaner in years!
LisaMarie says
Sorry! Have not purschaes products!
Amanda says
I have been looking into norwex. I am a professional cleaner. Have you bought any of there other products?
Lisa Millar says
Yup – newspaper is great for cleaning! We get given newspapers from a friend – leftovers from newspaper delivery service. We have lots of uses for them, and windows is one of them.
Also simply ash, water and newspaper cleans the sooty glass of a wood burning heater extremely well!
Jenny Young says
We’ve used newspaper to clean glass for years now. It really works well on the window of our wood-pellet stove. It works better than anything else getting any burned on creosote off the window.
Lauren says
My Mum always used newspaper, I use a Glass Enjo coth. A bit expensive to purchase but is still going strong 10 ish years later.
It’s a microfiber type cloth and works beautifully without much effort at all.
Denise says
I use good quality microfiber towels and water. They do an amazing job. I wipe the window with a damp one followed by a dry one and I have clean shiny windows in no time flat.
Lauralli says
Coffee filters–the cheapest I can find! I ditched the newspaper idea because I kept getting black ink on my fingers!
Naomi says
I have always used newspaper and the vinegar/water to clean glass. The funny thing is that I learned it at my first job at Bonanza (you know, the steak house)…lol. In high school, I was the opener on weekends and one of the jobs was to clean the front windows. Always thought our boss was just cheap!
Carol says
Newspaper is great, especially for outside. I had to put a teaspoon of dishwashing soap in my initial window cleaning solution of water and vinegar, to get the wax from commercial glass cleaning products off the windows and mirrors. Now it’s just vinegar and water for streak-free cleaning. It’s kind of smelly at first, but the smell rapidly dissipates.
Leslie says
I have an 8 oz spray bottle. I add about a tablespoon each of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, then fill with water. I mist the glass then wipe it down with a chamois. Streak free, every time. If the window is really dirty (like the exterior) I’ll use a soapy rag first.
Karin says
I’ve tried newspaper and it works great on the glass but I found it left black smudges on my white trim. Has anyone else had this problem?
Lea says
We have always done this – my parents did this growing up and we had LOTS of windows in our house!
Funny story: Spring cleaning at church one year where everyone volunteers to clean something and shows up with a variety of cleaning supplies. My mom showed up with a bucket, mop, vinegar, a rag, newspaper and baking soda. They literally didn’t know what do with her so they took her up on an offer to do the big windows on one side of the sanctuary (to the right of the altar). The next day at worship the right windows were nice and sparkly and clean, the left ones were streaky and smudged. My mom’s friend Marilyn came up to her the next Sunday and said she wasn’t able to stand it so she brought newspaper and vinegar with water and cleaned the other side after a meeting in the middle of the week. It was a buzz for YEARS since no one believed that my mom could really clean windows with vinegar-water and newspapers!
Lea
Mavis Butterfield says
Go Mom! I love it.
Faith G. says
If I used the vinegar/water spray and newspaper or coffee filters, could I compost these when done? I don’t know if vinegar would be bad for composting? I could recycle the newspapers if not….