As soon as sunlight hits your windows, it’s easy to see the dirt and grime blocking light, even on dark and gloomy days. There are many expensive and even sometimes harmful chemical cleaners or steam machines, promising to get your windows cleaner than ever. However, they don’t always work particularly well.

Instead, there are homemade window cleaners that are easy to make and as good as, often better than, store-bought products. While white vinegar is a popular natural option, many aren’t a fan of the smell or don’t seem to get great results from it. Alternatively, households should give tea bags a try. Posting on Facebook, Barbara O’Neil raved about the cleaning power of tea on windows.

She wrote: “Forget chemicals! This homemade window cleaner from tea leaves your windows sparkling without streaks—plus, it’s totally natural and super easy to make!”

What you’ll need:

• Two tea bags, used or new
• One cup of boiling water
• Aspray bottle
• A microfibre cloth

The first step is to brew the tea by steeping the tea bags in the boiling water and letting them sit for about 10 minutes, then cool completely. 

Your solution will be most effective if you make it from tea bags that are not totally dried out.

Then transfer the tea into a spray bottle. The tannic acid in black tea “cuts through dirt and grease, leaving windows streak-free”, according to Barbara.

Spray the solution onto windows, mirrors, or any glass surface, and wipe with a microfiber cloth for a “beautiful shine”.

For those who don’t have a microfibre cloth to hand, a dry newspaper is great for wiping down windows.

Black tea is not only great for windows, but it also works great on blinds and floors as well. The natural tannins in the tea refresh the wood.