In our tests, we used it to clean an awkward, hard-to-reach garden window and reach over some bushes to easily clean a bay window without needing a ladder. The pole extends four feet, so depending on how tall you are, you will likely be able to reach windows that are 10 to 11 feet or so high. After cleaning, simply rinse the window again with your garden hose and let it air dry. In our tests, we found the water-activated cleaner in the pad cut through and dissolved outdoor dirt and grime.

Place the pad on the pole and wipe the windows. Simply dampen outdoor windows and one cleaning pad with a hose. Second story and hard-to-reach windows are easier to clean without a ladder thanks to this All-in-One Glass and Window Cleaner Tool Starter Kit from Windex. In our last battery of tests, we wiped more than 300 strokes! Here are our top performing window and glass cleaners for 2022. We use black glass because it makes telltale streaks and smudges easier to see. We time how quickly each glass cleaner works, count how many passes it takes to completely clean the glass and - after a maximum number of passes - assess how much residue and streaking is left behind. In the Lab, we apply the cleaners to black glass panels that we’ve smeared with greasy fingerprints, lipstick marks, household dust and other everyday stains (think the toothpaste that you accidentally squirted on your bathroom mirror). To find out which glass and window cleaners are best and to produce helpful window cleaning advice and tips, like the common mistakes to avoid when cleaning your windows, our Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Care and Cleaning Lab experts evaluate multiple brands every year both in the Lab and at home. A good glass cleaner is a must-have in any cleaning arsenal and it should be one that cuts grime quickly and is easy and neat to use. While you might not even notice a little spot on your carpet or fingerprints on a wall, a smudged, splattered, filmy glass surface, mirror or window can be very obvious and bothersome.

We also added information about how we test and answered frequently asked questions on window and glass cleaners.

This story was updated in October 2022 to add new picks, based on testing by the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care and Cleaning Lab.

Full crystal window cleaner