Standing in front of the shelf, or in front of your own cupboard, wondering which cloth really leaves glass streak-free? Below you can see what each type of cloth does on glass, how to spot a good window cloth, and which set suits the number of windows you have.
Short answer
The cloth decides the result, more than the cleaner does.
Go for a tightly woven microfibre cloth with finely split fibres and a neat edge finish. That cloth picks dirt up instead of moving it around the glass, and it leaves no lint behind. Work with it just damp and go over the pane with a dry side or a second dry cloth. Then nothing is left that can dry into streaks.
Why does the cloth matter more than the cleaner?
Because glass holds on to nothing. The only thing you leave on the pane is whatever was in your cloth.
Glass is a hard surface, and an unforgiving one: every irregularity shows up the moment the light hits it. Grease, dust and mineral residue leave a visible film behind if you clean them the wrong way. The cleaner usually gets the blame, while it is the material in your hand that makes the difference.
The wrong cloth spreads dirt around. A good cloth picks it up and holds on to it until you rinse it out. Change the cloth and the result changes with it, without you changing a thing about your technique.
Which types of cloth are there, and what do they do on glass?
Five types turn up in almost every home. Only one of them is built to pick dirt up.
Not sure which cloth you need? Under windows and mirrors you only find what works here.
| Type of cloth | What it does on glass | Where it goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton cloth or tea towel | Takes up water, feels familiar | Pushes dirt ahead of it and leaves lint that you spot again in backlight |
| Kitchen roll or paper | Dries quickly, and you bin it afterwards | Falls apart on wet glass, leaves fibres behind and creates waste every single time |
| Sponge or dishcloth | Holds a lot of water | Moves the dirty water across the pane instead of taking it up |
| Loosely woven microfibre | Feels soft and is cheap to buy | Loses its shape after a few washes, starts to shed and pill, and it is those loose fibres that cause the streaks |
| Tightly woven microfibre with split fibre | Pulls dirt, grease and moisture inside and holds them until you rinse it out | Does need washing without fabric softener, or it loses its absorbency |
Microfibre is a catch-all word, not a mark of quality. Two cloths that both say microfibre on the label can give a completely different result on glass. Why that split fibre makes the difference is explained in washing windows streak-free: what really works.
How do you spot a good window cloth?
By four things you can see and feel before you have ever put it on glass.
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1
A neat edge finish
Loose or roughly finished edges leave fibres behind. On glass every single fibre is visible the moment the sun is on it.
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2
A high fibre density
Squeeze the cloth: a dense one feels full and springs back. That density decides whether dirt stays in the cloth or ends up on the glass.
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3
Fine enough for glass, soft enough for paintwork
The fibre has to lift the smallest dust particles and fingerprints without leaving micro-scratches on glass, mirrors or painted frames.
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4
Light and easy to handle
Big enough to take a whole pane in strokes, supple enough to reach into the corners and along the edges.
What goes into our cloth?
We make the Wonder Cloth ourselves, so we decide how tight the weave is and how finely the fibre is split. That is exactly where cheap cloths cut corners, because you cannot see it from the outside.
The iZi-Clean Wonder Cloth takes up to 7 times its own weight in moisture and removes 99.9% of bacteria with water alone. You clean with it just damp, no bottle, no rinsing afterwards.
One cloth, warm water and a steady hand. For glass, mirrors and high-gloss surfaces you need nothing more.
Two cloths, two jobs: when do you reach for which?
The Wonder Cloth cleans. The Drying Towel finishes. Together you are done in one pass.
For ordinary glass the Wonder Cloth is enough: clean with it just damp, then go over the pane with a dry side of the same cloth. Fold it over to a clean surface first.
Working on large panes, a patio door or a wet shower screen? Then a second, completely dry cloth is more comfortable. The Drying Towel M, 60 x 40 cm takes up to 800 ml of water, so you finish a whole window in one movement. That is also the step that stops minerals from hard tap water staying behind as a white haze.
How many cloths do you need?
Count on one clean cloth per room, plus a spare for the bathroom.
Carrying on with a cloth that is saturated with dirt or moisture is the most common cause of streaks among people who do everything else right. That is why a stack of clean cloths beats one perfect cloth: you simply reach for a fresh one instead of pushing on with a full one.
Want to try it for yourself first? The starter pack of 4 covers the windows and mirrors of an average flat. Doing the whole house in one go, or sharing a bathroom with a family? Then the value pack of 12 is the logical choice: three packs of four, so you can keep one in the spare room or in the car as well.
Straight to the cloths
The sets most often chosen for glass and mirrors.
- Starter pack, 4 cloths · to try it for yourself first
- iZi-Clean Wonder Cloth, 12 pack · three packs of four, the most popular value pack
- Drying Towel M, 60 x 40 cm · for finishing large panes and the shower screen
- See all Wonder Cloths
What does the right cloth give you?
Less time, fewer bottles in the cupboard, and glass that stays clean longer because there is nothing on it.
A quality cloth lasts dozens of washes without losing its performance. You buy once and use it for years, instead of binning a roll of paper every week. That saves waste and it saves space in your cupboard.
faster cleaning
less spent on cleaning products every year
from more than 15,000 reviews via Trustpilot, Judge.me and WebwinkelKeur
of our customers are completely happy
How to keep your cloth in shape for years
Leave two things out and the cloth keeps doing what it promises.
Wash at 40 degrees, on its own or with the same colours.
No fabric softener and no bleach. Softener fills the spaces between the fibres with a greasy layer, and then the cloth takes up nothing at all.
Not in the tumble dryer. High heat damages the fibres. Drying on the line is enough.
Washing with iZi-Wash Sheets leaves no residue in the fibres. Soak a new cloth for 15 minutes in lukewarm water and rinse it well, and it takes up moisture at full strength from the very first use. Not sure about a care label? Have a look at our frequently asked questions.
Frequently asked questions about cloths for cleaning windows
Which cloth is best for windows?
A tightly woven microfibre cloth with finely split fibres and a neat edge finish. It picks dirt up instead of moving it around, and it leaves no lint on the glass.
Is every microfibre cloth suitable for glass?
No. Microfibre is a catch-all word, not a mark of quality. A loosely woven cloth loses its shape after a few washes, starts to shed and pill, and it is those loose fibres that cause streaks on glass.
Should the cloth be wet or just damp?
Just damp. Plenty of people make the cloth far too wet, so water residue dries on and leaves marks. With a damp cloth you loosen the dirt and take it up straight away.
Why do I need a second dry cloth?
For finishing large panes and wet surfaces. That second cloth gives you maximum clarity and stops minerals from hard tap water staying visible on the glass. On an ordinary window a dry side of the same cloth does the job.
How do I keep lint off my windows?
Choose a cloth that is tightly woven and neatly finished, and keep kitchen roll and cotton tea towels off glass. Every fibre left behind shows up in backlight.
When should I switch to a fresh cloth?
As soon as the cloth is saturated with dirt or moisture. Pushing on with a full cloth is the most common cause of streaks. Rinse it under the tap or pick up a clean one.
How many cloths do I need?
Count on one clean cloth per room, plus a spare for the bathroom. Four cloths cover an average flat, twelve if you do the whole house in one go.
How long does a cloth like this last?
Dozens of washes without losing its performance, as long as you wash it at 40 degrees without fabric softener and keep it out of the tumble dryer. That is how it holds on to its absorbency.
Do I still need a glass cleaner?
For ordinary dirt, no. The cloth loosens the dirt and takes it up, so warm water is enough. Products with a shine agent leave a layer behind that attracts dust all over again.
Can I use the same cloth on large panes?
Yes. The cloths are light and easy to handle, so they work on windows at home just as well as on large office panes and patio doors.
Join the iZi-Clean community
Streak-free clean with water alone, along with more than 300,000 households.
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