Nicola Roy, a Spare Time writer, tested two budget window cleaning sprays on her grimy kitchen windows to determine which was more effective. Living high up in a flat, she had neglected window cleaning for months, but summer heatwaves made the dirt and fingerprints impossible to ignore.
White Vinegar Spray: A Surprising Disappointment
Roy first used Stardrops White Vinegar Spray, a staple in her cleaning kit that costs around £1.19 from The Range or Wilko. She sprayed it on both sides of the bottom window pane, let it sit for a few minutes, then buffed with a cloth. To her horror, it barely worked. The marks were so stubborn that after one attempt the window looked almost as dirty as before.
She repeated the process three times, eventually removing the grime after about 15 minutes of effort. "White vinegar has never failed me before, and I definitely wasn't expecting this," she said. While effective eventually, it did not meet her expectation of a quick cleaning hack.
Mr Muscle Spray: Instant Results
Next, Roy tried Mr Muscle Window and Glass Cleaner, purchased for £1.99 at Savers (also available at Tesco for £2.50). Applying it to the top pane on both sides, she immediately noticed a difference. "All of those stubborn marks on the glass lifted away within the first wipe, and by the time I'd finished, there was no need to do a second application at all," she reported.
The product has a 4.7 out of five star rating on the Mr Muscle site. One reviewer wrote: "What a remarkable difference! One spray and the dirt wiped off without effort. It comes in a very easy application bottle, spray and wipe. The smell is not too strong. Very good value for the price, this bottle will last long!"
Verdict: Mr Muscle Wins for Speed and Ease
Roy concluded that Mr Muscle was effortless compared to the white vinegar spray, which required three applications and 15 minutes. She plans to use Mr Muscle for the rest of her windows and considers it worth the slightly higher price. "I'll definitely be using it to tackle the rest of my windows in the flat, and it's 100% worth the slightly elevated price tag," she said.
