Why I’ll Always Keep “Alvin Corn” in My Cleaning Kit

I love inexpensive, simple DIY household cleaners with one giant caveat: they have to work. One of my very favorite homemade cleaners is Alvin Corn. I’ve mixed one up for every bathroom in the house and one for common areas and it’s one cleaning solution I’ll never replace.

Alvin Corn is a homemade glass cleaner that actually works — and works so very well. I first found out about it years ago on Crunchy Betty when she tested several homemade glass cleaners. The funky name of the cleaner (which, let’s be real, is totally part of its charm) alludes to its somewhat surprising ingredients: alcohol, vinegar, and cornstarch.

The vinegar in Alvin Corn helps cut through dirt and grime on the mirrors, the cornstarch acts as a very soft scrubbing agent that dissolves those tricky dried-on bits without leaving any residue, and the alcohol helps the whole concoction dissolve quickly for a streak-free, sparkling shine.

You will need:

• 1/4 c. rubbing alcohol
• 1/4 c. white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 c. warm water
• a funnel

Pour the ingredients directly into a standard spray bottle and shake well.

Before spraying Alvin Corn on your mirrors or glass, shake it well because the cornstarch will settle to the bottom and you want to redistribute it. Then spray onto your glass or mirrors, not too liberally. Wipe with a lint-free cloth, newspaper, or a coffee filter, making sure to buff out all remaining moisture.

The recipe above is the perfect amount of Alvin Corn to fill a standard spray bottle, so mix a batch per spray bottle of glass cleaner you need. Store it as you would most purchased cleaners, directly in the spray bottle, but don’t forget to shake shake shake before spraying.

Upcycle an empty spray bottle or check out these ones with exceptional reviews on Amazon (these are smaller, so split a batch of Alvin Corn between the two bottles) or consider these for a budget option.