We all know the time and effort it takes to keep windows dirt free and sparkling. In hot, dry months dust and insects build up on the glass; in cold winter months, rain and sleet streak the glass and wind blows leaves and debris that sticks to them.
All this not only reduces visibility through the windows but also the amount of light they let into the house. And of course, dirty windows affect the overall aesthetic of your house and can make its exterior look downtrodden and unappealing.
But cleaning windows (particularly on multi storey properties) is hard work and time consuming, and employing others to do it for you is expensive. This is where Full Crystal comes in.
It is a window cleaning product that has received a lot of publicity, but does it live up to all the hype? Read on for a full review.
Product Description
Full Crystal window cleaner is a cleaning powder solution and dispenser kit that has been designed to reduce the time and effort needed to keep your windows clean.
The streak and spot free formula eliminates the need for scrubbing brushes and shammy cloths, and the clever spray bottle and pressure nozzle attach to your regular garden hose and can reach heights of up to 27 feet, eliminating the need for wobbly ladders.
It is ideal for those with back problems who aren’t able to get to hard to reach places, and is also great for anyone who doesn’t have the time to spend hours polishing their window glass.
What You Get
When you order this product from Amazon you receive a box containing one 4 oz sachet of Full Crystal powder, one plastic bottle and lid with hose pipe attachment, and one dispenser nozzle. There is a simple instruction pamphlet included in the box which is easy to read and follow.
But be warned - if you buy this product from overseas it DOES NOT INCLUDE CRYSTALS.
Many customers have been highly disappointed after ordering Full Crystal from China and only receiving the spray bottle and nozzle. Be sure to double check your supplier to make sure you get the key ingredient!
Setup
The setup is incredibly straightforward and anyone could do it in a matter of minutes. You simply empty the full sachet of powder into the spray bottle and add water to the line, then stir to dissolve the powder fully to get an even distribution and screw the lid into place.
Now you can attach the whole unit to your regular garden hose and it will maximize the water pressure to allow you to spray further and with more intensity than usual.
The nozzle can be removed to allow the water to reach further and higher, and this is advisable for upper storey windows. If you have a multi storey house you should always begin with the highest windows as the runoff will drip onto lower windows.
Once you have done all your highest windows you can slot the nozzle on the lid (it fits comfortably) and position it in a horizontal angle.
If you want to clean your car, sidings, or garden furniture then the nozzle can be twisted to a vertical position for better accuracy and water control.
Handy Lid Design
The lid has a tiny air hole in the side of the nozzle tube which can be covered over with your finger very simply. This creates a vacuum inside the spray bottle and allows the cleaning solution to be sucked up and sprayed out with the hose water.
By removing your finger and opening the air hole you will get pure hose water without added solution.
This simple design makes switching between cleaning solution and pure water incredibly easy, and means that you can soap and rinse your glass without having to do anything more than move your finger. It is this design feature that really saves time and effort.
Gone are the days of needing separate buckets of soapy and non soapy water, and of switching cloths and hose attachments to get the job done.
The Full Crystal bottle makes soaping and rinsing no trouble whatsoever, and means that you can remove the solution as soon as you’ve applied it for minimal streaking.
Multi Functionality
The makers claim that this window cleaner can be used on more than just windows, and it’s true! Full Crystal does a great job of cleaning cars, garden furniture, window surrounds and sills, shutters, house sidings and any external surfaces you can think of.
However, the most ingenious usage is that it cleans screens at the same time as cleaning the glass behind. Screens gather mosquitoes, dust, dirt and debris all through the year, and you will be amazed at how much dirt runs off them when sprayed with the Full Crystal cleaner.
What’s great is that the water pressure is powerful enough to blast through the screens and clean the glass pane behind in one go, saving time and energy.
Solution Performance
The Full Crystal solution makes the water coming out of your hose look white and soapy when you place your finger over the air hole. It is said to be a spot and streak free formula that does not require any shammying or polishing and can be left to air dry.
All you have to do is wet the window pane with clean water from bottom to top and back, then repeat the same sweep with soapy water, and then rinse with clear water to finish.
This all sounds fantastic, and many customers have been highly impressed with the sparkling results they have achieved. However, the advice about how to achieve these optimum results differs depending on which website to look at.
The box suggests that you should leave the soapy solution on the glass for 1 minute before rinsing, whereas Amazon suggests 20-30 seconds.
To confuse things further, many customer reviews claim that leaving the solution for anytime at all results in streaking, and that you should rinse immediately.
This is what we recommend as well, because the solution is pretty powerful and does not need time to develop to be effective.
Ideal Conditions
It is important to note that to achieve best results the Full Crystal window cleaner should be used in the morning, or when the windows are in shade. This is to prevent the solution from drying too quickly and leaving streaks and spots on your glass.
20 Windows - MAX
The packet suggests that you will be able to clean 20 windows from just one sachet of Full Crystal Window Cleaner, however this is not always the case.
It is actually very difficult to judge how much soapy water to release on each pane, and first time users will likely use more as they get used to the spray bottle and its functionality.
For this reason, it is very difficult to avoid wasting some of the formula and using more than is needed, especially on your first few attempts.
As you only get one sachet per packet there is no way of continuing once all the formula is used, and many customers have found that they have not been able to clean as many windows as the box suggests they will.
We recommend using the soap solution sparingly to begin with, and as you become familiar with the application you will be able to go back to your first windows and see if they need more once you have made sure every window has had some.
Solution Safety
Originally this product was advertised as being completely safe for plants, shrubs and animals, as well as being harmless to skin. However, these claims have since been revised after customers complained about Full Crystal solution being harmful to dogs and cats, and irritating on skin.
The packet now acknowledges that the powder is harmful if swallowed and causes eye to burn, but you should note that hands and arms can start to itch if it gets on your skin.
For this reason we recommend wearing gloves when blasting your windows, and you should always make sure that children and animals are safely out of the way.
What is more, you should rinse your patio and veranda after using this product to remove any residual solution that will inevitably have dripped down. This adds time to your task which is something you should factor in before starting.
Full Crystal Window Cleaner is harmless to grass, plants and shrubs however. This is really handy because it can be very annoying having to navigate window boxes and flowerbeds whilst trying to get a good shine on your windows.
With full Crystal you do not need to worry about runoff landing on your lawn or flower beds because it will not damage your vegetation at all.
Overall Verdict
Full Crystal Window Cleaner is perhaps not the miracle solution that it claims to be, but it certainly gets the job done. We love the easy-to-use and time saving spray bottle, and with the correct application the solution gives great looking results.
