Windex is the name of a specific brand of window-cleaning product that is manufactured by S.C. Johnson & Son. The Windex brand also includes cleaners for non-glass surfaces, although it is most widely associated with windows. Windex products typically contain detergents, ammonia, fragrance to moderate the odour of ammonia, and some form of dye.
Windex dates back to 1933, when it was invented by Erich Drafahl. The original Windex had to be sold in metal cans and was highly combustible, but it was reformulated after its first decade, and the formula has continued to be tweaked into the product we know and use today. The product Windex is today manufactured by S.C. Johnson and Son, which acquired it in 1993. Since the invention of Windex, many generic knockoffs and imitators have also been made available.
Windex is generally the top choice for cleaning windows or glass surfaces, because the ammonia and other ingredients enable Windex to clean glass without leaving visible streaks. A standard cleaner used on glass can make the glass clean, but when it dries; streaks will remain where the cloth was used to wipe the glass.
The product also contains smaller amounts of alcohol, as well as detergents for added effectiveness and solvents for stability. Some products also contain fragrances. Windex, many generic knockoffs and imitators have also been made available. The term “Windex” is sometimes used generically to refer to any type of glass-cleaning product.