Best-Rated Outdoor Window Cleaners

Compare Outdoor Window Cleaners in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Simple Green, Glitz, 30 Seconds and Wet & Forget were compared on Overall Satisfaction, Effectiveness, Ease of Use, Packaging and Value for Money.

See our Ratings Methodology.

Most Satisfied Customers | Simple Green

Kiwis rate Simple Green No.1 for keeping their windows crystal clean.

 

How we rate outdoor window cleaners

Our review compares outdoor window cleaners on customer satisfaction, so you can discover what other Kiwis think about our compared outdoor window cleaner brands before you go ahead and make a purchase. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest mates which outdoor window cleaner brand they think is best!


Canstar Blue surveyed 379 Kiwis who had purchased and used an outdoor window cleaner in the last 12 months and asked for their feedback on the brand they bought.

  • The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.

Respondents rate their satisfaction with their outdoor window cleaner brands from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:

  • Overall Satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with an outdoor surface cleaner brand as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Effectiveness: the product effectively removes grime and build-up, without leaving water marks.
  • Ease of Use: the window cleaner is straightforward and easy to apply.
  • Packaging: the packaging is informative and aids the cleaner’s application.
  • Value for Money: the cost is low for the quality and performance of the cleaner.

The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall Satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall Satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.

  • Simple Green
  • Glitz
  • 30 Seconds
  • Wet & Forget


Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.

Best outdoor window cleaners in New Zealand

  1. Simple Green
  2. Glitz
  3. 30 Seconds
  4. Wet & Forget

Simple Green

Ratings Results

Simple Green scores exceptionally well in this year’s ratings, earning perfect 5-Star scores across all categories. It’s a feat that’s even more remarkable given that the other three brands in our award ratings manage to attain just one 5-Star rating between them!

Editor’s Notes

Since 1975, Simple Green has been committed to providing high-quality cleaning products with a focus on environmental responsibility and human safety.

Simple Green has one outdoor window cleaner on offer: the Simple Green High Reach Exterior Window Cleaner.

The Simple Green High Reach Exterior Window Cleaner comes in a ready-to-use formula and has a high-reaching Sprayer control so you can wet, wash, and rinse all your glass, leaving a streak-free finish.

The non-toxic formula is safe to use around plants and will leave your windows with a sparkling clean finish. Key features of this product include:

  • Easy hose on application with the ability to reach second story windows
  • Cleans dirt, dust and smudges
  • Easy rinse off using hose-on applicator – no need to squeegee or wipe
  • Non-toxic and septic tank safe

Simple Green’s outdoor window cleaner is available at most home improvement and DIY retailers, including Mitre 10, Bunnings and PlaceMakers.


Glitz

Ratings Results

Glitz comes in second in our 2024 Outdoor Window Cleaner results, earning an impressive 4-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction. The brand also earns 4-Star ratings for Effectiveness and Value for Money, proving that Glitz customers are more than satisfied with their product purchases.

Editor’s Notes

Glitz is an Australian brand that supplies a range of products for all of your cleaning needs. It is available exclusively at Bunnings.

Glitz has one glass cleaner on offer: the Glitz 2L Glass Cleaner. The cleaner leaves glass, windows and mirrors streak free and shining. It helps to prevent fogging and is ammonia free.

It’s suitable for use on glass, windows and mirrors, as well as stainless steel, tiles, porcelain, bench tops, sinks and other hard surfaces.


30 Seconds

Ratings Results

Winner of Canstar Blue’s previous Outdoor Glass Cleaner award, 30 Seconds scores a 4-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction. 30 Seconds is the only brand, excluding Simple Green, to earn a 5-Star rating in any category. The brand earns this 5-Star rating for its effectiveness, showing it remains a Kiwi favourite.

Editor’s Notes

30 Seconds is a manufacturer and marketer of task-specific cleaning products. Formed in the United States in 1977, 30 Seconds opened a independent NZ manufacturing plant in 1993. Its range is now exclusively made in New Zealand and exported across the globe.

30 Seconds Window Wonder Outdoor Glass Cleaner is a fast and easy way to clean your glass surfaces of grease, grime, dust and fingerprints. Key features include:

  • Effortless application with the easy-to-use hose end
  • No squeegeeing or scrubbing required
  • Streak-free formula
  • Able to reach second story windows
  • Suitable for acrylics, aluminium, chrome, glass, granite – sealed, painted wood, plastics, stainless steel, tiles, tinted glass and vinyl

Wet & Forget

Ratings Results

Earning 3-Star ratings in two categories, including for Overall Satisfaction, Wet & Forget comes in at the bottom of our ratings this year. However, the brand still performs well, earning respectable 4-Star ratings in the remaining four categories. And a 3-Star rating is by no means a measure of dissatisfaction, rather it indicates Wet & Forget’s customers are satisfied with the performance and value delivered by their purchases.

Editor’s Notes

Wet & Forget is an iconic brand that was founded right here, in New Zealand. Its range of cleaning products encompasses the whole home, from laundry to garden.

Wet & Forget’s Window Witch makes window cleaning easy as it uses a Reach Nozzle to give you an eight metre reach. Eliminating the need for a ladder. Key features of the outdoor glass cleaner include:

  • A concentrate and garden sprayer in one
  • Citrate water softeners and high performance additives to sheet water from the window, eliminating water spotting
  • Up to 600m² coverage
  • Available as a concentrate or ready-to-use

It’s worth noting that Wet & Forget is the winner of Canstar Blue’s latest Outdoor Surface Cleaners Award. For more on that win, click here!


 

Choosing the Right Outdoor Window Cleaner for You

Outdoor window cleaning needs vary from person to person, depending on how many windows you have, and how often you’re cleaning. But whether you’re cleaning the entire home’s windows, or just removing a couple of fingerprints, one thing is paramount: Effectiveness.

In our survey, 40% of respondents base their outdoor window cleaner purchase on how effectively it cleans and protects, which is almost double those who cited Value for Money.

Here’s the full rundown of what the consumers in our survey say are the main things they consider when rating their outdoor window cleaners:

  • Effectiveness: 40%
  • Ease of Use: 21%
  • Value for Money: 21%
  • Packaging: 18%
  • Environmental Friendliness: 0%

About the editor of this page

This report was edited by Canstar Content Producer, Caitlin Bingham. Caitlin is an experienced writer whose passion for creativity led her to study communication and journalism. She began her career freelancing as a content writer, before joining the Canstar team.

More Information

Thinks the cheaper brands work just as well as the expensive ones: 44%

Always satisfied with the end result: 41%

Chooses products that are environmentally friendlier: 38%

Chooses cheaper generic brands over the expensive brands: 31%

Always purchases the same brand of cleaner: 28%

Pays more for products that come with a better applicator: 21%

Canstar Blue surveyed 2502 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from respondents who had purchased and used an outdoor window cleaner in the past 12 months. In this case, 379 New Zealanders.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.

The past winners from Canstar Blue’s Outdoor Window Cleaner ratings:

  • 2022: 30 Seconds
  • 2021: Wet & Forget

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