Windex Windex Original Glass Cleaner

Yes. SC Johnson's WhatsInside ingredient disclosure (whatsinsidescjohnson.com) explicitly lists 'Ammonium Hydroxide' — described on the disclosure page as 'commonly referred to as ammonia' — as a cleaning agent. The current US SDS does not list it in Section 3 because the consumer-formula concentration is below the OSHA disclosure threshold for hazardous classification. Both statements are accurate; the chemistry is genuinely there.

No. Ammonia is documented to degrade the adhesive layer in aftermarket adhesive-backed window tint film with repeated use, eventually causing the film to bubble, peel, or haze. Factory-embedded tint (built into the glass during manufacturing, no adhesive) is unaffected. If your car has aftermarket tint, use an ammonia-free glass cleaner like Stoner Invisible Glass or Chemical Guys Streak Free.

OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires GHS classification only when the mixture meets specific concentration thresholds. Windex Original's ammonium hydroxide concentration is below the threshold for a Skin Corr/Eye Dam classification, so the mixture is reported as 'not classified.' This means the labeling is accurate under OSHA, but it doesn't mean ammonia isn't in the product — SC Johnson confirms it is.

Ammonia is documented to degrade hydrophobic glass coatings over repeated applications. If you've treated your windshield with RainX or a ceramic glass coating, do not use Windex Original. Use an ammonia-free product so the coating you paid for or applied actually lasts.

The chemistry is identical — Windex Original is one product marketed for both household and automotive glass. The differences from automotive-specific cleaners are: (1) no automotive-tint warning on the label, (2) typically larger and cheaper bottles, and (3) household-product framing. The performance trade-offs are the same: cuts grease well, but not safe for aftermarket tint or coated glass.