What is Windex?
Windex is the brand name of a glass and hard-surface cleaner since 1933. S. C. Johnson acquired Windex in 1993 and has been manufacturing it since. Ammonia along with various other chemicals help to fight kill germs and bacterias leaving while leaving a shiny, streak-free window.
Scientific Name and Chemical Formula
Ammonia’s chemical formula is, NH3. Windex itself does not have a chemical formula. However, it does consist of multiple chemicals mixed together. Windex composes of:
- Water
- 2-Hexoxyethanol
- Isopropanolamine
- Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate
- Lauramine Oxide
- Ammonium Hydroxide
Ammonium Hydroxide and ammonia are very similar, the only difference is that ammonium hydroxide contains water and ammonia does not. In simple terms, ammonium hydroxide is the liquid form of ammonia which is a gas.
Chemicals in Windex
Water = H2O
2-Hexoxyethanol = C8H18O2
Isopropanolamine = C18H29NaO3S
Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate = C3H9NO
Lauramine Oxide = C14H31NO
Ammonium Hydroxide = H5NO
Ammonia = NH3 (1 nitrogen + 3 hydrogen)
Physical Properties
- Liquid
- Blue in colour
- Transparent
- Low viscosity
- Very strong odour (smells like sweat, urine and cleaning products)
- Chemical can be dissolved in water (soluble)
- Boiling point of -33.35 °C
Chemical Properties
- Reacts with hydrochloric acid to produce ammonium chloride
- Reacts with oxygen to make nitrogen monoxide and water
- Chemical is not flammable
Windex - Ammonia 