The best way to clean the inside of a windshield is to dampen the wiping pad with cleaner spray, then use an articulated cleaning tool and circular strokes to wipe the windshield. Finally, finish wiping the glass using vertical strokes and wipe down the dashboard with a microfiber cloth.
To achieve a spotless and streak-free interior windshield, follow these steps:
- Clean the exterior windshield;
- Clean the interior windshield with dry microfiber;
- Degrease the interior windshield;
- Polish the interior windshield.
To clean the inside of a car windshield, you will need a microfiber towel, glass cleaner, and rubbing alcohol. Follow these steps to increase visibility:
- Dampen the towel with clean water and wipe down the inside of the windshield. This should remove most of the off-gassing residue.
- Use a Magic Eraser and ammonia-free glass cleaner to scrub stubborn haze.
- Mix warm water with dishwashing liquid and add a few drops of vinegar. Wipe the windshield down with a clean, dry microfiber cloth to remove dirt.
- Apply a bit of rubbing alcohol to remove stubborn haze.
- Mix one part of vinegar and two parts of water in a spray bottle and spray it onto the inside of the windshield.
In summary, the best way to clean the inside of a windshield is to follow these steps:
- Dampen the wiping pad with cleaner spray;
- Use an articulated cleaning tool and circular strokes to wipe the windshield;
- Finish wiping the glass with vertical strokes and wipe down the dashboard with a microfiber cloth. Avoid using harsh chemicals or harsh cleaning agents, as they can cause streaks and smears.
📹 The Easiest Way To Clean The Inside of Your Windshield (No Streaks!)
What’s included: ○ PDF Cleaning Guides (New Guides Added Weekly) ○ Get access to Patron-exclusive Community Chats to …
Why is it so hard to clean the inside of a windshield?
The release of oils from vinyl and plastic materials when heated causes them to adhere to the glass, rendering the removal of interior windshield streaks a challenging endeavor. While the washing of an oily windshield presents a significant challenge, it is nevertheless possible to remove the residue and maintain a clean windshield.
How do you deep clean the inside of a windshield?
To maintain a clean windshield, use an auto-specific glass cleaner and avoid ammonia-based cleaners that can damage vinyl, leather, and tint. Swap out dirty towels and use up-and-down wiping motions to dry windows completely. If you’re struggling with road visibility due to grease and grime, consider a windshield cleaning to ensure clear visibility. Cleaning the interior of your windshield every couple of weeks can eliminate dirt, smudges, and residue, enhance visibility, reduce accident risk, and improve the defrosting process by removing condensation and fog.
How do I get the foggy film off the inside of my windshield?
Windshield haze is a harmful oily coating that can cause visibility issues even on clear days. To remove it, you can use a simple DIY solution of white vinegar and water. Aerosol glass cleaner is a popular choice for clearer windshields, while magic erasers, ammonia-free glass cleaners, and rubbing alcohol can also help. The best bet for removing windshield haze is to use a 10% vinegar to water ratio, which can be adjusted based on the severity of the haze. This DIY approach can help you remove the haze without damaging your windshield. Remember to choose the right tools and products to ensure a clear windshield.
How do you remove residue from inside windshield?
The Magic Eraser is recommended for cleaning glass due to its efficacy in removing residue. The product should be dampened and then submerged in warm water. It should then be used in a circular motion. Once the cleaning process is complete, the area should be promptly dried with a microfiber cloth.
What will take haze off of inside windshield?
To clean a dashboard, one may choose to spread a towel over it, spray streak-free glass cleaner on a cloth rag, or alternatively, mix water and vinegar. The application of a defogger will serve to reduce the haze on the glass. In the event that the glass does not come off, it would be advisable to engage the services of a professional car detailer.
Why is the inside of my windshield so streaky?
Strains and smudges on car windows can be caused by insufficient cleaning product, incorrect cleaner, or incorrect microfiber cloth. To prevent streaks, use a car glass cleaning spray like Hybrid Solutions Interior Mist or Dash and Glass, which prevents streaks and filmy residues. Cleaners with a Flarisol trigger, like Interior Mist, provide even coverage and control for a flawless finish. A thin, edgeless microfiber towel is essential for glass surfaces, as thicker, fluffied cloths leave behind lint, making cleaning more difficult.
To achieve a streak-free finish, use two separate microfiber towels: one to wipe away dirt and grime and one to buff out the finish, preventing excess product and soils from streaking or smearing the windows and auto glass.
What causes film on the inside of a windshield?
Smoke and airborne contaminants can cause a film on your windshield, creating a layer of residue on the glass surface. This common issue can be distracting and dangerous when driving on cloudy days. Understanding the causes of this issue can help prevent it, keeping your view clear and allowing you to drive safely. This guide explains the causes of film on the inside of car windows, provides ways to prevent it, and identifies when professional help should be sought. The film develops on the inner windshield region due to various factors, and identifying these causes is crucial for effective prevention and control.
How do I get fog off my windshield inside?
To defog your car windshield, follow these seven tips:
Turn up the heat in your car: Increase the heat in your car to accelerate the defogging process by causing moisture on your windshield to evaporate more quickly. This is due to the laws of thermodynamics.
Use your car’s air conditioner: Use your air conditioner to defog your windshield by setting it to the lowest setting and pointing the vents towards it. The colder air temperature will cause moisture on your windshield to condense, making it easier to wipe away.
Crack your windows: Crack your windows, wipe your windshield with vinegar, use a hairdryer, use an anti-fog solution, or use baking soda.
By following these tips, you can effectively defog your windshield and enjoy a clear winter day on the open road.
📹 How to Super Clean the INSIDE of Your Windshield (No Streaks)
Learn to Clean the Inside of Your Windshield. I show you the 3 step method to clean the inside of your windshield so there is no …
I quite literally did this yesterday to my mom’s car before she went on a weekend trip. I wish this had been posted 24 hours ago. I would’ve used straight alcohol and better quality towels. I used my diy cleaner with Dawn and alcohol and a stack of cheap Amazon basics microfiber towels. It worked perfectly well, but it took forever to dry up all the moisture and buff the streaks. Next time, I’ll do it this way and save myself the back pain.
Yes and yes. Excellent suggestions! Only thing I might add is that if you have a lot of buildup from degassing of the plastics in the car like the dash and trim pieces, you’ll end up with an oily plastic byproduct coating it. Window cleaner usually won’t touch that, and isopropyl ends up making the scrubbing/buffing process for that 2nd towel take much longer than necessary because it’s not QUITE powerful enough. If that’s the case, using either a heavy-duty degreaser (Super Clean, etc) or a great dish soap (like Dawn, consumer or pro versions) will make really quick work of that film and it can be easily wiped away. I use acetone personally, because it’s even quicker and easier, but that’s a big risk because it can damage the trim permanently quite quickly, so thats a “use at your own risk” product for this. Also, i find that getting a windshield tool like they have at the auto parts store really helps a lot, and if you open the door and stand OUTSIDE the car while using it instead of sitting in one of the seats, the uncomfortable arm contortions are kept to a minimum. It’s way more comfortable in my opinion, especially when you’re doing detail work all day for a living like myself. Gotta keep your body in as good shape as possible for that job, as you well know in yours! Regardless, this is a GREAT guide to the basics, and I’m so glad to see someone promoting the two towel method and isopropyl alcohol. Those are mainstays in my line of work, and it’s refreshing to see someone get the correct information out.
After my mom passed away, I got her car. No matter what I did, the windshield was always dirty. Looking up guides and perusal this article, I realized a few things that my dad told me was wrong. My dad told me that I should be using paper towels, or ideally, newspaper. Everything I’ve looked up since tells me that’s completely wrong and your article confirms that I should be using microfiber cloth. Thanks for this article. I have a good feeling about my windshield now.
I’ve tried so SO many things for the inside of a windshield before (including this method) and the only thing that works 100% of the time is treating it like you’re washing up a glass in your sink. Just use whatever detergent you use to do the dishes, warm water and a sponge. You don’t want the sponge sopping wet obviously but you do want enough detergent/water in it to cut through all the grime. Then you dry and buff with a microfiber towel. Absolutely zero streaks or haze every single time. I do like the towel on the dashboard idea though because when you’re doing the dry and buff step you can’t let it touch the dash.
I’ve tried so many things for the inside of the glass and they have all failed. Why? Because most of the hazy film on the inside of the windshield is off-gassing from the petroleum based finishes in the car, like the dash. I don’t know why I didn’t think of alcohol. That should cut right through it. Ironically, so does plain water. You can wet a microfiber towel with water so that it’s barely moist, wipe, and everything is gone. However, it does come back within a week. No matter how old your car is, if it has a plastic based dash, it will off-gas petroleum vapors. I can’t think of a single “normal” car that doesn’t have a plastic based dash. Maybe some of the super high-end cars don’t, but few drive those. Have a hazy windshield and have to drive into the morning or late evening sun? You can’t see anything. Still difficult to see with a clean windshield, but it’s not nearly as horrible. In this case, driving into the sun is dangerous, and is made worse by window haze. I’ll give he alcohol a try!
I have always tried to clean windows in good sunlight. You need to dry it quickly but at least you can see all the streaks. I use detergent for an initial wash, water with a drop of vinegar to rinse and prevent water marks. I used to use endless amounts of paper towels being careful to avoid scratching the glass but you can wash and dry microfibre cloths so I will give those a go. I notice you wore gloves! Great way to avoid grease from your fingers going onto the cloths and windows!! Thanks.
Two things I find work well for me: first, never clean your windows in the sun ANYTIME. Second, I live in northern Canada, so it gets pretty cold in winter. Even if it is pretty cold out, you can use -35° (winter) windshield washer fluid in a spray bottle to clean your interior windows, especially the windshield. Do not spray cold fluid onto a warm window as the different temperatures may cauase the glass to shatter; best to clean, then warm. I’ve been doing this for many years with no streaks either. One day I had to clean my semi’s cab windows, but there was no “glass cleaner” available. So, a clean windshield being a must, I just used the WW fluid. I’ve been doing it ever since. Cheers.
Will try it today…one of the most challenging things to attempt is cleaning glass, especially a windshield, and getting it streak- and smudge-free. Where do you obtain the Spray Away and do you wash the cloths in the laundry rather than by hand? I just wonder if laundry product residue causes streaking
I have found through long experience, NOT to use spray on cleaners of any type. I use one clean rag using hot water to clean and one clean rag to wipe dry. It takes several applications to “train” your window(s), but lasts for months. Microfiber rags are nice, but leave a thin film of microfiber particles when viewed in certain lights. Probably better than cotton rags though unless you have repeatedly used the cotton rags hundreds of times and used them only for washing windows. When in a car wash or detail shop, do NOT let them clean the insides of the windows or you will have to start over again in training your windows.
Not trying to be a critical Karen, but wanted to mention aresoling alcohol isn’t a great idea in a small space. Especially someone who has asthma. Maybe putting on the towel. Love your website. Again I’m not trying to be a a$$. Just don’t want anybody to have any issues. I had a friend that was doing alcohol ink art and had a bad reaction from spraying alcohol.
I’ve done this and it works great! Another great use of the alcohol in a spray bottle is insect killer. When the weather is nice and we sit on the porch in the evenings we each have a bottle! If a gnat or mosquito drifts by, spray it and it immediately drops to the ground. We also use it on stink bugs and other pests. I also have a bottle by the kitchen sink for any gnats or fruit flies. The only thing we have found that it damages is finished wood so we avoid that.
Ouuuf ta…. that alcohol mist right after spraying… I suggest backing out for just a few seconds and allow it to fall on the towel, rather than your eyes or breathe it in. Besides that, I will try your suggestion, because I just did mine with the stuff at the gas station and they are not clean, very frustrating. Thank you!
You have very pleasant presentation qualities 👍 I also like the additional contribution of the comments below, some good ones. I love clean windshield. I hate hate hate this job. So optimizing the effort is key. So consider also: -Clean the easier outside, prior to working so hard on that inside glass, -In the presence of any Sun heat at all, never use 90% alcohol – because it dissipates so quickly, almost no time to act as a solvent on nasties – also streaks always. The more common 50% or 70% are preferable because water in the alcohol provides more time to act as solvent on the nasties, before it evaps. -On inside glass, my in-flexible hands are always defeated by the diabolical angles of glass, reducing my pressure and contact surface area – I’m not Gumby (so I frequently have my wife do the inside). **But you’re wearing those clean, high friction gloves – those dramatically increase my ability to apply my cleaning cloth.
There used to be some company that made a device with an extension arm and pad for cleaning the inside of the window. I was a great idea, but made out of flimsy plastic that broke after a couple of uses. If anyone knows of similar product, please let me know. I have a minivan and I can’t even reach the bottom of the windshield.
“cleaning the inside of your windshield can… be… tricky…” oh?? can it??? can it ‘be tricky’?! I had no idea! even when I decided to search youtube for help!! super grateful you let us know that it can be tricky before anything else, just so we all know what we are getting into – otherwise I’d have been in WAY over my head by the time I even found a towel to use * (sincere note to the creator, if they happen to read this: angry sarcasm not really directed at you specifically – if anything it’s the culture of ‘how-to’ articles that waste time on commentary, trivia, marginally useful/ entirely useless info, even ads and like/sub calls-to-action before anything practical… though admittedly well restrained here. moreso than that principled criticism is just my misdirected frustration with the actual task. wasn’t trying to hurt your feelings. ok, little how-to guy, hope you feel better now – go run along and play in the yard or make some more articles or something)
I’m a boater and a few years ago a friend showed me how to use a Magic Eraser to remove deposits and stains from my fiberglass boat hulls. The results simply blew me away! Absolute best product I’ve ever used for cleaning fiberglass! Never tried it on glass but now I will. Thanks for turning me on to it!
Excellent article!! If you do exactly everything that he is telling us, not only will all of your interior windows be crystal clear…you will no longer dread the process because you know how to get’er done and it takes less time with practice! FYI, Microfiber towels can only be washed with other microfiber towels and do not use fabric softener! I divide my microfiber towels into 2 loads…one load, dirty…other load, towels used for glass cleaning.
Yeah that’s exactly what I was about to say when you showed how to clean that window you don’t put anything on the dash to stop the microfiber towel from getting the oily protectant on it. So glad you mentioned it later. Also many people have 10 on their front window inside windows I don’t know what state you live in but these articles you make should apply to everybody. I’m surprised there’s not many people that don’t know how to clean the windshield but evidently there are so on their behalf thank you.
Thanks for the great article and tips. A mistake I used to make when washing micro fiber towels was adding fabric softener to the rinse water; WRONG – once I stopped using fabric softener, all smears disappeared. It pays to read the washing instructions on the attached tag before cutting it off the towel.
from the absolute bottom of my heart, thank you Chris for making automotive care easy to understand even for women who have been intimidated by the idea of car care and car upkeep, because of you I have been able to do my own drum brakes and be absolutely confident at what I am looking at, you’ve spurned me on to take care of my car properly – if you’re not a mechanic teacher you really should be you’re wonderful at explaining how to do things and the reasons behind why things happen in a way that is easy to digest
Stellar article, Chris. There’s a difference between “telling” and “teaching”, and this was teaching at its finest.The background info, the structure, the pacing, the flow, the content and the demonstrations all worked seamlessly together to deliver a superb instructional article. Plus, your voice’s tone, timber and pitch are eminently listenable to … the icing on the cake. Great work … You da man!
I spent $6 on a spray bottle of a windshield cleaner at Auto Zone. It left streaks and smears. It was useless. Out of frustration, I went out to the car with some paper towel and a 89 cent bottle of rubbing alcohol. It worked perfectly. It dissolved what ever was on the windshield, and left no streaks. Worked so well I went ahead and did all the windows.
Thanks so much for your tutorial! I was driving at nighttime this past week. There were greasy smudges on the inside of my windshield – especially in the hard-to-reach area. I was blinded by the lights from oncoming traffic. I wasn’t sure how to get the windshield crystal clear.Your backhand method for reaching the tight area is great!
I can’t even express how AMAZING this process works!! Our windshield was SO filthy that we thought it was actually damaged and we were looking into getting a new one but after my husband saw your article he wanted to give it one more shot at getting it clean. The results were nothing short of a miracle!! We literally drove with our mouths hanging open!!! Thank you for this AMAZING article!!!!
I’m 70 and thought I saw it all but NOOOO! I did it and smiled the entire time. No clay bar, used the magic eraser outside n inside. It’s great. When I was finished, and smiling, I took the eraser to the fogged over plastic headlight lenses. Yep it worked great. They were sanded about 3 years ago and the ME took all the new degraded plastic off. Thanks
Steps list so you don’t have to watch the whole thing. 1. Microfiber cloth (or paper towel) dry clean the whole windshield. 2. Use Magic Eraser, dunk in warm water, ring it out, clean windshield. 3. Make sure to dry drops from magic eraser to prevent liquid from damaging dashboard. 4. Dry off with microfiber towel completely. 5. Spray glass cleaner on (new) microfiber towel then clean windshield as normal BONUS: Circular motions at first, flip towel, then go straight up and down to avoid getting streaks! BOOM
Mr Fix. Great article. Thank you for sharing. I think you might have gone a little extreme suggesting that if the microfiber touches the dash you have to start with a new one, but I agree with your overall concept. I would add to that to remind people that if they wash and reuse their microfiber, do NOT use fabric softener. It causes the same problem. It deposits oils in the cloth to keep them soft which will also make them streak. Newsprint is another great way to clean glass if you finish it off with a clean microfiber.
this method offered up by ChrisFix worked AWESOME!!! I had the WORST film on my inside windshield from defrost/auto body repair, and couldn’t get the film off at all! The haze made it so bad that visibility in sun-glare was 00! Chris’s method (used Mr Clean Magic Eraser method) was the key! follow the easy steps to the T… and you will not be disappointed!
I know I’m almost 7 years late to the party, but this is a great explanation of why the interior of your windshield needs love too. I will add one modification to the process that I’ve found to be even better. Over the years I’ve noticed that many microfiber towels leave microfiber lint on the glass when you clean it. Since microfiber is actually a polyester blend the fibers are only about 1/3 the thickness of a cotton fiber, they love to stick to glass and refract light. When I clean auto glass I exclusively use cotton terry cloth towels. I make sure they are clean and fold them into 1/4s so I can use a clean section for each fourth of the windshield. If you do this regularly you don’t even need alcohol or mr clean magic erasers, just glass cleaner and clean terry towels.
3:05 A great alternative to your back hand method, especially for those who might not be physically able to do that, is to use a wooden paint mixing stick. If you fold your microfiber cloth in half, and then in half again, but this time having the cloth between the layers of cloth, point the stick towards the glass, not parallel, you will have an easy way to reach deep down towards where the glass and dash meet. When doing your final step on the interior, use a vertical wiping pattern, then on the exterior glass, for your final step, use a horizontal wiping pattern. This will allow you to see which side of the glass has the streaking, and it makes it super easy to remove, even in daylight.
I was just thinking yesterday “I wish I knew how to get the inside of my windshield really clean.” Having been driven to distraction with the glare of headlights at night through my dirty, streaky windshield I have sworn off driving at night except when absolutely necessary. It is just dangerous. I worried about hitting a pedestrian or bike rider dressed in dark clothing as I have come close to doing just that and it scared the hell out of me. Then today, as if by magic, this article popped up in my recommended YouTube feed. Felt like I had won the windshield cleaning lottery. Thank you so very much!
Thanks Chris for the super article and tips. I recommend laying a towel on the dash, that way you don’t have to worry about the droplets hitting the dash. But this is somewhat of a pain to deal with where the windshield meets the dash. Hope you got that windshield chip fixed otherwise a clean windshield is not going to be your biggest visual driving problem.
The dealership I worked at c.1980, salesmen decided to use “Armorial” on the demonstrators (cars) in showroom and use. What we found out was that the “protective” spray would lead to CRACKED surfaces if the spray was not used thereafter every month or so. Also, on the body, the salesmen had a habit of placing sales material (books, papers, etc.) on the hood while talking to customers. They had to stop that as everything would slide off to the floor. 😊 It did not take long for them to stop.
i tryed this then did my head lights. then my alloys…then my airvents… id been out there 3 days,,my wife phoned paramedics..they took me away ocd…my doctor called at house took all my microfibre cloths away..i get out in three months…but i keep cleaning the hospital mirrors and windows …its gona be 6 they wreckon ……
The Mr. Clean pad left white smears all over that took forever to clean off. My microfiber towels left tiny microfibers all over the windshield that I couldn’t even rub off with my fingers. So I went back to paper towels to scrub all that off. Cleaning the inside of the windshield, and all the acrobatics required to get to all the spots, is always a pain in the butt. Not even ChrisFix can make it a pleasant task, but thanks for the article.
I dig everything you share and I learn something every time I watch your articles! I’m the guy who takes care of my vehicles obsessive to include my airplane and Harley. I just finished perusal the inside and outside windshield articles and I had never used the alcohol or magic erasers. Thanks for taking the time to make and share your experience. It’s refreshing to see a young man taking care of his vehicles who knows his stuff!!! If I may share how I get the bottom and top tight areas of the interior windshield is to use a swab tip and cleaning rod from my gun cleaning kit. It works well for me! Keep it up and thanks again.
Just tried this with rubbing alcohol and paper towels and wow did it work great! Thank you! The streaks inside my car were driving me crazy. I’m sure if I had the microfiber towels and did everything the way you did I’ve had zero streaks. But for my paper towel, alcohol and glass cleaner technique making it 95% streak free I’ll take it!
LOVE your article Chris! Congratulations on all of your Subscribers, Likes & Comments! Well deserved! With all of the comments you receive I don’t imagine you’ll see this but I have to try to see if you might be able to answer a question for me regarding the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser…Does it have to be the Kitchen Scrubber w/Dawn or can a regular Mr. Clean Magic Eraser be used & provide the same amazing results? I know you addressed the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works best but I may as well ask: would the Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol 70% would give a quality result in a pinch? Thanks for the knowledge! Keep up the great work!
I recently moved to an area with hella pine trees and I cant (legally) park anywhere that isn’t under a tree. Therefore, I get little drops of sap all over the windshield, roof, trunk, and hood. The drops harden over night too, so it’s very hard to remove these hard sticky spots. Any tips to remove sap?
my car is at the garage and they gave me an other one while waiting for mine to be repaired… couldn’t see shit thought the windshield… cleaned it…. son, you should have seen the paper towel. black. pure black. I hate to drive a nasty car. even if it’s not mine, if I’m gonna drive it a week or two, I have to (super) clean it. thanks for the vid Chris, I like to watch them again regularly to remind all the tricks
I was shocked at how brown my magic eraser turned after cleaning even AFTER I wiped down with Zep. Unbelievable. I had to do the back window twice since I never clean it, which really shows how much that off gassing builds up after time. Shocked. I am always wondering why why why. You dropped some knowledge!
One thing he failed to mention, never attempt to clean your glass in direct sunlight. Chances are if you’re using a liquid solution, it will dry before you can use a dry towel to dry the window. Actually, I have found a much easier and cheaper method to clean my auto glass: hot water, ammonia and newspaper. Instead of using a microfiber cloth, which does work very well, I have used a wet terry cloth towel to apply my window cleaner. Yes you will need very hot water so you might need to use rubber gloves as well. Wring out the terry cloth towel until it is damp but not soaking wet. You should be able to see where you were wiping by the water left behind.. Then dry your glass using newspaper. You can actually google this, but the ink in the print on the newspaper is an excellent cleaner and it won’t leave streaks on your window. This is a tried and true method I have used for years as I do a lot of highway driving and often drive at night. I always clean my glass inside and out before taking a road trip. Try this method and take a drive at night to see just how well this method for cleaning your auto glass really works.
Bro! Thank you so much for this! I did this on my brothers 07 Corolla last night. And it worked so well I also did it to my 2020 Corolla and 06 Legacy! Worked beautifully! Now I keep magic eraser in stock 🙂 thank you again for always producing easy to follow diy with crystal clear audio/video and overall just great teacher! Wish you nothing but the best!!!
Tried this out. A few thoughts: 1. He’s absolutely right about not letting the magic eraser liquid dry on the glass. I found it best to do a section of the window and then immediately wipe dry. 2. That said, I was having a hard time using microfiber cloths to do this. They just weren’t absorbing the liquid fast enough and I wound up with lots of streaks. However, it’s possible I ruined mine by washing them improperly. I’ve heard that liquid laundry detergents can interfere with moisture wicking in athletic clothes; could be the same for these types of towels. Fabric softeners will do the same, though I didn’t use any on my towels. Anyway, just stick with paper towels; they’ll work fine for this part. 3. Early morning or afternoon are great times to do this. Low-angle sunlight will show those greasy streaks just as well, if not better, than bright lights at night. Just park somewhere the sun will be in your eyes and have at it. Good luck! Edit: Yup, ruined my microfiber by washing them with cotton towels and probably also by putting them in the dryer. Apparently the lint clogs up the fibers and heat damages them. Lesson learned for next time.
My father showed me and my brother this technique back in the 60’s. Including the rear palm up trick. We used well crumbled black and white newsprint (NO COLOR) from the Daily News. Same technique as in article. The news print ink has something that really cleans the cigarette grime, plus the 70% alcohol cleaning cleaned a few brain cells. The circular motion 1st and then up and down is key. Easy peasy. To this day I hate driving in a car that has dirty windows. The vehicle’s windows must sparkle. Safety First. Thanks Dad and ChrisFix. Dad was anal on tire pressure as well. Every road trip or Sunday drive was a clean car, sparkled windshield, oil check, full tank of fuel and the mandatory psi tire check. He said it’s where the rubber meets the road and tires cost money.
Nice article, yeah micro fiber is the best. By th way, there’s no cleaner in those magic eraser, and water don’t “activate it”. they are super microfiber sponge that’s all. The water is just to help it slide on the surface ( other wise it does not slide a easily and don’t work as well. We use magic eraser all the time. they work suoer fine on smooth surface but as good not on textured surface. Cleaning your shower door with those Eraser make a huge difference to get rid of water stain. I’m going to clean my windshield today it’s disgusting.
Every defensive driving school I went to stressed cleaning the inside windshield everyday – makes a huge difference. Using a sunshield in any weather also helps reduce the off-gassing. Even if you just get a few paper towels and some windex each day or week, it will amaze you how much dirt and grease from off-gassing accumulates, even if you don’t use a product like Armor-All.. GOD Bless
This explains so much, like why my husband’s windshield only has to be cleaned every couple of years (he parks in the garage) but mine starts getting bad every spring (we live in Albuquerque, so the sun is very hot year round). I usually wait until the end of summer to clean it because it’s such a pain, but this will definitely make it less frustrating!
I did this on the windshield of my semi and it works great. One HUGE problem !! The alcohol fumes caused the seal around my windshield to dry up and start leaking profusely after a few months resulting in an expensive repair. The real trick is using the microfiber towels with glass cleaner or plain old water mist and skip the alcohol.
Hi Chris. I really enjoy your articles. You take so much time and attention to detail and the articles are well thought out. For this article, I just wanted to add that I often use a little natural all-purpose cleaner that you can buy in a grocery store and then rinse the glass with clean water. Next I spray a mixture of 50-50 water and white vinegar and dry immediately with a clean paper towel. I have found that some glass cleaners contain ammonia and create a haze when driving into the sun or when driving at night. Again, thank you. All the best for continued success with your vids.
I have found that fleece works just as well as the micro fiber cloths !! in case that’s all you got kick’n around lol also just to let you know that “grease” as you call it from the dashboard isn’t always that it’s also a mix of outdoor air pollutants suck into the vehicle when the heat & or air conditioning is on then sticks to your window so yea take that into account as well …to all car & truck lovers out there happy spinning lol & ✌
One thing I do when cleaning a windshield is during the final polish with the microfiber towel is to go in one direction on the outside, and the opposite direction on the inside. This way you can determine if any streak you see in on the inside or the outside, since they will be at right angle to each other. No use trying to clean an outside streak from the inside, or vice-versa.
Wow – The Mr Clean Magic Eraser is a game changer for cleaning the interior of my Tesla Model 3. I had tried just about every spray, solution etc but still could not get away from annoying streaks thanks the off-gassing. Today they are crystal clear, and using the eraser there is no risk to having spray creep down into the electronics just below the windshield. Thanks Chris!!
After cleaning the windshield I always go over the outside with Rain X and apply 2 coats buff it out with the microfiber towels. If you’ve never used Rain X try it, you can drive in a heavy rain and not even need to turn your wipers on. Of course you have to be running at a high enough speed to blow the water off. The Rain X causes the water to head up and simply roll off. The speed you need varies depending on the angle of the windshield, the more angle you have the better, the rain X makes the glass slicker so your wipers work better at any speed. Give it a try.
Some people commented to use newspaper and glass cleaner. I just tried out and it gave me phenomenal results. I just used newspaper and put a little glass cleaner on it, whiped the glass till the glass cleaner wasn’t visible anymore and used a clean, dry microfiber cloth to finish it off. No streaks and no hassle with all the products like in the article.
Here I was thinking to myself, my husband does a horrible job cleaning this windshield, it’s always smudgy with a greasy haze. What the heck is he cleaning it with? Thanks to you, the reason it is always hazy from within is now understood, and will never be again since I will be doing the 3 step cleaning myself! Thanks for the info!
I tried this and the magic eraser didn’t work all that well. I have a 2018 Silverado, so I don’t know if the build up is due to changes in the plastic chemicals or what, but it just didn’t work all that great (and it was a brand new magic eraser). What I’ve found, so far, that works better, but still not perfectly is ZEP 505 degreaser. Still searching for that perfect clean…
Another that makes the windshield dirty is when it fogs up, I always do it I use “Rain X to clean the inside of the glass, and the outside of the glass, in the outside Rain X for the outside will make the water bead away,it leaves impeccable results, another idea to keep the glass nice & clear, protect it,and prevent it from fogging up.
Thanks. As a 50 year old they never grew up with a dad or other male family member to teach me basic shit, this article AND the exterior one finally answered my basic DECADES old question “How do I clean windshields and NOT get f-ing streaks?!?!” There are so many dumba$$ pretenders that think they know how. They don’t know $hit. Your info WORKED! And so freaking easy.
I did this today and it’s crazy how clean my windows are. I knew they were greasy and dirty but OMG what a difference, I can actually see out the windshield and side windows. Amazing – Thanks Chris. I also found that the Mr Clean Magic Eraser deep cleaned my old porcelin kitchen sink, it now sparkles too.