There are many problems you can ignore regarding the condition and cleanliness of your car, but a dirty windshield is not one of them. Day or night, a dirty windshield can make it difficult to navigate safely around the obstacles we encounter every day. And in addition to safety, cloudy visibility is also uncomfortable. This guide will walk you through the basics of cleaning the inside of your windshield and show you where to start if you’re unsure of the process.
Why is the inside of your windshield so dirty?
You may not often touch the inside of your car’s windshield, but it still gets dirty. Give what? One of the first things to remember is new car smell and air cooler The lots you love can “off-gas,” which means the materials they contain will give off odors and chemicals as they “settle.” That off-gassing can leave a residue on the windshield that looks oily and cloudy, even if you haven’t touched the glass. Smoking, dust, pet dander and road debris can also fog up the glass, making it more difficult to see through.
Even if you don’t drive regularly, exhaust fumes from interior materials and other contaminants inside the car can fog up the windshield. I bought one Toyota GR Corolla 2024 a few months before writing this, and even though it only has 500 miles on the clock, I still have to clean the inside surface of the windscreen before driving it every time. It didn’t work, and the warmer temperatures in Maine caused the “new” interior material to off-gas and fog up the glass.
Clean the inside of your windshield
Before you begin, it’s important to make sure you have the right cleaners and materials to protect your vehicle’s interior. A lint-free or microfiber cloth is the best choice here, and you should avoid using paper towels or other materials that can leave “fuzzy” marks or residue. Make sure you have a glass cleaner that is safe for dashboards and interior finishes, as well as rubbing alcohol and distilled white vinegar.
You have several options when deciding how to dilute detergents or mix chemicals. The first is a 50/50 mixture of alcohol and water with a teaspoon of white vinegar (vinegar works very well in cutting down on oil residue). The other type is a mixture of water, glass cleaner and alcohol in a ratio of 70/15/15. Whichever solution you choose, it’s a good idea to place a towel over the dashboard to prevent unwanted water droplets or chemicals from getting onto soft-to-touch materials.
Have all your materials ready before starting. Wipe the glass with a clean microfiber cloth to start, then spray your mixture onto the rag. Using up and down motions, wipe the glass from side to side and make sure the cleaner is removed after each wipe to avoid streaks. And yes, of course it can be difficult to reach all areas of the windshield; you’ll have to squirm a bit to do it. Once you have successfully cleaned the entire interior surface with the cloth, you should wipe the glass again with a towel or dry microfiber cloth to remove any remaining lint or streaks.
Best practices for cleaning interior windshields
Cleaning your windshield isn’t the most difficult DIY job you can do, but you do need to be careful to do it right. Here are best practices to follow:
- Clean your windshield for last: Save your windshield for your final cleaning, as dirt and debris from other areas of your vehicle can stain your streak-free glass. You will also want to avoid splashes from other parts of your body. car wash effort.
- Make sure you are using a clean cloth to avoid scratching or smearing other cleaning chemicals on your clean windshield. There’s nothing more annoying than spending time cleaning a glass panel and then finding out that the cloth did more harm than good.
- Try to choose cooler times of the day to clean your carglass surface of. Direct sunlight and warm weather can quickly dry the cleaner you’re using, making it difficult to achieve streak-free results. However, letting a little sunlight through and illuminating streaks and stains can help you see them more clearly.
If you’ve tried cleaning the inside of your windshield with only limited success, it may be time to seek professional help. In some cases, pitting and other damage can cause the glass to become cloudy and house cleaning cannot improve the situation. If the detailer or shop cannot clean the glass, you may need to replace the windshield to fix the problem but check with your supplier. insurer First explore any options you may have for a free windshield replacement.
For more car cleaning tips:
Be sure to check out ours Autoblog details video series. You’ll get tons of great tips to make your car shine inside and out.
Here’s an episode about cleaning windows:
