How to Clean Car Windows

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Easy and foolproof ways to get your car windows clean and shiny
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The irregular shape and angle of your car windows can make cleaning difficult. What's more, depending on your windows, some cleaners can do more harm than good. [1] But with the right supplies and a few helpful techniques, your car windows will be bright and clear in no time.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning Your Car Windows with a Cleaning Agent

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  1. When cleaning your car, you should always save your windows to last to prevent yourself from having to do more work. You can prevent contaminating your windows with smudges and grime by cleaning the rest of your car before you clean your windows.
  2. Car bodies absorb heat quickly, and sitting in the sun, your car might feel hot to the touch. If this is the case for your car, you'll need to park it in an area with shade and wait until the outside of your car feels cool.
    • If your car is too hot, it can cause cleaner or water that you use to evaporate too quickly for you to clean the window. [2]
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  3. Ammonia based window cleaner, like most household window cleaners, can be damaging to tinting and can dry out the rubber seals of your car. [3] You should go to your local hardware or automotive store to purchase glass cleaner formulated for automotive purposes. If you buy the concentrated formula, you should dilute it with distilled water for best results. Including your cleaner you'll also need:
    • Automotive glass cleaner
    • Bucket (if using concentrated cleaner)
    • Cloth (microfiber recommended; clean cotton OK)
    • Distilled water (if diluting cleaner)
    • Sponge (optional)
    • Wiper treatment (optional)
  4. Due to size and angle, these windows can be the hardest on your car to clean well. Mix your cleaner, if necessary, and spray a good amount of it onto your window, or apply it from a bucket with a sponge. Then use your clean cloth to wipe your front windshield and rear window clean.
    • Clean in different directions to make it easier to see smudges or missed spots. For example, you might wipe up and down for the exterior of the car, and left to right for the interior.
  5. When your cleaning solution and cloth don't seem to be strong enough to eliminate the dried on protein of bug guts, you might need to take drastic measures. There are specially formulated products for removing difficult bug stains from the windows of your car, but you might be able to loosen the splotch by leaving a rag wet with cleaning product atop the bug blemish. Then simply wipe the splatter away with your microfiber cloth.
    • Some auto experts recommend sprinkling a little big of baking soda atop trouble areas that just won't wipe clean. Allow the solution a few moments to set on the stain, and try to buff it out with your microfiber cloth again. [4]
  6. A common area that is missed when cleaning car windows is the very top, where the window usually slides into place inside a rubber seal. To prevent unsightly lines, roll your window down a little bit and use your cloth to wipe the area clean. [5]
    • If this portion of the window is especially dirty, you might need to spritz a little more cleaner onto the dirty portion of your window first.
  7. You may want to take your cloth and run it along the outside edges of the window first, to clean any buildup that has occurred along the seams of the window. After cleaning edges and corners, wet or re-wet the main surface of your side window and wipe it with opposite direction strokes from how you wipe on the inside.
    • For example, you might wipe your exterior widows dry with an up and down motion and the interior widows side to side. This will help you spot areas you've missed.
    • Cleaning your windows from the top down prevents drips from ruining your fresh-cleaned windows.
    • While cleaning your side windows you should also spray and wipe clean your side mirrors. [6]
  8. Use a little bit of your cleaner to break up buildup on your windshield wipers and then wipe both wipers dry with your cloth. Buildup on your wiper blades can be harmful to your windshield and can cause your blades to wear out quickly if not maintained. To prevent this, you can apply a wiper treatment to your car after you have wiped clean the blades.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Cleaning Hard Water Spots

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  1. In some places the minerals in the groundwater (particularly calcium, magnesium, and lime) will cause spots to appear. If you notice crusty buildup on your car windows that is stubborn and won't come off, you probably have hard water. [7]
    • You'll need to clean the hard water spots as soon as possible. Hard water spots that can etch the glass of your car if left for too long on its exterior. [8]
  2. Thankfully, your hard water problem can be taken care of with just a few household supplies. Vinegar, specifically, is an exceptionally good cleaner when it comes to removing hard water stains. [9] For your hard water cleaner, you'll need:
    • Cloth (microfiber recommended; clean cotton OK)
    • Distilled water
    • Spray bottle or bucket
    • Rubbing alcohol
    • White vinegar
  3. For every cup of rubbing alcohol and warm water you add to your bucket or spray bottle, you should also add one tablespoon of white vinegar. Depending on the severity of your hard water problem, you might need to mix up a little or a lot of this homemade hard water buster. [10]
  4. Your car should be mostly clean at this point, with only a few remaining pesky hard water stains separating your car from perfection. Be sure your car is out of the sun so your cleaner doesn't evaporate too quickly, and then spray trouble spots with your cleaner and buff it dry with your cloth until the hard water buildup is removed.
  5. If your windows are still looking cloudy or less brilliant than you'd prefer, you may need to apply some polish to your car windows. You'll want a polish that doesn't contain oils, as these are included to help polish paint, but you should be able to find a multi surface finish restorer that'll work on car windows at your local hardware or auto store.
    • When polishing, use a soft cotton cloth or an old, clean, soft fabric t-shirt. [11]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What can I use to clean the inside of my windshield?
    Angel Ricardo
    Auto Technician
    Angel Ricardo is the owner of Ricardo's Mobile Auto Detail headquartered in Venice, California. With over 10 years of experience in mobile detailing, Angel continues to attend auto detailing trainings to improve his customer service and auto detailing skills.
    Angel Ricardo
    Auto Technician
    Expert Answer
    Clean the interior of the windows with a microfiber cloth. Spray your cleaning solution directly onto the cloth and then go back and forth on the window until it's clean. If the windows are especially dirty, you might need to use more than one towel. Using a microfiber cloth is the best way to clean windows, leaving them streak-free.
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  • Question
    What is the best way to clean car windows without streaking?
    Community Answer
    The best way would be to buy specialized "no streak" glass cleaner and wipe it off with a microfiber towel.
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      Tips

      • In a pinch, baby wipes can be used to clean your car windows.
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      • Newspaper works well in place of a microfiber cloth or rag. If using newspaper, use two pieces minimum for your front windshield and rear window, and at least one piece for side windows.
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      • Test cleaning agents you are unsure of on an out of sight area of your car first.
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      Warnings

      • If you have any doubts about what kind of cleaner should be used on your car, consult your owner's manual first.
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      Things You'll Need

      Cleaning Your Car Windows with a Cleaning Agent

      • Automotive glass cleaner
      • Bucket (if using concentrated cleaner)
      • Cloth (microfiber recommended; clean cotton OK)
      • Distilled water (if diluting cleaner)
      • Sponge (optional)
      • Wiper treatment (optional)

      Cleaning Hard Water Spots

      • Cloth (microfiber recommended; clean cotton OK)
      • Spray bottle or bucket
      • Rubbing alcohol
      • White vinegar
      • Water

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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-glass.html
      2. ↑ http://www.autogeek.net/waterspots.html
      3. ↑ http://www.housecleaningcentral.com/en/cleaning-tips/tip/car-cleaning-tip.html
      4. ↑ https://www.autoevolution.com/news/how-to-remove-dead-bugs-off-your-car-1373.html
      5. ↑ http://www.howtocleananything.com/automotive-tips/auto-exterior-cleaning/washing-your-car-dont-forget-the-windows/
      6. ↑ http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-glass.html
      7. ↑ http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/safedrink/hard.htm
      8. ↑ http://www.howtocleananything.com/automotive-tips/auto-exterior-cleaning/washing-your-car-dont-forget-the-windows/
      9. ↑ http://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/nontoxic-ways-to-remove-hard-water-stains/
      1. ↑ http://www.housecleaningcentral.com/en/cleaning-tips/tip/car-cleaning-tip.html
      2. ↑ http://www.howtocleananything.com/automotive-tips/auto-exterior-cleaning/washing-your-car-dont-forget-the-windows/

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