Do you really have to clean the inside of your car windscreen considering that it’s primarily the dirt on the outside that you notice and looks unsightly? You may not think so, however, when you see the streaks, smears, and dirt at night, especially when they are illuminated by the glare of other cars, you begin to realize that they have to be spic and span.
Why should I clean the inside of my windscreen?
The outside of your windows are always affected by wind and weather. It shouldn’t be a surprise then, that over time a murky, hard-to-clean film of grime forms from environmental influences, blocking a clear view of the roadway. Even though the inside of the windows aren’t exposed to external conditions, they can get quite dirty as well. This is caused by humidity, heating, or dust which builds up over time.
No later than when you begin driving at night or against the light, you could be disturbed or distracted by these spots. Streaks and smears that stretch across the glass like a spider’s web restrict your view, create glare, and endanger your safety on the road. Removing the dirt from the windscreen on the inside without causing streaks is just as important as cleaning the outside and should not be delayed or too long. The more dirt that accumulates, the more time it will take to get rid of it.
What supplies do I need?
You don’t need many items – the list of cleaning supplies should include:
- a pail of water
- 2-3 microfibre cloths for wet wiping
- 1-2 microfibre towels to dry/polish
- sheets, old blankets or towels, to protect the fittings and upholstery
- an appropriate cleaner such as K2 OPTICA C505 window cleaner or ARMOR ALL 32500L window cleaner
Instructions
Make sure you do this in a shady location if you can. If you are out in the sun, the cleaning solution could dry too fast and cause streaks. You most certainly want to clean your windscreen without leaving even more smears.
1 – Protect fittings and upholstery
It would be bothersome if you want to clean your car windows correctly and the result is discovering new stains on the dashboard or seat upholstery – especially if you work with cleaning solutions that could harm leather or fabric covers. Make sure to protect your dashboard and seats as well as you can with newspaper, sheets, or some other material. This will also make sure that you can be fully focused on the job at hand.
2 – Time to dust
Nearly invisible particles of sand and dust can also be on the inner glass pane causing small scratches and tiny cracks in the glass when it is being cleaned. To make sure this doesn’t happen, a quick pre-wiping is essential. Begin with a dry microfibre cloth and clean the whole pane with it. You do not have to be very thorough here, as only the surface dust needs to be eliminated.
3 – Preliminary cleaning
For this use a damp, but not soggy, cloth. It shouldn’t be dripping-wet to prevent unsightly water marks, but it should be just wet enough to absorb tough grime. This preliminary step is especially advisable for smokers’ vehicles. The nicotine settles on the window and can only be got out by a damp prewashing. To do this, you can also moisten a newspaper with a glass cleaning solution, and then apply this to the very grimy areas and leave it there for about 3-5 minutes. Next, either allow the glass to dry with the door open or dry it carefully with one of your cloths.
4 – Main cleaning
The time has come for the thorough cleaning. For this, you should have 1-2 microfibre cloths and a glass cleaning solution. Spray this onto the inside of the windscreen or the microfibre cloth and wipe it carefully over the whole surface of the window. Be sure to change the side of the cloth if it has already absorbed a lot of dirt. Replace the cloth with a fresh one while cleaning if the pane very dirty. This will keep dirt from being spread over and around the window. If you don’t have a microfibre cloth, you can also take advantage of an old, but useful, household tip by using kitchen rolls. Just spray glass cleaner onto the paper, ball it up, and wipe it thoroughly over the glass.
5 – Dry and polish
Now that you have done the proper cleaning, the next step is drying using a soft cloth. Rub it all over and around the glass until no film is left. If you want to make the glass to really shine, this clever household tip will also help. Instead of kitchen rolls, take a piece of newspaper, crumple it into a ball and polish the glass with it. This requires some effort, but leads to impressive results. Wipe until can’t see any more streaks or smears on the window. You can generally tell that you are close to finishing when the window begins to squeak while you are polishing it.
Grease on your windscreen – what to do
A film of grease can generally form on the inside of the car mostly as a result of improper cleaning or the oil from one’s hands or fingers. In order to get rid of the grease, you can add a bit of rubbing alcohol or cleaning benzine to some water, moisten a microfibre cloth with this solution and then wipe the windscreen without leaving any streaks behind.
Cleaning while travelling
Especially while driving in the autumn and winter months, the windscreen could cloud up on the interior after you get in and out of your vehicle. Cold air does not collect as much moisture as warmer air does. This is then responsible for the condensation on the glass and your visibility will deteriorate. Have a special sponge designed for car windscreens in your glove box for this situation. This will assure a clear view of the road and a safe driving experience.
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