What do you guys use to clean the inside of your windshields?

"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll) 03/11/2015 at 19:14 • Filed to: None

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As I said earlier, I am going to give my car the full treatment tomorrow.

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Over the years, I got pretty good at detailing my whip, but there is this one problem that still bugs me. Whenever I clean the inside of my windshield, I get the feeling that whatever product I use I leave a little more residue than I pick up. I want it to be devoid of ANYTHING to avoid it misting up in winter, but I have yet to find the perfect way to achieve that. I've tried spray bottles with the usual in-house window cleaner and paper towels, foams for car windows, wet wipes for windows etc.... I want it to be as clean as a surgical table, but I haven't found the right way to get there. Always some little clouds.

So what do you guys use? And don't tell me about specific products, as they probably won't be available over here, just the general type of product and how you apply it.

Cé hé sin > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 19:19

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The equivalent to what you have.

Arben72 > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 19:21

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Foam window cleaner and new microfiber towels. Only thing that ever works for me.

XJDano > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 19:21

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Glass cleaner

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 19:27

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The aerosol foam cleaner is great. But I've got Zep glass cleaner, which can be found at Lowes or Home Depot, and it works just fine.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 19:38

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windex and microfiber

Klaus Schmoll > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 03/11/2015 at 19:45

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"And don't tell me about specific products, as they probably won't be available over here, just the general type of product and how you apply it."

What is windex?

Klaus Schmoll > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/11/2015 at 19:48

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"And don't tell me about specific products, as they probably won't be available over here, just the general type of product and how you apply it."

What do you use to wipe it off? Microfibre or paper towel?

Klaus Schmoll > Cé hé sin 03/11/2015 at 19:48

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Which is? I've pretty much tried everything.

Cé hé sin > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 19:55

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Windolene

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 19:57

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I don't read.

Non ammonia based glass cleaner. Spray on, wipe off. Haze disappears in a few seconds on its own.

Frank Grimes > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 20:08

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spewing hate at all the other drivers seems to keep mine clean.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 20:25

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Viva brand paper towels, which can be found at your local Phred's Drug Store. If not, you should be able to get Scott's blue shop towels at Advance Auto Parts on Warwick Ave.

Klaus Schmoll > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 03/11/2015 at 20:35

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You are aware that I'm in Germany?

1111111111111111111111 > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 20:58

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clay it first, then I've been using the megiars perfect clarity glass cleaner. The combo was a game changer for me. I think the clay was the biggest helper though.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 21:01

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The first time was an oversight. The second time was a joke. Zep is a pretty generic blue glass cleaner. The blue shop towels are nice because they leave less lint than a paper towel, but microfiber is better than that.

Just4GP > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 21:18

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A wet synthetic chamois. Great job every time unless it's dirty. I've had mine for 20 years (damn I feel old all of a sudden). It has a few tears but is still going strong.

http://www.amazon.com/Absorber-Synth…

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 23:02

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https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A…

Rico > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 23:33

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Hey have you tried using crumpled newspaper? I know it sounds counter intuitive but a lot of detailers swear by it. Since I was a kid I always used ammonia based or white vinegar based glass cleaners on windows and mirrors at home and wiped with newspaper for a streak free shine.

cazzyodo > Klaus Schmoll 03/11/2015 at 23:50

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i believe I have invisible glass. Definitely microfiber cloth though

orcim > Frank Grimes 03/12/2015 at 01:25

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Ah ha! You're the customer of the "internal windshield wiper" option.

Frank Grimes > orcim 03/12/2015 at 01:32

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totally wiper gets all the plhegm and spit off of it.

Evil Minion > Klaus Schmoll 03/12/2015 at 04:09

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Dunno if you can find something similar in Germany, but Rain-X makes a special liquid thing you apply with a paper towel that stops windows from fogging up. I think here it's called Fog-X... or something.

Anyway, when I had my wagon, after a wet camping adventure, the rear cargo area got rather soaked and the rear hatch and windows would fog up massively every time the temperature dropped at night. Applied that, and never again for many weeks!

jmedarts > Klaus Schmoll 03/12/2015 at 09:39

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I have OCD when it comes to clean windows. I have never found one product that does the job, I use a combination of two.

Cinch is an ammonia based trigger spray all surface cleaner, "surfaces" including glass. It dissolves the hazy film on the window quite nicely, but it leaves streaks behind. These streaks drive me nuts in the morning and evening when the sunlight is at an angle.

I then use a product call Invisible Glass, which is an aerosol spray. I do not know the "active" ingredient, I'll check when I get home. The invisible glass removes the streaks left by the cinch. If used alone, it just smears the hazy film all over the place. It's not good at dissolving and grease or oils from fingerprints, it just smears them.

I use "Paper towel". It's a non-woven disposable towel that comes on a roll. You have to use a fresh one for each half of the windshield, and each door window. You have to use one for the Cinch and another for the Invis Glass. If they combine on a towel, the window will stay hazy/smeared. When wiping off the invisible glass I get best results wiping across the window, and then up and down the window. I repeat this until all of the streaks are gone, I can feel the "drag" of the streaks as the towel moves across them, the drag disappears when the window is actually clean.

Microfiber sounds like a good idea, it certainly works on my sunglasses and phone screen, but only with a lot of effort. Not sure I want to put that much effort into an entire windshield. Combining microfiber with a spray product is something I have not tried because I have the impression the product would stay in the microfiber and I'd never get the window fully clean, like when I use a paper towel between products, or across more than 1/2 a windshield.

If I can keep people from touching the windows, I only have to do this every 2-3 months. I don't have passengers in my car often, which helps. And I watch car wash attendants like a hawk. They mean well, but the crap they use just leaves the window smeared.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Klaus Schmoll 03/12/2015 at 11:46

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I have pretty good results using household glass cleaner and newspaper. Newspaper seems to do a better job of taking care of streaking and it doesn't leave any lint.

Be sure to do it in the shade as pretty much any sun will cause the cleaner to dry too quickly and leave streaks regardless of what product/wipe you use. In fact make sure the windshield is cool before cleaning it, if it has been in the sun all day and you pull into the shade it will still streak because of the retained heat evaporating the cleaner to quickly.

blackchair > Klaus Schmoll 03/12/2015 at 14:05

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Invisible glass and some shop towels.

After it's all dry I go back over with dry towels and make sure all streaks are gone. Works like a charm.

Svend > Klaus Schmoll 03/18/2015 at 21:51

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My gotos are either Carpro Eraser (it's an intensive oil and paint cleanser which leaves a perfectly clean surface behind) or Gtechniq G6 which is a great glass cleaner with no fancy colouring to make it look nice (clear liquid) or fragrance (which is usually the bit that causes smearing), either used in conjunction with a waffle-weave cloth (most regular microfibres can be too 'clingy' or leave tiny fibres behind).

This is my favourite glass cloth, it's a Dodo Juice Mint Merkin waffle weave glass cloth and only gets used for glass. Worth the added expense.