How To Clean the Inside of Your Car Windshield (6 Steps)
Have you ever noticed streaks or oily residue reflecting the lights outside your car on a dark evening drive? Dirty windows are a common annoyance among drivers, but it can also pose a driving hazard. Thus, it’s essential to keep the inside of the windshield clear and clean of debris and fingerprints.
Get more cleaning tips and tricks here.
Here’s how you can clean the inside of your car windshield in 6 easy steps:
- Lift the wiper blade and clean the outside of your windshield.
- Wipe the interior glass with a dry, clean microfiber cloth.
- Clean the surface with dry towel sprayed with glass cleaner.
- Apply isopropyl alcohol to remove oil and grease streaks.
- Dry the glass.
- Repeat on your vehicle’s non-tinted interior glass.
These six car windshield cleaning tips are a breeze and immediately affect the clarity of your windshield if done correctly. Read on as we walk you through the process of having clean car windows.
1. Clean the Outside of Your Car Windshield
The first step to cleaning the inside of your windshield starts outside your vehicle. This may seem counterintuitive at first, but think about it, if the outside of your car windshield is dirty, you’re more likely to miss the streaks and dirt that is inside the glass.
Besides, having a crystal clear windshield invariably means that you must clean both the interior and exterior to have the best glass transparency.
To clean the outside of your windshield, take a look at the following steps:
- Lift your windshield wipers to get the blades out of the way.
- Power spray the outside of your windshield with water to remove larger particles of dirt, grime, contaminants, and bugs.
- Use your preferred glass cleaner and spread on a clean and dry microfiber cloth.
- Use the microfiber towel, saturated with cleaner, to wipe the glass clean.
- Dry the windshield to prevent damage and streaking.
Once you’ve cleaned the outside of your windshield, you’re ready to work on the cleaning process of the inside of the window.
Tip: Avoid ammonia based cleaners as they can damage your car’s interior.
To clean the car windshield inside:
2. Wipe the Interior Glass With a Dry Microfiber Towel
Leave the doors open if possible to avoid breathing in fumes from the glass polish / window cleaner.
Before you start spritzing Windex in all the crevices where your windshield meets upholstery, the first thing you need to do is wipe away the dirt, dust, and other residual grime on your glass.
To do this, get a dry and clean microfiber cleaning cloth (not paper towels). Don’t spray it with a cleaner. Instead, while the microfiber towel is dry, wipe down the interior glass of your windshield from the top near your review mirror to the bottom where the glass meets the dash.
Some of these places can be tough to reach, depending on your vehicle. Move from driver to passenger side seats as necessary to get the entire area.
This step is essential to clear away all of the build-ups on your car’s windshield. Don’t skip this step and jump right to spraying your glass, as that could lead to a streaky finish.
Related: How to Fix Scratches on Car Windshields
3. Clean the Surface With Dry Towel Sprayed With Glass Cleaner
Next, you should get your preferred glass cleaner and a new, clean microfiber towel.
Spray your glass cleaner on your new clean cloth / microfiber towel and use this to apply your cleaning solution to the windshield using a circular motion.
Be sure to wipe down the entire glass surface. You can use a grip/reach extension tool to help you get to difficult-to-reach areas of your windshield.
The Reach and Clean tool is a popular cleaning tool for cleaning car windshields, helping to get hard to reach places.
Also, make sure that you don’t spray the glass cleaner directly on your windshield. With potent chemical cleaners, it’s essential to limit the amount you use on your vehicle to prevent possible damage.
Studies suggest that the overuse of chemical cleaning products can damage sun-exposed vehicles and cause possible health risks.
While there are lots of excellent pro cleaning tips available online, the jury is still out on the best regular glass cleaners to use on your windshield.
However, you can use whatever glass cleaner you prefer, though an auto glass cleaner is recommended for your vehicle because it’s safer to use on tints and doesn’t leave a fog or streak.
There are many out there, but one I love that works great for cars as well as throughout the home is Sprayway Glass Cleaner.It is ammonia free and does not leave streaks.
Related: How to Organize Your Car
4. Apply Isopropyl Alcohol To Remove Oil and Grease Streaks
After using a glass cleaner, the next step is to apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol on, you guessed it, a fresh microfiber towel.
Using rubbing alcohol will help clear any remaining oils and grease stuck to the interior of your vehicle.
I also discuss in my post about cleaning mirrors without leaving streaks. It’s an important step.
Oils and grease can build up in a filmy residue on the interior glass of vehicles because of the off-gassing from the plastics and vinyl surfaces on your car’s dashboard.
Increased temperatures make this effect even more noticeable.
Smoking inside your vehicle can also make an oily film on your windshield. The rubbing alcohol is highly effective at removing this film and creating a lasting shine and transparency for your windshield.
Some car care professionals suggest using Mr. Clean Magic Erasers (available on Amazon.com) rather than rubbing alcohol for the same effect. There are no harsh chemicals, so it would be safer for your car’s windows.
Check out this tutorial video for more information:
5. Dry the Glass
This step is essentially a repeat of step 3.
Using another fresh microfiber towel, spray your glass cleaner on the cloth and then clean the windshield again.
This second cleaning makes your interior glass sparkle and gets any last remaining substances or bits of residue, dust, and grime off the surface of your windshield.
Finally, you want to use a dry microfiber rag to dry the glass completely.
This step might seem like one you can skip, but it’s one of the most critical parts of the process.
Thoroughly drying your glass will protect the surface of your windshield from potentially harmful effects resulting from chemical cleaning products, and it’ll prevent a striped finish.
For example, if your windshield dries too fast while you’re in the process of cleaning, it may mean you have to go over spots to prevent streaks repeatedly. So remember this the next time you decide on a car wash at home.
Tip: While cleaning your dirty windshield, do it inside a covered area, like your garage, and not in direct sunlight. Hot sunshine can ruin your cleaning efforts by drying the surface too quickly.
6. Repeat the Steps on Your Vehicle’s Non-Tinted Interior Glass
If you’re satisfied with the final product of your cleaning efforts, repeat the process on the rest of your windows!
If you have window tint, it may be best to use an auto glass cleaner and omit the rubbing alcohol step to prevent potential damage to your vehicle.
RELATED: How to Remove Stickers from Car Windshield
Final Thoughts
There’s no better feeling than fresh, clean windows, so for best results, take your time when you’re cleaning your interior glass.
With kids and a busy lifestyle, it’s challenging to keep a perfectly clean car at all times. BUT, with a few simple steps, you’ll have a clean windshield in minutes.
Having a crystal clear windshield isn’t only aesthetically pleasing. It also makes for a smoother ride without distractions from dirt, dust, and streaks.
One of the most important things to remember when you clean your interior windshield is to stick to microfiber cloths rather than paper, old, or dirty towels. Only microfiber towels can produce a streak-free shine without being too rough on your glass.
ALSO READ: How to Remove Scratches from Car Windshield
