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Cleaning that Windshield Haze
People who care about their cars will get them washed, waxed, and detailed regularly. Even the interior gets some love in the form of vacuuming, cleaning of carpet and seats, and even conditioning of their dash. But one important thing to focus on is cleaning the inside of your windshield. Especially when neglected, the windshield can cause visibility issues for the driver and put them and their passengers at risk.
The inside of the windshield can become dirty, foggy, and develop a film or haze that can be difficult to clean off. When the sun shines down and heats up the dash, gasses release from the vinyl dashboard and the oily haze on the inner-windshield develops. The reason why these gases are released is because the manufacturer will add plasticizers to the plastic in order to soften it and mold it into the shape of the dashboard.
Some cars may have this haze that looks much worse than the picture below. I normally clean the inside of my windshield every few months, so it doesn’t look too bad.
Focusing in on the window, you can see some more of the haze. It looks like the majority of it is likely more dirty than hazy, however it still needs a good cleaning.
Time required
15-30 minutes
Materials for Cleaning Inside Windshield
- bath towels: I would suggest using rags if the inside of your windshield is really dirty; I used bath towels because mine was not that bad
- microfiber cloths
- mild cleaning solution: any sort of multi-purpose or general cleaner will work
- window cleaner: any window cleaner works, however there are some glass cleaners that spray on like a foam which can help with drips. Keep in mind that if you have tint, you should not be using window cleaner that has ammonia in it)
Instructions
1. Start by making your towel/rag somewhat wet and applying some of the mild cleaning solution. Wipe the windows several times, using a different part of the towel as you go. Do this multiple times if the gunk or haze remains. The goal here is to use the cleaner to wipe off as much of the gunk on the windshield as possible.
2. Once you are confident the inside of the windshield is clean of dirt and haze/gunk, you can begin cleaning it with the window cleaner. First, I like to lay down a bath towel on dashboard before I spray window cleaner to avoid overspray from the window cleaner.
3. Spray window cleaner onto the window – not too little…and not too much…
4. Then use your microfiber cloth to wipe every part of the window. I like to use an up-and-down pattern followed by a left-to right pattern to ensure I am hitting it from all angles. Also, if you are having trouble wiping the glass closer to where the glass and the dashboard meet, you can try using the back of your hand against the cloth to clean.
5. After wiping down the inside of the windshield, take a look from both the inside and the outside to see if you missed any spots. Make sure the outside of your windshield is clean too so that it allows you the ability to see what you might have missed.
The final result. Everything incredibly sharp and vivid.
Products
Microfiber cloths
I use medium to higher quality microfiber cloths. The two are the higher-rated microfiber cloths on Amazon. There are some AmazonBasics ones available as well, however the reviews point out that they seem to be low-quality. I’m running low on microfiber cloths, so my next purchase will likely be one of the two below.
Royal Microfiber Cleaning Cloths (24 Pack) on Amazon
Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths (24-Pack) on Amazon.com
Window cleaner
Stoner’s is probably the most popular window cleaner out there today. Windex used to be the most used in the past, however the consensus is that Windex tends to leave streaks on your window. Also, when using the spray-type solutions, they will run down the window and are generally a little more messy to deal with. Stoner’s sprays on like a foam so it can soak any gunk on the window and will not drip down like Windex.
Mild Cleaning Solution
You can honestly use almost any cleaner out there. I prefer something on the mild side since we’re not dealing with anything too severe here. Sometimes I will use something like diluted Pinesol, but when I’m feeling lazy I’ll just use a spray bottle cleaner instead.
