How to clean car windows without streaking? I do a lot of driving and it seems that I’m always scraping off bugs and dirt. But I can’t seem to make the glass shine like I want.
Charlene Erskine, Billings, Montana
I hear you. Until I learned how to clean car windows with the right tools, I struggled with streaks, too. Let’s go over some tips to get the job done with less effort.
To start with, park your car in the shade when washing the entire vehicle or just the windows. The sun makes the windows dry too fast even in the winter, so you’re likely to end up with a less-than-satisfactory job and have to start over as soon as you think you finished.
Next, what you do the interior of the glass differs from the method for cleaning the exterior. To illustrate, always spray the window cleaner liquid on the cloth first when you clean inside. That protects the rest of the car, including the dashboard.
Moreover, use a microfiber cloth instead of paper towels or even newspapers. It sheds little to no lint and doesn’t leave a film or make a mess.
For washing car windows streak free on the exterior, you can feel free to spray the cleaner directly onto the glass. The only problem is if you already washed and dried the rest of the car.
You may get drips onto the car paint that must be removed. Otherwise, the liquid helps dissolve dead bugs and dirt, especially if you let it work for a few minutes.
You can also mix up an acidic solution to remove hard water stains. The recipe for it is on this page:https://www.tipsbulletin.com/how-to-clean-car-windows/
Sometimes you may find that regular cleaning won’t take care of the problem. In that case, try baking soda to power through the grime without scratching the glass. Sometimes it’s hard to remove all the residue with plain water, so plan on following up with vinegar or lemon juice. The instructions are on the same page I referenced above.
It’s another story entirely if you are looking for ways to get ice off windows in the dead of winter. One suggestion is to turn on your defroster first. Apply either apple cider vinegar or a water and salt solution to the windshield only. After the ice has melted, be sure to get the cleaner off to keep from damaging the paint on your car.
With these tips, I hope your car windows sparkle in no time!