How to Clean Car Windows

Your car windows do two things. First, they let you look outside. Second, they make your vehicle look good. If you have dirty windows, then it reflects poorly on your car, so it makes sense to keep them squeaky clean.

You might not notice how dirty your car windows have become, especially if you drive daily. But if you smoke or if there’s a lot of pollen in the air, you’ll find that the windows build up with dirtiness – and once you take the time to clean the glass, you’ll notice a substantial improvement.

In this article, we’re going to go over how to clean car windows. Additionally, we’re going to go over some ways of cleaning your car windows using household items. As an added benefit, we’re also going to go over how to clean car interiors and how to clean windshield wipers.

When you wash your windows, it’s not a bad idea to wash the rest of your vehicle at the same time. Take care of how to clean a car, windows and all, in a few hours rather than spreading it out on different days.

Clean Car Windows with a Cleaning Agent

If you’re cleaning your car windows in the direct sunlight, the water you use to clean is going to evaporate. Before starting, you might consider parking your car in a shaded area, like under a tree or inside a garage.

This is also a great idea when you decide to wash your car. How often should you wash your car and windows? A lot depends on the weather but every couple of weeks or so should be the minimum.

General Cleaning Recipe

How to Clean Car Interior

Select a streak-free window cleaner like Armor-All or Windex, and get a cloth. Spray the cleaning solution directly onto the cloth, because if you spray onto the window itself, only about half of the cleaner ends up on the glass.

The other half floats around the car and ends up on your seats and instruments, which doubles the amount of cleanup you have to do and might damage your interior. You’ll also want to use a washed microfiber cloth instead of a newspaper or paper towels.

Newspapers have ink on them which, when introduced into the cleaning solution, might run and stain your hands and make a mess inside the car. Paper towels tend to tear apart while you’re using them, meaning you’re going to go through a lot of them. Microfiber cloth is soft but durable, and it does a fantastic job of scrubbing away spots and stains.

Wipe in a vertical direction, and then a horizontal direction. Avoid rubbing in circles, as that increases the likelihood of streaking.

As for how to clean car seats: replace the glass cleaner with laundry detergent, and use a chamois cloth instead of a microfiber cloth.

If your seats are fabric, vacuum the seats and then scrub them thoroughly, first with hot water, and then use cold water to clean off remaining dirt. Avoid letting the seats get too wet. For leather, use liquid dishwashing soap and warm water. Again, take care to keep the seats from getting too wet.

How to Clean Car Exterior

Your first step is to wash the rest of your car, either with a garden hose or car wash. Prewashing takes care of a lot of bugs and gunk, saving time (and cleaning cloths).

Plus, if you wait until after you’ve cleaned the windows to clean the rest of your car, you risk getting dirt and grime on the windows you’ve just cleaned, doubling the work for yourself.

Unlike when you’re doing interiors, spraying the cleaner directly on the glass is recommended. Spraying directly on the glass makes it easier to dissolve bugs and grime, which will make the cleaning easier. This cleaner is just one example of the benefits of baking soda for cleaning just about anything.

Acidic Solutions for Windows

• Vinegar solution
• Lemon juice
• Baking soda
• Toothpaste

When you’re doing either of the windshields, stick to working in sections, so your cleaning solution doesn’t evaporate prematurely. Using these products helps remove hard water stains from car windows, as well as sticky substances like tree sap.

If you’re still having problems with evaporation, consider moving your car to a shadier spot, such as under a tree or in a garage. Find more recipes on our homemade window cleaner post.

Use a microfiber cloth, as you did with the interior. Microfiber cloths will do a good job of clearing away bugs and grime, and you’re less likely to cause streaking. If you’re doing the exteriors first, make sure you use a different cloth for the interiors.

Finally, use a vertical-then-horizontal motion as you did with the interior, which will reduce streaking. You might find, however, that you have to wipe with greater vigor to clean up the stuck-on bugs, dirt, and road residue.

How to Clean Hard Water Spots from Car Windows

The leftover mineral deposits after the water have evaporated can cause stains on your window. Since these stains are alkaline in nature, an acidic solution gets rid of them. Use household items to get rid of hard spots on your car window.

How to Use Vinegar Solution to Get Rid of Hard Water Spots on Car Windows

There are a couple of different measurements you’ll want to use while using vinegar, depending on how often you clean your windows and how long it’s been since you last cleaned them.

Vinegar Car Windows Cleaning Recipe

• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 cups distilled water
• 1/2 tsp dish detergent
• Microfiber cloth
• Spray bottle

If you’re using vinegar for the first time, or if it’s been a while since the last time you cleaned your windows, you’ll want to use a stronger solution. Mix water, vinegar, and dishwashing detergent. Mix in a spray bottle, shake well and apply according to the instructions provided above.

On the other hand, if you clean your windows regularly, you can back off on the ingredients a bit. Just mix a cup of vinegar with a cup of water. Additionally, this is a handy solution to have on-hand for general cleaning purposes.

This vinegar cleaner also works well to clean hardened tree sap off a car and the windows. If you parked under a tree and found sap stuck to your car, use this recipe to remove it. Of course, it’s always easier to remove sap when it first happens rather than waiting but sometimes you just don’t notice it.

Lemon Juice Based Car Window Cleaner

If you want to add an extra kick to your vinegar solution, use lemons. Start by collecting the things you’ll need. You have a choice regarding the lemons. You can use bottled lemon juice from the supermarket, or you can use real lemons.

There’s an additional benefit to the latter option – if you use real lemons, you can keep the peels and stick them in your garbage disposal for extra freshness. New spray bottles are available for purchase at most major retailers, or you can repurpose an old spray bottle. If you choose a used one, try to use a bottle that held glass cleaner previously.

The mixture won’t necessarily increase the potency of your vinegar-and-lemon solution, but if you put it in a container that held a different chemical previously (such as furniture polish), you risk diminishing the power of your solution.

Homemade Car Interior Cleaner

Vehicles take a real beating from grime and dirt, not only on the exterior but on the car’s interior, as well. Dust and mud are carried inside especially during winter or spring when the ice melts from footwear, which spreads on the carpeted area and floor mats.

However, there are many ways to get rid of the dirt, dust, and grime on car surfaces. Car cleaners and custom car cleaning companies are popular and are available at numerous locations. You can also clean your car at home with a simple yet powerful homemade car interior cleaner.

Making DIY car cleaning solutions isn’t tricky. Many people find the process rewarding. You only need to use the right supplies and easy-to-follow recipes.

How to Clean and Freshen Your Vehicle Interior Using a Homemade Car Interior Cleaner

Here are some tips to properly make a DIY car interior cleaner and deodorizer. By understanding the recipes, their ingredients, and methods, you can clean the interior of your car more efficiently and with excellent results.

Use Vinegar Solution with Oil to Clean and Shine Dashboards

Dashboards are prone to having small white specks and dust. If left for extended periods, the dirt and grime will leave permanent marks and stains on the surface. If you don’t want to harm your vehicle’s dashboard, make sure it is clean by wiping the surface with a homemade dashboard cleaner.

Homemade Dashboard Cleaner Spray Recipe

• 1 clean spray bottle
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 cup of warm water
• 1 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid
• 1 – 2 teaspoons of mineral or baby oil
• 1 cleaning rag or clean cloth

Combine water, vinegar, dishwashing liquid, and oil in a spray bottle. Shake well but don’t let the solution get too foamy. To use this dashboard cleaner and polisher, put a small amount on a cloth.

Avoid using paper towels because they leave tiny bits of paper on the dashboard’s surface. Wipe your dash in one direction. You can also use this recipe to clean steering wheel, handbrake, and other plastic interior parts of the car.

Combine Borax, Grated Soap, and Water to Make Homemade Car Upholstery Cleaner

Car seats are prominent collectors of food crumbs, liquid spills, gunk, specks of dust, and other debris. For this reason, it is essential to maintain its cleanliness regularly.

If you have upholstered seats and you feel that vacuuming is not enough to make them sparkly clean, you can make your DIY car upholstery cleaner. It won’t just make your upholstered car seats clean, but it will leave a fresh scent, as well.

Homemade Car Upholstery Cleaner Recipe

• 2 tablespoons of Borax
• 3 tablespoons grated soap
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 small container
• An old toothbrush or car interior scrubber
• 1 wet cloth or rag

Mix all the ingredients in a container and stir to dissolve the grated soap. The solution will look foamy, but this is normal. Dip the brush into your upholstery cleaner.

The way to clean a car seat is to scrub the surfaces of your upholstered seats that need serious cleaning. Wipe with a wet cloth or rag after cleaning. Stubborn stains may need a repeat treatment.

Use Lemon Juice to Clean Car Windows

If you have dirty and grimy windows, you won’t be able to see through the glass correctly. So, it makes sense to keep them squeaky clean. Here is a practical way of cleaning car windows.

Homemade Window Cleaner Recipe

• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 cup of hot water
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar
• 1 clean microfiber towel or cloth
• 1 funnel (optional)
• 1 glass spray bottle

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, and hot water in the glass spray bottle. Be careful when pouring the hot water. You can use a funnel for added safety.

Shake the solution. Spray a small amount on the microfiber cloth. Wipe off the spots and window stains in vertical-then-horizontal motions to reduce the streaking.

Use Borax and Soap to Remove Stains on Your Car Carpet

Car carpets can get filthy and dirty as a result of frequent use. Sometimes, drinks spill onto the surface and leave stains on the car carpet. Instead of buying specialty cleaning products, try this DIY car interior cleaner for carpets.

Car Carpet Cleaner and Stain Remover Recipe

• 3 tablespoons of grated soap
• 2 tablespoons of Borax
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 10 to 15 drops of lavender essential oil
• 1 large bowl or jar
• 1 stiff scrub brush or old toothbrush

In a large bowl, mix the soap, Borax, water, and lavender essential oil. Stir the mixture to dissolve all the ingredients. It may look foamy, but that is normal for a car carpet cleaning solution.

Dip the brush in the jar with the solution and scrub the dirty parts of the carpet. Using a wet rag, wipe it clean and let the car carpet dry.

Use Dryer Sheets as an Air Freshener

If you have extra dryer sheets in your laundry room, grab a few and tuck them under the seats and cup holders. It will keep your car smelling nice even if heavy smokers ride in your vehicle. It is cheaper than any other car fresheners and lasts for around one month.

Remove Stains on Center Consoles using Rubbing Alcohol

Grab a microfiber cloth and put a small amount of rubbing alcohol on it. Lightly dab and blot the stains but be sure to test it first on an inconspicuous area. Remember, the more rubbing alcohol you use, the more potent it will be.

Clean Leather Seats using Olive Oil and Vinegar Mix

Leather seats and vinyl surfaces add a luxurious look to a vehicle’s interior. However, as durable and as flexible the material is, it is also prone to collecting dust. If you want to clean leather car seats, a professional cleaning service may not be necessary.

Leather Seat Cleaner Recipe

• 1/4 cup of vinegar
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• 6 – 10 drops of lemon essential oil (optional)
• 1 empty spray bottle
• 2 to 3 cleaning cloths

Vacuum the upholstered seats thoroughly, especially the crevices and hidden areas. Next, prepare the solution. Pour the vinegar, olive oil, and lemon essential oil in the spray bottle. Shake well.

To use, put a small amount on a clean cloth and use it to wipe the seats clean. However, don’t oversaturate it so that excess liquid won’t pool in between cushions. Use a second damp cloth, followed by a dry cloth to avoid wet marks.

Use Hydrogen Peroxide and Water to Clean Air Vents

Car interior cleaning isn’t complete without removing the dust blowing from the air vents. For you to be able to breathe in cleaner air while traveling on your car, make the following DIY cleaner.

Homemade Air Vent and Ducts Cleaner

• 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide
• 1 cup of water
• 1 spray bottle

Pour water and hydrogen peroxide into the spray bottle. Open all the doors and windows of your car. Turn on the car’s fans to the maximum level.

Spray the solution into the fresh-air intake. The air vent and duct cleaner will travel through the ducts and eradicate molds and mildew.

Clean Vomit off Your Car Upholstery using Club Soda

If you have vomit stains on your car’s upholstered seats, use club soda as a cleaner. Pour it into a spray bottle and spray it on the vomit stains. Let it sit for thirty minutes and blot it up with a clean cloth.

Use Toothpaste to Remove Dirt and Spots on Your Windshield

There are times when streaks and marks remain on the windshield even after thoroughly cleaning the glass from the outside with an effective DIY car windshield cleaner. If this happens, it means that the dirt and grime are stuck on the inside and need some attention.

So, to clean a car windshield inside, get a non-gel toothpaste and squirt a small amount onto a clean microfiber cloth. Carefully wipe down the windshield. Use a clean cloth afterward to pick up any leftover residue.

Clean Car Mats with Baking Soda

Use baking soda to clean floor mats. Removing them from the car first. Then sprinkle baking soda onto the floor mat. Wash them as you would typically do with a brush or scrub.

Mix White Vinegar and Water for an All-purpose Car Interior Cleaner

If you want a handy spray bottle for cleaning car interiors, you can concoct an all-purpose cleaner that you can keep in your trunk for use at any time. This is also an easy-to-make RV cleaner that can clean grime from multiple surfaces.