Scratched windshield reduces visibility by 60% – how to properly clean car windows in winter?

Winter is the most affecting season for cars: the streets and roads of Latvia are mostly covered with mud caused by a mixture of salt, water and sand; all of that inevitably ends up on the car’s running part and body, where frost takes care of the durability of this ‘coating’. The windows of the car cannot escape from that either. In the dark time of the year, when good visibility is particularly important, many car owners are trying to clean their windows and harming their car due to lack of knowledge or recklessness. How to properly ensure the cleanliness of your car windows in the winter.

The biggest threat to a frozen window – the ice scraper
The first thing we see most often when leaving home early in the winter is a snow-covered car with frozen windows – just when you need to hurry most. If most car owners handle snow successfully, by using a snow brush, it is not that easy with frozen windows.

“As you can usually see, while the car is warming up with the engine on, its owner tries very hard to scrape the ice out of the windows, by using the other end of the snow brush equipped with a scraper. This is the biggest mistake most car owners make. Along with the ice, grains of sand from the dirty water get frozen on the surface of the glass, as the dirt gets on the car’s body while driving. And then it turns out, that the hard surface of the ice scraper, together with the sand, forms a neat ‘sandpaper’, that leaves scratchy marks on car windows, mostly on the windshield,” explains Normunds Tarkšs, technical director of SIA “Domenikss”.

Over-zealous cleaning of the windows can be dangerous
Tiny scratches on the glass severely restrict visibility while driving. You may not notice it during daylight hours in good weather, but as soon as dusk or dark begins, and it rains or snows, the scratched windshield glows in all the colours of the rainbow and reduces visibility by 50-60 %. In this case, serious concerns should be raised not only about the aesthetic aspect, but also about driving safety, says the technical director of SIA “Domenikss”. He points to another dangerous mistake: «Never try to defrost frozen glass with hot water, as drastic change in temperature can lead to even more serious damage of the glass – it can simply crack!»

How to take care of windows without damaging them
What can be done to avoid the consequences of brutal window cleaning? “You can, of course, sit in the car, heat the cabin and wait for the ice on the glass to melt, thanks to the heat flowing from the cabin. However, it will be more efficient to use special window defrosting and de-icing agents available at almost all petrol station stores, as well as car accessories stands in department stores,” advises Normunds Tarkšs.

Window defrosters are aerosols that are sprayed onto the frozen window. After a few minutes, the glass can be easily wiped off with a soft snow brush without damaging mirror surface of the glass. In addition, it will save you time in the morning rush as it will be much faster and more efficient than scraping the frozen ice with a scraper.

The most loyal one-brand supporters also have the possibility to choose car manufacturer’s offered window fluid concentrates, which protect the fluid from freezing on the windshield, or window defrosting agents. Such products tend to be particularly gentle and odourless, while providing long-lasting protection against fogging of the glass and melting ice in a single spray even at -15 °C.

Best Ways to Clean Car Windows

Clean car windows do not only give your ride a classy look, but they also enhance visibility when driving. Unfortunately, … Continued

By Car Bibles Staff October 16, 2018

Clean car windows do not only give your ride a classy look, but they also enhance visibility when driving. Unfortunately, how to clean car windows without leaving streaks remains a mystery to many car owners. The ugly streaks that stay after every car window cleaning session might be frustrating, but you can avert this. Dirty windows reflect poorly on your car, yet they tend to get dirty especially if you drive daily. If you smoke or when the air is filled with pollen, the chances are that your windows will build up with dirtiness.

Taking time to clean car windows leads to substantial aesthetics improvement. If you are looking to have clear windows that look good both from the inside and outside, you need to learn the best way to clean car windows.

Several Myths and Wrong Opinions!

“My opinion is that…” You have probably heard many opinions out there, most of which fail terribly. There is a sea of endless car window cleaning opinions out here that rarely works. If you are looking to have smudge free and streak free windows for your ride, it is more about the cloth, technique and finding the best auto glass cleaner than it is about the procedure.

The Outside and Inside

Your car windows have two sides; the in and out. Although the steps are often similar, the truth is that they cover different sets of issues and thus require specific strategies for streak-free car windows.

Outside Window Problems Include:

• Water spots, excessive dirt, and fall-out
• Exposed to weather and elements

Not all glass is made equal, and several varieties exist, depending on the window make, age and how often you clean them.

Inside Window Problems Include:

• Window tint film
• Film build-up- comes from gassing of interior parts such as vinyl, rubber, and plastics. Out-gassing refers to the process through which the chemicals used to manufacture a car release gasses when exposed to UV lighting, heat and air. You will notice this by the hazy build-up that arises over time

Considering that glasses are not made equally, some variables listed above might apply to the inside part too.

Guide on How Best to Clean Your Car Windows

Related Post: Waxing Car Windows: Is It a Good Idea?

Save Your Windows for Last

When cleaning your ride, you should always wash the windows last. That way, you will avoid doing unnecessary extra work. It will also help you to prevent contaminating your windows with grime.

Pull Your Vehicle Into the Shade

Car bodies absorb heat quickly. When you leave your vehicle in the sun for prolonged periods, it will feel hot to touch. If this is the case, try parking it under the shade and start cleaning only when it feels cool. However, you can use water to accelerate heat evaporation from the windows.

Assemble Your Cleaning Supplies

Ammonia based window cleaners, like many window cleaners in the market, might damage the tinting and could also dry out the car rubber seals. Consider visiting your automotive store or local hardware to buy a glass cleaner that is made purposely for automotive use. If you purchase the concentrated formula, make sure to dilute it using distilled water for excellent results. Besides the Best Auto Glass Cleaner, you will also require:

1. Sponge
2. Bucket
3. Distilled water
4. Cloth, the most recommended is microfiber towels

Clean the Rear and Front Windows

The size and angle of these windows make them the hardest to clean. Therefore, mix your cleaner well and spray some of it on your window or use a sponge. You can now use a clean cloth to wipe the rear and front windows clean. Here are some tips to ease the process:

• Clean in several directions to make it easier to notice the missed spots or smudges. For instance, you can swipe up and down or left to right.
• Do not wipe in circles. Cleaning car windows should not be like polishing paint. If you rub the window cleaner in a circular motion, you might end up leaving the streaks that you would like to avoid.
• Do not use paper towels. Paper towels tend to be highly absorbent, and they are likely to remove grime or dirt from the glass. If you want to be effective at cleaning car windows, forget the paper towels and use sponges or a piece of cloth.

Work on the Stubborn Bug Spatter on the Windows

When your cleaning solution and cloth are not strong enough to eliminate the patches of dry soap on the windows, you may have to take dire measures. There are formulated products that are meant to get rid of the stubborn stains from car windows, but you can remove the splatter by using a wet rag.

Some experts recommend the use of a little baking soda on the spots to remove the spots. Once you sprinkle the baking soda on the dirt, allow the solution to stay for a few moments to set the stain. Next, you can buff it out using the microfiber cloth.

Roll Down Your Side Windows

A common area that is missed when cleaning windows is usually at the top, where the glass slides into place inside the rubber seal. To keep off these unsightly lines, roll your window down a little bit then wipe the area using the cloth. If this part is dirty, consider using some extra cleaner on the area.

Clean the Wiper Blades

The last step is cleaning the wiper blades. Use some cleaner to break the dirt buildup on the wipers then wipe them dry using a piece of cloth. The buildup on the edges can be harmful to the windshield and might make the blades to wear off quickly if you do not maintain them well. To avert this, use a wiper treatment on the vehicle after wiping the edges clean.

Keeping your car windows clean is important for aesthetics and safety reasons. Besides, dirty glass makes it hard to see at night or during temperature swings or in rainy weather. The stubborn streaks that persist after cleaning windows are annoying. Luckily, the above steps will leave you with spotless car windows.

How to wash your car in the winter

Winter is the season in the year that makes cleaning cars more difficult, and more important. The amount of dirt you accumulate will increase greatly, but cleaning it off will become more difficult. This article aims at giving you the pointers, tips and tricks to make it easier for you.

Why washing in the winter

The dirt and grime

When it is winter, the roads will more often be covered in moisture. This is either (half) frozen into ice or snow, or it is melted into puddles of water. This means the roads are very often wet, and moisture mixes well with the dirt and grime that covers the roads. The car in front of you either splashes the dirty water up, or throws the snow up at you. Covering your car in dirty and muddy moisture. When the temperature drop, this dirty moisture freezes, increasing the time the contaminants cover your paintwork. The longer these contaminants are in contact with your paintwork, the greater the chance they get stuck on the paintwork. Ice or snow that melts also has the tendency to slide off the car, moving all the accumulated dirt over your paintwork while sliding.

The protection

When the temperature drops, certain products start to fail. Wax becomes brittle at a very low temperature, having a negative effect on the resistance it offers. Some sealants also start to fail if the temperature goes to low. Precisely at the moment you need your protection to work its hardest, it is failing. For this reason, certain manufacturers decided to formulate special products that can cope with the low temperatures. These products are more likely to withstand the cold and to keep fighting off the grime and dirt.

Tips, tricks and pointers

When washing your car in the winter, certain factors come into play that normally don’t matter too much. For example: water can freeze, which can cause problems in certain areas.

• Dry your vehicle as good as possible, consider using air to blow dry crevices and small area’s
• Using water that is slightly warmer then the body panels, will help to heat up the panels a bit. This will make it less likely that any moisture will re-freeze
• If at all possible, wait for a moment later in the day, when it is more warm. Maybe even consider washing it on another day
• Dress yourself up. Hypothermia is a very serious problem you should avoid at all times
• Doing a full detail before the cold sets in, will help to get your car through winter. You only need to wash the car during this period, and not apply any form of protection
• If you are not going to wash the car properly, consider rinsing it clean at the Do-It-Yourself carwash. Do not use the brush, but just use the lance to rinse off the biggest dirt from the vehicle. This will prevent the toughest dirt from getting stuck in the paintwork
• Rinseless or waterless washes can be used, just remember that these are not suitable for heavy contaminated surfaces. A pre-wash might be better
• If at all possible, try to rinse the underside of the vehicle. This will be covered in road salt which can sometimes lead to corrosion and rust
• When doing a pre-winter or after-winter wash, pay attention to the wheelarches. These will get a lot of punishment through the winter and need to be properly protected or properly cleaned
• Warm water will increase the effectiveness of your shampoo, and make it easier to clean with. Just don’t make it to hot

Don’ts

• Never wash your car with very hot water. The temperature difference can crack the glass. Don’t let the temperature difference between the water and the surface got greater then 30 degrees Celsius
• Don’t apply a liquid sealant/wax/coating on a panel that is cold enough to make the liquid freeze
• If any moisture freezes, don’t start to rub it with pressure and excessive movement. This will increase the risk of marring and swirls
• Don’t apply snowfoam on top of snow, this won’t do anything and there is a risk that the snowfoam freezes
• Don’t make your bucket with water too warm. It can crack glass if the temperature difference is to big
• If you don’t have a choice and its freezing outside. Drive around for while with the heater on warm. The warmed up engine and interior will prevent a large part of the water from freezing while washing

General things to keep in mind

• Dry the vehicle as good as possible
• Be careful with a hot air blaster, if the air is too hot, it can crack the glass
• Be careful with using hot liquids, when it cools down again it can cause condensation
• The temperature of your body panels will be lower then the temperature of the air. Moisture can freeze even if the air itself is above 0 degrees Celsius
• Be very careful to prevent moisture from freezing, this will make it much more difficult to wash the car. It will also make it much more difficult to apply a protective product
• Many manufacturers of protective products advise to NOT use the product under a temperature of 5 degrees Celsius
• Cleaning does not only have to be aesthetically important, having a clean vehicle means you can look through your window properly. Something that is essential in dangerous weather conditions
• Taking care of your car now, means it will last longer and holds it value for longer
• Be very careful around doorshuts and keyholes. Water can freeze and make them difficult to open
• For obvious reasons, it would be a major help if the car can be stored indoors. Either for parking or for cleaning the car

Tools to help you wash the car in winter

Although washing your car can be uncomfortable in winter, it does not have to be very difficult. Adjusting the way you normally wash the car can already make a big difference. A device that lets you use compressed air, or blows air will help to get moisture out of small crevices and difficut areas. A pressure washer can help to clean of a lot of the biggest dirt and any snow/ice still on the vehicle. A undercarriage attachment can help to clean the underside, preventing any damage for roadsalt.