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.

Cloth to clean windows

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AliExpress will never be beaten on choice, quality and price. Every day you’ll find new, online-only offers, store discounts and the opportunity to save even more by collecting coupons. But you may have to act fast as this top cloth to clean the windows is set to become one of the most sought-after best-sellers in no time. Think how jealous you’re friends will be when you tell them you got your cloth to clean the windows on AliExpress. With the lowest prices online, cheap shipping rates and local collection options, you can make an even bigger saving.

If you’re still in two minds about cloth to clean the windows and are thinking about choosing a similar product, AliExpress is a great place to compare prices and sellers. We’ll help you to work out whether it’s worth paying extra for a high-end version or whether you’re getting just as good a deal by getting the cheaper item. And, if you just want to treat yourself and splash out on the most expensive version, AliExpress will always make sure you can get the best price for your money, even letting you know when you’ll be better off waiting for a promotion to start, and the savings you can expect to make.AliExpress takes pride in making sure that you always have an informed choice when you buy from one of hundreds of stores and sellers on our platform. Every store and seller is rated for customer service, price and quality by real customers. Plus you can find out the store or individual seller ratings, as well as compare prices, shipping and discount offers on the same product by reading comments and reviews left by users. Every purchase is star-rated and often has comments left by previous customers describing their transaction experience so you can buy with confidence every time. In short, you don’t have to take our word for it – just listen to our millions of happy customers.

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The Best Way to Clean Windows, According to Our Cleaning Lab

That squeegee just might make a bigger mess.

Over time, pollution and grime accumulate slowly but surely on your windows, obstructing your view and blocking precious sunlight. The only thing worse? Thick streaks left behind by improper cleaning.

To keep your vista clear (and your light-loving houseplants happy), follow this expert advice from Carolyn Forte, Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab. With the right spray, cloth, and technique, your windows will have never looked better.

1. Choose a dry, cloudy day.

«Do this job in the blazing sun and the cleaner will dry onto the hot windows before you get to wipe it off, leaving hard-to-remove streaks,» Forte says. If the weather won’t cooperate, start on the shady side of the house.

2. Remove dirt and dust first.

Before you get started, sweep dirt from the window frame with a brush or vacuum it up with your machine’s dusting attachment. This will prevent dirt from turning into a muddy mess when mixed with a cleaner. If your window screen looks especially grimy, pop it out and wash with hot, sudsy water and a soft brush, then rinse and let dry before putting it back.

For quickly dusting shades and blinds, Forte recommends going over both sides with a microfiber duster or opening the slats and going over each one with a damp cloth and followed by a dry one.

LAB TIP: You can also refresh your curtains at the same time by putting them in the dryer for 15 minutes on an «air-only» cycle and rehanging quickly to prevent wrinkles.

3. Pick the right cleaner — and spritz generously.

Don’t hold back on the spray, especially if your windows look extra dirty. «You need plenty of cleaner to dissolve and suspend the dirt so it can be completely wiped away — skimp and you’ll be seeing streaks,» Forte says.

She recommends Invisible Glass Cleaner With EZ Grip. The fine mist from the bottle stays where you spray until you wipe it, meaning less drips and mess. Check out these other top-tested cleaners depending on the job too:

How to clean windows

Cleaning the windows can make such a difference to your home! This guide describes the best way to clean windows & the ideal window cleaning tools to use.

Updated 8 April 2020

By Cleanipedia Team

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Key Steps:

Window Cleaning Checklist

Before you begin window cleaning make sure you have the appropriate tools:

• Cleaning product of your choice ­– whether it be a natural or commercial cleaner
• A clean, soft cloth or scrunched up newspaper
• A squeegee

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and yet your living room is as dull as dishwater. Have you checked your windows? When a little bit of sunlight comes our way, you might realise just how long it’s been since you cleaned your windows. Even just a little bit of dirt and dust can have a huge effect on how much light shines through, making it seem like a dark and dismal winter day even in the middle of summer. Cleaning windows is a task many of us put off because it seems like hard work, but with the right window cleaning tools and products, you can get your windows crystal clear with little to no fuss.

This video demonstration will show you how to get your windows looking great:

When using a ladder to reach high up windows, always take appropriate safety precautions: wear sensible footwear, make sure the ladder is fully extended, and have an extra person on hand to steady the ladder at the bottom. If you are unsure about working at heights, or do not own a ladder, seek the assistance of a professional window cleaner.

How concerned are you about disinfecting while cleaning?

Products for Cleaning Windows

To reduce the risk of stubborn streaks, you’ll want to use the right cleaning products. There are plenty of products that do the job, both natural and commercial.

• Commercial window cleaning products are readily available from stores. They get the job done, and are easy to use – make sure to read the directions on the label and test any product on a small area first. It’s best to use a product that is made to clean windows and glass – other products may leave streaks or smudges behind.

• Hot, soapy water can work wonders, too. Simply add a small amount of dishwashing liquid to some hot water, and you’ve got yourself one powerful cleaning product. Make sure to read the directions on the label and test any product on a small area first.

Window Cleaning Tools

Don’t worry, you don’t need to go out and spend a fortune on all manner of special window cleaning tools. Of course, you can, if you really want to, but it’s not necessary. Here are three options for tools you can use to clean your windows:

• For buffing up the window and making it sparkle, a clean and soft cloth is a good option. Clean rags from old t-shirts can be an easy (and cost-effective) option – they will buff nicely whilst protecting your window from damage.

• If you have a lot of windows to clean, a squeegee might be a good addition to your cleaning tools. You can buy squeegees with a soft trim, too, which just provides a little added protection against scratches.

• Believe it or not, some homeowners swear by newspaper for buffing their windows, claiming it produces the best shine. If trying this, always test in a small corner to ensure the newspaper doesn’t scratch your windows. You just need to scrunch up a piece of newspaper into a ball, and then use this to shine your windows.

The Best Way to Clean Windows

Our windows can get dirty very easily, especially if kids are around; you’ll notice a new sticky handprint or lots of fingerprints almost every day. Fortunately, keeping your windows clean is really easy once you know how – and it takes no time at all. Here’s a quick guide to cleaning your windows.

• First, prepare the area around the window. Remove any items from the windowsill and tie back the curtain.

• Apply the cleaning product to the window following the instructions on the label. Whether you’re using a specialised window spray or just soap and water, remember not to apply too much product to the glass.

• Next, it’s time to remove the cleaning product from the window – you don’t want to leave streaks behind. Use a clean and soft cloth for this (or a ball of newspaper, if you’d prefer). Start at the top of the window and work down in circles or small strokes. Avoid using kitchen roll or toilet roll, as these can leave streaks and debris behind.

• Streak-free windows should now be yours!