How to Clean Car Windows Like a PRO?

By Max Anthony •  Updated: 04/24/21 •  6 min read

Keeping your car windows clean is necessary to make your car look good and essential for safety. When you have dirty windows, the visibility is decreased, which can lead to severe accidents.

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To increase visibility, keeping your car windows clean is so important. Drivers prefer not to clean car windows often because it comes with getting streaks that ruin the windows. But if you perform the cleaning process professionally like a pro, getting streaks can be minimized.

Moreover, we do not recommend cleaning car windows all by yourself if you are not an expert. That’s why we have compiled this guide to make you a professional so you can clean windows like a pro.

Besides, you would not prefer to take your car to the car wash as they cost a lot of money that you cannot bear every week or month. The process we are sharing is cheaper and does not take much time. Let’s find out everything you need to know about cleaning your car windows.

What Do You Need to Clean Car Windows?

clean car windows
Hand car wash – washing windshield with sponge | Flickr

Before you start the cleaning process, gather all the necessary tools or items required. You can choose products of your own choice such as window cleaner.

We have made a list of a few necessary types of equipment that you will be needed during cleaning. Make sure you have all of them to avoid any delay.

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1. Window Cleaner

You can go for any window cleaner of your choice but don’t ever use the one that contains ammonia. It is not suitable for car surfaces having leather, vinyl, and rubber.

Also, ammonia is not so good for tinted windows because it can damage the film. We also recommend never use ammonia fumes in a closed environment.

2. Cloth and Water

If you are using concentrated cleaner, make sure you are cleaning with distilled water. In the clothes category, we recommend using microfiber towels rather than clean cotton, which is also okay.

But using microfiber towels produce outstanding cleaning results besides cleaning the most stubborn stains.

3. Bucket and Sponge

A sponge is optional; you can use a damp cloth as well as it provides excellent cleaning. If you are using a concentrated cleaner, make sure to use a bucket. All these mentioned accessories can make your cleaning process efficient.

A Beginners Guide in Cleaning Your Car Windows

clean car windows

The experts recommend cleaning car windows in the end right after cleaning the entire car. It will help to avoid any contamination caused by smudges and grime that can come from cleaning the rest of the parts.

Otherwise, you’ll need to clean the car again. We have composed beginners buying guide to clean car windows like a pro to help you clean your vehicle. Follow these steps and get a professional cleaning at home.

1. Park Your Car in the Shade

Your car needs to be cold before you start cleaning. The main reason is that when you are cleaning and your car is parked right under direct sunlight. The chemicals you are using will be evaporated before they get their job done.

On the other hand, a cold body lets the chemicals react properly in cleaning the car. That’s why it is so important to park the car in the garage or under any shade.

2. First Clean the Front and Rear Windows

The front and rear windows are the hardest parts to clean. That’s why we recommend cleaning these parts first. You should mix your cleaner and then spray a good amount onto your car windows.

This way, you can apply the cleaner from a bucket with a spine quite easily. Now you can use a clean damp cloth or microfiber depending on your choice or the easily available one.

You need to clean in different directions, such as cleaning from left to right and up to down. This way, you won’t miss any spot or smudge for more efficient cleaning.

3. Try to Get Hard-to-Reach Parts by Moving Window

Start cleaning the side windows from the top where it slides into the rubber seal. Use your microfiber cloth to clean every part by moving the window up and down.

This way, you can reach the hard-to-reach parts for efficient cleaning. You need to pour more cleaner in the corners to properly reach those parts that hardly come into contact while cleaning.

4. Wipe Side Windows from Top to Bottom

We recommend cleaning side windows in the order of top to bottom. This way, the cleaning is precise and easy, besides it helps in removing stains properly.

Once you clean corners and edges, wet the main surface of side windows and wipe in the opposite direction. Wiping opposite directions makes the cleaning better and gets the left part during the first time.

Besides, cleaning side windows in a manner of top to bottom will keep drips from ruining the freshly cleaned windows. Once you are done with side windows, also wipe down the side mirrors.

5. At the End, Clean Wiper Blades

In the end, clean wiper blades once you are done cleaning car windows. At this stage, use a little bit of the cleaner and dry both blades using your cloth or microfiber towel.

You need to properly maintain the wiper by applying treatment regularly. Otherwise, they may tear soon or get rusty soon.

6. Make Sure to Remove Stubborn Bug Splatter

Your cleaning solution and cloth should be strong enough to remove the dried protein of bug guts. If not, you need to change, or your cleaning process will not be efficient to make the visibility high even after cleaning.

You need to find specialty manufactured products designed to remove tough bug stains from the car windows.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning car windows improve your visibility besides making your car look good. Once you know the entire cleaning process, you can give your vehicle a professional cleaning at home.

Going to a car wash can be a good choice when you are willing to spend money. Otherwise, cleaning the car by yourself can be more satisfying.

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Max Anthony

Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.