By Gail Marsh
Of all the parts on your truck or motorhome, your windshield is one of the most important to keep clean. Most folks have no problem cleaning the exterior of the windshield. Almost every fuel station has a cleaner, a sponge, and paper towels that will scrub the windshield’s exterior clean. However, the job isn’t done until both sides of the glass sparkle. So here are some tips for cleaning the inside of your windshield.
Why is the inside of a windshield so dirty?
- Outside dust and dirt. Dirt from the outside air may come in through open windows and/or air vents. The dirt and dust will accumulate to form a film on the inside of the glass.
- Grime. Fingerprints, splatters, and bug smears can add to the messy glass.
- Heat and UV rays. Ultraviolet light rays and heat combine to cause some plastics and fabric in the vehicle’s interior to release or off-gas chemicals and particles. These also form a film on the windshield’s interior.
- Smoke. If you or your passengers smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or vape in your vehicle, the resulting smoke will build up as smudge on the glass.
Getting the best clean
- Shade. Move your vehicle into the shade, or plan to clean the windshield’s interior glass inside your garage. (Heat can cause the cleaning solution to dry too quickly, causing streaks.)
- Gather your cleaning materials: Have handy a large bowl or small bucket, dish detergent (I use original Dawn), white vinegar, three microfiber cloths (more about those here).
- Mix up the cleaning solution: Pour warm water into the bowl. Add two or three drops of dish detergent to the water. Also add a capful of white vinegar. Gently mix.
- Soak. Put one microfiber cloth into the cleaning mix so the cloth is completely soaked.
- Dry rub. While one microfiber cloth is soaking, take the second microfiber cloth and rub the windshield’s interior in a circular motion. This will remove any loose dirt and dust. Set this dirty cloth aside.
- Wring and wash. Wring out the cloth soaking in the cleaning solution and wash the inside glass. First, scrub in a circular motion, changing the cloth frequently so you’re always using a clean part of the cloth. Finish washing the glass by wiping up and down over the entire windshield’s interior.
- Dry. Finally, take the third microfiber cloth and thoroughly dry the glass. Again, frequently change the part of the cloth that’s touching the glass.
- Repeat the process, as needed. If your windshield’s interior glass is really grimy, increase the amount of dish detergent and vinegar.
How do you clean the inside of your windshield? Share your tips with us in the comments below, please.
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Another tip, wipe vertical on the outside and horizontal on the inside (or the other way around) so if you see a streak, you know which side of the window it’s on.
All I know is one must be a contortionist to clean the inside front window.
I use a similar homemade solution of Dawn, Ammonia, and water. I place an old bath towel across the bottom where the windshield contacts the glass. Clean with solution and microfiber cloth, squeegee with a narrow short handle silicone squeegee. Solution drains on towel, then I use the towel to clean the dash. Easy.
Original Windex and newspaper
Yes, windex and newspapers, really works good.
Using anything that comes from a tree to wipe your windows, even newspaper, has fibers that leave micro scratches. Use microfiber towels.
Wish I could get Glass Wax again. Used it for many years, but no longer available. Best glass cleaner ever.
Look for “No Streak.” It’s not sold in CA, but it is available in other states. Works like Glass Wax.
Agreed!
I use microfiber cloths and Windex (or a generic version). Spray, rub with one cloth, and wipe away the residue with a second cloth. I fold the cloths into quarters and rotate to a clean quarter when the present one becomes visibly dirty. If/when the quarter I’m using of the wiping cloth becomes damp, then it becomes the rubbing cloth and a third one becomes the wiping cloth.
We use 70% rubbing alcohol and a microfibre cloth.. No elbow grease needed, and no residue at all… Make sure it is 70%..
Straight 70% rubbing alcohol? No water?
As a child, over 70 years ago, my mother taught me to use vinegar and water for cleaning glass, and newspapers for wiping. Today I use mostly straight vinegar in a spray bottle, and paper towels for wiping. Vinegar cleans glass beautifully with absolutely no streaking, and vinegar is much, much cheaper than brand glass cleaners!
Paper towels scratch glass. Don’t believe me? Try wiping acrylic with them. I never use anything that comes from trees (i.e. paper towels, newspapers).
A long time ago I bought 2 cloth covered windshield “sticks”. They have a reservoir in the handle to put cleaner in there (I just use water). It does a great job with the inside of the windshield. Here’s a picture of it:
Very nice! Thank you for the information!
Yes, thankyou for that information
One does not want to use harsh cleaners, especially for rear windows with external defoggers.
Awesome advice for getting the inside of your windshield clean. But I’m still struggling with getting my MoHo in the garage? Any suggestions? FYI, I have seen bug smears on the inside of the windshield as Daisy our Beagle hates flys & smears them on the MoHo windshield!
Snoopy
I’ve never had bug smears on the inside of my windshield, outside yes.
If Gail’s solution doesn’t work, use a damp Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, then repeat with Gail’s solution. Most likely off-gassing inside the vehicle has coated the glass.
I just read somewhere that Magic Eraser is good on glass as it removes the chemicals and plastics residue. Never tried it, but considering trying it when we get settled in for the winter.
I use ‘Windex with Vineger’ and use a paint stir stick with the microfiber cloth on the end to make reaching the lower glass easier.
I use Stoner’s Invisible Glass and waffle textured micro fiber cloths. Spray, wipe and repeat.
We use this too. Great stuff.
I would have thought Windex would be just fine…..
Me too
Windex leaves streaks alot of times. Paper towels also leave a mess.