Windscreens play an important role in our cars – enabling you to see where you’re going and keeping you protected from hazards on the road. Cleaning a car windscreen is therefore an essential task for all drivers throughout the year.
Our guide below takes you through how to clean inside windscreens and outside. Take a look out our range of external and internal cleaning products to prepare yourself for tackling the toughest windscreen grime.
Begin With A Wash
Start by giving your windscreen a wash with soapy water, cleaning with a soft cloth or squeegee as you go; this will begin to remove the top layer of dirt from your windscreen. Ensure the wipers are lifted up and pointed away from the glass as you clean. Wipe in small, circular movements to avoid brushing dirt away from you.
Once the dirty water has been washed away, gently apply rubbing alcohol or baking soda onto your wipers, as this helps to clean them if especially dirty.
Deep Clean
To clear away the toughest marks, use glass cleaner and a microfibre cloth. Compared to a standard cloth, microfibres have much thinner strands, giving them a wider surface area to capture dirt.
A small amount of white vinegar can also break through stubborn grime. Mix it
with half a litre of water to create a potent cleaning solution.
Clean The Inside
Now that the outside of your wind screen is clear, it’s time to clean the inside. Take your glass cleaner and spray the inside screen, wiping with the microfibre cloth in circular motions. Ensure the cloth is clean before tackling the inside, as you may transfer dirt from cleaning the outside screen.
For marks left by phone holster sucker pads, rubbing alcohol will remove them in seconds. Use only a minimal amount to avoid any smearing.
Future Cleaning Tips
There are steps you can take to keep your car windscreen clean over time. These
include:
- Always keeping your wiper fluid topped up
- Store a cloth and cleaning fluid in your car, should you need to clean the
windscreens in an emergency - Wipes are your friend. Consider having a pack of glass
wipes to hand, so you can quickly remove dirt or other stains which may
impede your view during a journey
Cleaning the windscreens is just one part of your car’s overall maintenance. Checking brakes is another task that, with the proper knowledge, you can diagnose and potentially fix yourself. For information on what may be causing squeaky or damaged breaks, check out our guide on the different factors to look out for.