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I recently bought a new car, and thought that I'd clean it - something I've never done before with previous cars. Cleaning the inside is especially annoying as cars have all sorts of materuals and lots of gaps and crevices. But my immediate question is how to clean the inside of the windshield. I consulted YouTube and there are loads of tips for cleaning - sorry, I mean "detailing" - cars, but I thought I'd seek advice from the ultimate source of wisdom!
(And yes - I need to get a life)
Take to Tesco
"clean that mate"
🙂
how to clean the inside of the windshield
If you mean the windscreen??? ( 😉 ) just use any glass cleaner! Or, better still, just do what @weeksy said
Take to Tesco
That's certainly a good solution 🙂
Just use a damp microfibre cloth. Once I've dried the exterior with it, I'll just wipe the windows. Done right only needs doing every few months. I don't use and cleaner chemicals.
Take to Tesco
and combined with shopping, two chores at the same time.
For interior windows I rate Autoglym glass polish. It’s a cream/liquid you rub lightly on the window, let dry for a minute then just wipe off with a micro fibre cloth, no buffing and even better, no streaks/smears. For most other interior trim I use a light spray of their detailing spray if there are marks/dirt to remove, then a hoover over everything and job jobbed.
I just use standard household window cleaner on car windows - it's just glass so cant see the need for a specific product.
CHROME prodcuts 'one step cleaner and dressing' is all I use on all of the interior hard surfaces, it cleans and leaves a nice satin finish that stays for some time, just wipe it on with a microfibre cloth.
Hoover the rest.
what core said
although, Demon Clean spray
done every week or two, the whole job takes 10 minutes, once a year, good luck.
I just use standard household window cleaner on car windows – it’s just glass so cant see the need for a specific product.
Me too. I can't believe some people are doing this sort of thing 'every week or two' though. WTF! Mine gets done when there is both a visible film of muck on the windscreen and when I have time. So probably once every year or two.
If you have a compressor you can use an air line to blast all kinds of mucky crap from inside all the crevices you'd never reach with a hoover.
It does a good job of cleaning carpets and fabric and loosening stuff before hoovering as well.
I just hoover and then use normal house cleaner spray (think its flash - whatever my wife buys really) and spray it onto a surface, agitate with a large make up brush, and wipe off with a microfibre. This generally does the trick.
For the windows, I use normal house window cleaner and a microfibre, and clean them in the same way you would for a house window. I'd recommend airing the car after though or the smell of acetone becomes overwhelming!!
I think that all 'car' specific cleaning products are a way to make you spend more money, I suppose its a bit like buying 'bike' specific cleaning products
For interior windows I rate Autoglym glass polish. It’s a cream/liquid you rub lightly on the window, let dry for a minute then just wipe off with a micro fibre cloth, no buffing and even better, no streaks/smears.
Same here, have used it ever since doing an AutoGlym course 24 years ago. The sprays leave tiny bits of product that encourages the gassing off from the interior plastics to stick whereas the cream (which is a variant in Windowlene) doesn't. A bottle lasts ages and it's always amazing the amount of black crap it lifts off even an apparently clean screen!
Drive to Scotland, park in north-south direction and open all the doors? 😉
Also, change the pollen/cabin filter. Cheap to do, takes 2 minutes and might never have been done before so your current one will be rotten.
all glass/mirrors use white vinegar spray. Stardrops sold in B&M down the cleaning products aisle
>Done right only needs doing every few months.
This appears to be a novel use of the word "needs" that I was not previously aware of.
Small paintbrush and hoover for crevices
But basically my car clean routine is thus-
1. Buy car, hopefully dealer/seller has cleaned it
2. Drive car for five years or 100000 miles, whichever is sooner
3. Clean car
4. Put on Gumtree
5. Go to 1
Worth pointing out that some car cleaning products are harmful to aquatic life. There's no space in the world for that sort of stuff
Carpets etc: standard Henry with attachments. Thin paintbrush to get into nooks and crannies and between trim panels. Keep the hoover brush attachements away from screens though as they're too easily scratched.
Glass: normal household Windowlene.
Plastics & (P)Leather: Poorboys Natural Look Dressing - cleans but also gives a nice matt finish rather than car supermarket high-gloss.
I've only ever had secondhand vehicles and a deep clean soon after buying is (IMO) essential. Can't stand a minging interior and I admit I like a bit of detailing...
Drive to Scotland, park in north-south direction and open all the doors? 😉
Follow-up thread
"How do I get this herd of wet sheep and three hypothermic ramblers out of my car?'
Turn upsidedown and shake.
This reminds me to clean my car, long (long) overdue.
Think I'll need a shovel ☹🤮
Do Scottish sheep count as aquatic life?
Do Scottish sheep count as aquatic life?
Everything in Scotland is currently classed as aquatic life, I've heard.
Turn upsidedown and shake.
Does that relate to the original post, or to ...
Follow-up thread
“How do I get this herd of wet sheep and three hypothermic ramblers out of my car?’
how to clean the inside of the windshield
Unsure if I posted on this earlier in the year. Maybe last year.
A friend and I had very dirty and greasy-looking interiors of our windshields.
We tried microfibre cloths with water. Pointless
We tried microfibre cloths with window cleaning spray. This spread the grease around.
We tried several other approaches.
In the end what worked was:
Sponge with 50:50 water:washing-up liquid rubbed all over the glass.
Clean up with kitchen paper
Then a sponge with propan-2-ol to clean until squeaky.
Then a polish with a really clean paper towel or entirely fresh microfibre towel.
Tiring but effective.
It worked well on the outside of the windshield too.
Glass is best buffed with newspaper. Dry if its not too dirty, tiny bit of meths, vinegar, windolene if its stinking dirty. No aquaticisms harmed.
The best answer take car for service, they clean the car, this is all it needs until next year.
My hovercraft is full of eels
I think we have the next random comment on the mag spine.
(Where do those come from anyway?)
The best answer take car for service, they clean the car, this is all it needs until next year.
Nice idea. Not my experience with MB.
And at £100s maybe pricier than a bit of detailing?
prettygreenparrot
Unsure if I posted on this earlier in the year. Maybe last year.
A friend and I had very dirty and greasy-looking interiors of our windshields.
We tried microfibre cloths with water. Pointless
We tried microfibre cloths with window cleaning spray. This spread the grease around.
We tried several other approaches.In the end what worked was:
Sponge with 50:50 water:washing-up liquid rubbed all over the glass.
Clean up with kitchen paper
Then a sponge with propan-2-ol to clean until squeaky.
Then a polish with a really clean paper towel or entirely fresh microfibre towel.Tiring but effective.
It worked well on the outside of the windshield too.
I'm sure that worked but a lot less effort would be:
barkeepers friend mixed to a paste
or
autoglym glass polish
Apply with cloth. Wait for it to dry. Remove with another cloth.
No need to overcomplicate it!
autoglym glass polish
Apply with cloth. Wait for it to dry. Remove with another cloth.
No need to overcomplicate it
Barkeepers friend was one I omitted. Weirdly ineffectual as it works on most everything else.
Autoglym glass polish? I’ll try that next time.
prettygreenparrot
Barkeepers friend was one I omitted. Weirdly ineffectual as it works on most everything else.
I know they changed the formula at some point so maybe they've ruined it. The one I have definitely removes greasy films from windows, including diesel spills!
I’ve tried all sorts to sort out smeary, smudged and cloudy windscreens. Recently discovered the foolproof method of a few drops of washing up liquid in warm water, wash the interior of the window and the squeegee it off. Then use a cloth to clear up the drips and edges and wipe off the dash.
Interior, get a decent brush head for the vacuum cleaner, good for seats, dash/buttons and does the carpets without fuzzing them up like a hard nozzle does.
Mine gets done when there is both a visible film of muck on the windscreen and when I have time. So probably once every year or two.
WTF! Remind me never to go inside your car.
Open all of the doors and aim the leaf blower
Finish the upholstery with the vacuum cleaner
Supermarket own-brand glass cleaner and use the now damp cloth on the dash. Done!
Rain-X on the outside of the glass, never had any luck with the interior anti-mist variety
all glass/mirrors use white vinegar spray.
My wife swears by this, but the place smells like a chip shop
Your chip shop needs to get proper malt vinegar in then
For interior windows I rate Autoglym glass polish
This! Great stuff
Inside of the glass in our relics, RainX.
Work van with heated screen, the window cleaner from under the kitchen sink, probably.
Usually I just wait for the screen to need replacing with a shiny new one, got some big stonechips on the current 6 month old one.
Worth pointing out that some car cleaning products are harmful to aquatic life. There’s no space in the world for that sort of <br /><br />
Unless those products are being used in truly excessive quantities, and the vehicle then driven into a lake or watercourse, then there isn’t going to be any harm from them.
Unlike the huge quantities of tyre rubber being washed off of every road surface into every watercourse and ultimately into the oceans. Because that’s what most of the microplastics consist of.
My hovercraft is full of eels<br />I think we have the next random comment on the mag spine.
(Where do those come from anyway?)
Monty Python.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Hungarian_Phrasebook
Back to the subject in question, I use ordinary window cleaner from your supermarket of choice, along with a microfibre cloth from same.
I also have a very handy tool for doing the final cleaning, and clearing any mistyness - it’s a telescopic alloy tube which extends out to about 18” or so, with a rectangular pad on the end that’s hinged in the middle long-ways, with a microfibre cover which lets you get right into the corners, and you can always put another cloth over that. No idea where to get one, it was left in a car I was clearing junk out of.
Seems it was Amazon, but the one I have is unavailable, but there are similar ones…
Blu-tac or Plasticine for getting those annoying crumbs out of crevices.
Hot damp cloth for the windscreen (the hotter, the better), dry immediately, repeat. Do small sections at a time. The first 1 or 2 passes will soften the film of filth before it's eventually clean.
Karcher window vac + cleaner was a game changer for me. Water and fairy liquid in the spray bottle, agitate it all around with the microfibre end bit and then use the vac to clean it all off. It's the only thing I've ever used that actually leaves it clean. The Autogylm glass polish is tempting though.
Best to do it with the car facing a low sun so you can see if it's worked or not. In the past I've thought it was clean only to then turn in to the sun and not be able to see much though the smears and had to stop and have another go.
Just use a damp microfibre cloth. Once I’ve dried the exterior with it, I’ll just wipe the windows. Done right only needs doing every few months. I don’t use and cleaner chemicals.
After years of using glass cleaners and never getting a properly clear finish I saw one of the YouTube car valeting guys recommending this method and gave it a try with great results. I was amazed as a lot of the haze on windscreens is caused by plasticiser evaporating from the dash which you would think would need some sort of organic solvent or detergent to remove but damp microfibre works a treat then follow up with a dry clean microfibre cloth.
…damp microfibre works a treat then follow up with a dry clean microfibre cloth
See my tedious earlier post. Sure, this technique can work. But all it did for me was move the filth around. Same for my friend who had the same problem.
At the time the list of methods I used included:
Plain microfibre cloth
Plain microfibre cloth and water
Plain microfibre cloth and Tesco glass cleaning spray
Paper towel and Tesco glass cleaning spray then microfibre cloth
Paper towel and thin paste of barkeepers friend followed by microfibre cloth and water
Washing up liquid solution and sponge followed by microfibre cloth water and microfibre cloth
Finally concluding with washing up liquid and sponge, paper towel, propan-2-ol and paper towel, microfibre cloth.
It was as frustrating and tedious an experience as you can imagine.
My routine when i got a new car was as follows (this was in my hot hatch days, Escort RS Turbo's, Astra GTE's, Novsa GSI, Focus ST3 etc...)
Remove front and rear seats, remove carpet, floor mats, boot carpet and rear arch covers
Lay carpet and floor mats etc.. out on the floor and clean/wash with a Vax hoover and allow to dry
Whilst carpet/floor mat is drying work on the seats using a hoover, Badger's hair brush and Autoglym Leather cleaner
Repeat for the leather door cards, paying particular attention to whatever sticky mess is at the bottom of the door pockets
Clean leather steering wheel, gear knob and gaiter using Badger's hair brush and Autoglym leather cleaner
Clean dash using Autoglym dash and rubber care
Clean all windows including windscreen on the inside of the car with Autoglym glass cleaner
Clean pedal rubbers with Autogylm rubber cleaner
Clean sill covers using Autoglym trim cleaner
Refit interior
Wont go into what i did to the outside of the car but lets just say it was just as involved if not more than doing the interior, cleaning all the door shuts, boot shuts, clay bar, washing, polishing etc...
Could easily spend 8-10 hours on a total clean
After that it would get a quick (2-3 hour) clean, wash and detail every couple of months
Now drive a van, it gets taken to a hand car wash 1-2 times a year
A (brand new) smallish paint brush, maybe a 1" or 2" wide one or something, kept in the glove box makes an excellent little duster for dash vents, trim crevices around knobs etc. that you can use when waiting to pick someone up, stuck in a queue at a drive-through etc.
Little and often keeps it looking pretty nice.
Auto smart G101 is the daddy(as recommended by car valeters) world over. Mixed in different strengths(I use 1:30) removes most stains and leaves plastics/roof lining etc looking as new 🙌🏻
If it’s not been mentioned, for the glass there’s an AutoGlym Fast Glass too where you spray on and then wipe off with either a microfibre or kitchen roll
as above unless theyre really dirty the autoglym fast glass is quickest and easiest way
What the **** are you people doing in your cars that means the interior glass needs anything other than a damp glass-cleaning cloth on it?
... or should i not have asked?
@reeksy Some dashboard plastics give off chemicals that leave a film on the windscreen. This stuff doesn't seem to come off with water and kitchen roll.
Autoglym Fast Glass is good stuff. Works well on glass (natch) but also really good sprayed on a microfibre cloth and used on interior and plastic and leather trim.
Muc Off citrus fresh is really good for cleaning floor matts (after you give them a hoover), works well on cloth / fabric seats too.
Other than that the main tool is a little Ryobi "Dust Buster" style hoover
Throw the body in the boot, wipe up the bits of brain on the upholstery, throw sheets over the seats and head to the scrap yard.
Gave my car a long overdue interior clean at the weekend and used two methods I picked up from this thread:
I cleaned the glass with our karcher window vac having given them a quick spray and wipe with the karcher liquid (which I didn't even know we still had) - worked remarkably well.
I used my compressor to blast dust etc out of the little crannies - also worked very well, although it does basically redistribute the bits around the car, so don't do it after hoovering as you'll just have to hoover again!
My tip is to use a stiff scrubbing brush to brush the carpets towards the middle of each footwell as it makes sucking it out easier.