What Is the Best Way to Clean an Oily Car Windshield?

by Jayme Lee
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An oily car windshield can seriously affect driving conditions when the sun and other lighting such as oncoming headlights create haze; thus, making visibility when driving low. According to Cartalk.com, "The plastic and vinyl in your car actually evaporate or "sublimate" over time. It's called out-gassing." Auto detailing products can also create dirty glass on an auto windshield when they evaporate. Fortunately, you can easily clean your oily car windshield with a few cheap products.

Clean Glass Preparation

Buy some lint-free towels that are found in the automotive or painting sections in department stores to clean your dirty glass. You must use these types of towels so that you don't leave lint and other debris on your auto windshield. These types of towels also pick up debris on a car windshield much better than the traditional paper towel. Also buy a can of glass cleaner that is found in the automotive department rather than in any other departments. Household glass care cleaners contain ammonia which is very harmful to automobile interior plastic and vinyl. Gather a buffing cloth that is also found in an automotive department of a store to dry clean glass without leaving watermarks.

Cleaning Glass of an Interior Dirty Car Windshield

Lay an old towel on the dash of your car to protect it from being saturated by the glass care cleaner. Start cleaning your dirty car windshield by spraying the glass cleaner all over it. Allow the cleaner to sit for a few minutes so that it is able to penetrate the oily residue. Begin by taking a lint free towel and wiping in horizontal motions on the auto windshield. Now take the buffing cloth and dry the clean glass by using the same over and across cleaning method. Dry the clean glass for a few minutes until no liquid from the glass cleaner can be seen.

Exterior Dirty Glass Cleaning

An auto windshield on the outside can accumulate oily residue from asphalt, bugs and tar. Spray the exterior of your car windshield with the glass care cleaner. Allow the cleaner to sit on the dirty glass for a few minutes; take a lint free towel and wipe in vertical motions. Wiping in a different direction will allow you to determine if any streaks are present. Reapply the glass cleaner to the dirty glass again and allow it to sit. Take another lint free towel and wipe in an up and down motion. Follow by drying the clean glass with the buffing cloth.

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