The Correct Way to Maintain your Car Windscreen

Want to polish your car windscreen like the experts do? You’ve come to the right place! This article will teach you how to efficiently maintain the interior and exteriors of your car windscreen.

Exterior

What You’ll Need:

• Eye protective gear
• Rubber gloves
• A set of lint-free microfiber towels
• An over-the-counter vehicle windscreen cleaner that contains alcohol

Expert Advice:

• If your vehicle windscreen is chipped or cracked, it is best that you first get your vehicle windscreen repaired or replaced before trying to polish it yourself as the pressure would cause it to get further damaged.
• For tinted car windscreens, you should avoid polishing your windscreen with ammonia-based solutions as they cause tint discoloration and fading.
• Instead of disposable cloth, opt for reusable microfiber towels. Not only are they good for the environment but they also last longer, prevent streaks from forming, and are cost-efficient.

What to Do Next:

1. Before you begin, first lift the wiper blades off your car windscreen so you have a clear surface to wipe without any obstructions.
2. Evenly and thoroughly coat the first half of your car windscreen with the solution.
3. In a vertical motion, wipe your car windscreen with a microfiber towel.
4. Then use another microfiber towel to wipe your car windscreen for the second time but this time in horizontal motion.
5. Once the first side of the vehicle windscreen is dry, move on to the next side and repeat the steps mentioned above with a fresh set of microfiber towels.
6. While the wipers are still out of contact with your windscreen, spray some of the glass cleaner on to your wipers.
7. With a towel, pinch both sides of the wiper blades at the top, wipe downward and repeat as necessary to dry.
8. Finally, polish the entire windscreen in small circular motions with a dry microfiber cloth.

Expert Advice:

• Ensure you remove any twigs or leaves collected at the base of your vehicle glass.
• To avoid leaving markings on the vehicle glass when the solution dries, remember to wipe the rim as well.
• Make sure your fingers or hands do not touch the car glass during the process or you might end up with smeared marks on your glass.
• You should also remove all the grime or dirt stuck on your wiper blades or it could scratch and damage your glass.

Interior

What You’ll Need:

• Eye protective gear
• Rubber gloves
• A set of lint-free microfiber towels
• An over-the-counter glass cleaner that contains alcohol
• And rubbing alcohol

What to Do Next:

1. Wipe the inner surface of your glass with a fresh cloth in a circular motion, beginning at the bottom and working your way upwards.
2. Wipe it again using up-and-down strokes after turning the cloth over to the clean side.
3. Pour sufficient rubbing alcohol to a brand-new, clean cloth and wipe your glass in circular motions. To prevent discoloration, wipe any alcohol spills off the dashboard right away with a paper towel.
4. On a different towel, spray the cleaning solution directly. Use vertical and then horizontal motions to cleanse the first part of the windscreen. And then repeat on to the other side.

Expert Advice:

• To prevent discolouration of your windscreen dashboard, avoid spraying the rubbing alcohol and glass cleaner straight onto the windscreen.

Go Above and Beyond

What to Use:

• Room temperature water in a spray bottle
• An over-the-counter windscreen cleaner that contains alcohol
• A set of high quality lint-free microfiber towels
• Eye protective gear
• Rubber gloves
• A foam applicator
• A clay bar to remove dirt and residue
• A tinted film

What to Do Next:

1. Using the water, evenly spray your windscreen and then clean the glass with the clay bar using circular motions first, then going up and down.
2. Spray one side of the windscreen with the glass cleaner. Use one of the towels to wipe the surface in vertical and horizontal motions. On the other side of the windscreen, repeat the same procedure.
3. Give your windscreen sufficient time to dry after which you can apply the tinted film with the foam applicator in quick circular overlapping motions. Keep at it until a haze appears and then with a clean cloth buff it off till the haze disappears.
4. Once you have finished with the film application, you should repeat the second step.

How to Make Your Own Glass Cleaner?

To make your own glass cleaner at home all you need to do is mix 3 parts of water with 1 part of vinegar in a clean spray bottle and shake till it blends well.

Time to Inspect Your Glass!

The benefit of cleaning your car glass often enables you to identify any new cracks or damages that have been caused and it allows you to check in on the condition of your car glass from time to time.

As we all know, glass damage can happen anywhere, anyhow, anytime. By maintaining your car glass, you can catch early signs of car windscreen damage and get it repaired at once to avoid paying for a full replacement.

About the Author:

Darren Pay and Justin Oakes are co-owners of A1 Windscreens well known for recalibrating ADAS solutions and providing cost-efficient windscreen replacements.