DIY Windscreen Cleaning Hacks

Are you giving your car windows the love they deserve? Despite its vintage feel, your car is a design and engineering work of its time. Your wheels are a long term investment that requires your care and attention. If you’re guilty of pampering your paintwork; but neglecting your auto-glass you’re not alone. While meticulously cleaning glass doesn’t sound sexy, your car windows are essential to your safety. A dirty, obstructed windscreen or car window can really fog your clarity and streak your vision.

Given Novus has been repairing auto glass for a whopping 47 years – from way back when the classic Ford XA Falcon was a brand new car! – We know a thing or two about keeping car windows in good nick.

These hacks will help you get your auto glass so squeaky clean, you’ll have to do the tap-test to make sure it’s still there.

Is a newspaper a good car window cleaner? A myth buster…

Growing up, you may have heard your older rellies mention that newspapers are a good way to clean your car windows. (BTW if you think a newspaper is an app – it’s not, they’re made of paper and have the news printed on them in ink. You’ll find them in an actual shop called a newsagent… weird huh). Sorry, I digress… Before you laugh off this wild ink-on-thin-paper as a cleaning agent theory, let divulge whether or not it really is a myth or a tried and true method!

Drum roll… Extra Extra! The good old daily rag is a time-tested hack that makes a great glass rag!

Why do newspapers make good glass cleaners?

Newspapers are made of dense fibers and do not consist of window destructive materials such as silica or calcium carbonate. Also, due to the rigidness of newspapers, they do not leave behind residual lint like pieces of cloth and paper towels do.

However, you do have to be careful about the kind of newspaper you use. Most newspapers are now printed with soy-based ink rather than petroleum-based ink. Soy-based ink does not stain or leave any marks which makes it perfect for cleaning.

Cheap tricks (as in…inexpensive)

Keep a microfibre cloth or glove in your glovebox! Because it’s cool to ACTUALLY have a glove in your glovebox; can you imagine a passenger’s excitement when they open it to find a real glove for the first time ever!? Also, we all need something other than the temptation of our phones (which is a big no no!) when stuck at traffic lights; instead, grab your handy cloth/glove and give the inside of the windscreen a quick wipe over.

Baby wipes. Cheap, cheerful and kind on your dash, baby wipes are perfect for polishing interior surfaces – but don’t clean interior surfaces while they’re red hot! It makes them sticky. Ew.

How do the inside of your car windows get so dirty?

It’s curious how the interior window glass gets so grubby. There is an actual reason – particularly with brand new vehicles. A common inside window problem is a weird hazy film which is caused by out-gassing. This is the natural process of chemicals that are used to manufacture plastic rubber and vinyl elements of your vehicle interior, emitting gasses when exposed to hot air and damaging UV rays. If you don’t keep on top of regularly cleaning your interior glass, these emissions with form a foggy, almost oily build-up on your glass over time

What product should you use to clean your car windows?

Not all glass cleaners are created equal. You want to avoid any products that have damaging ammonia and heavy duty soaps or chemicals. They can actually damage the glass surface – especially if you have a tint.

Make a DIY Window Cleaning Spray

Want to be sure you avoid ammonia and other dodgy chemicals that can actually harm your window glass? Sometimes you just have to do it yourself. How? Here’s our (not-so) secret recipe…

Mix 2 Cups water
¼ Cup white vinegar
½ Cup Liquid soap

Ahhh, just like Grandma used to make.

Purchase a quality window cleaning product

Given that we have been cleaning and repairing windows since the 70’s, we would be crazy not to invent a glass cleaning solution that our professional technicians and their customers can rely on, every time. Why leave it up to chance? The same Novus chemical engineers that developed the first windshield repair resins, also came up with the perfect foaming ammonia-free glass cleaner. It’s super easy to use and works like a charm! As long as you follow the application guidelines.

Perfect glass cleaning technique

You might have the best DIY or Novus glass cleaner in the world, but it will only be as effective as its user! There’s a science behind the ultimate clean. Your technique is as application technique is as important as the product! Here’s how to avoid the dreaded scratch streak or smudge when cleaning your windows.

To clean your windows to perfection, instead of spraying the car window directly, dip your newspaper or clean microfibre cloth directly into it. By doing this you avoid staining the window with dripping spray marks. You also minimise wastage of your window cleaner through the fine mist that inevitably drops all over your interior when you spray.

Rub in light circular patterns to distribute the soap evenly across the glass, then switch your technique over to vertical and horizontal strokes. Do this until all the liquid has dissipated along with the dirt, grime and grubbiness.

Wait…is your window still there?

Why yes it is! It’s just crystal clean and clear, just as it should be.