How to clean inside of windscreen: A guide

The inside of car windscreens and windows can get dirty for all kinds of reasons. Whether it’s the kids’ fingerprints or the dog’s nose. You might have even wiped the glass with your sleeve to get rid of condensation on a cold morning. Whatever the reason, a smeared or hazy windscreen can be hard to see through and can make driving unsafe. It’s also not the nicest to look at.

Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to get your windscreen sparkling again.

If you’re wondering about safety when it comes to windscreens, you can check out our blog ‘Can you drive with a cracked windscreen?’

How to clean the inside of a windscreen

Most of the dirt that gets on the inside of a windscreen tends to be some combination of oil and dust. This makes cleaning the inside of your windscreen mostly a two-step process: getting rid of the dust, and wiping away the oil. Alcohol-based cleaners are the best for shifting oil and grease, and clean cloths will help to get rid of the dust without adding more dirt.

Below we’ve listed everything you need to get started, and a fool-proof method for cleaning the inside of your windscreen.

What you’ll need

3 clean microfiber cloths (try to get ‘lint-free’ cloths to avoid leaving behind little bits of cloth on the windscreen)
An empty spray bottle
An alcohol-based glass cleaner
White vinegar
Rubbing alcohol (this might be called surgical spirit in the shop, but you should be able to get it from most ironmongers or hardware shops)
Washing up liquid
Warm water

Making your own cleaner

Before you get started on the cleaning, you can use your ingredients to make a window cleaner that works best for you. You’re basically looking for a combination of alcohol, water and vinegar, with a dash of washing up liquid in some cases. The alcohol will help you shift oil and grease, vinegar is great for getting rid of smells (and dissolving salt if you spend a lot of time by the seaside), and washing up liquid can help get rid of visible dirt.

If you’re considering paying someone to clean your car, you can check out our blog ‘How much does car detailing cost?’

If you would rather just stick with a shop-bought cleaner then that’s great too, but if you’re feeling thrifty here are a few different mixes you can make up in your spray bottle:

50% alcohol, 50% water, and a few drops of vinegar (good to really shift that grease for a deep clean)
70% water, 15% window cleaner, 15% alcohol (good for a regular all-rounder)
100% water, a few drops of washing up liquid, and a few drops of vinegar (good for regular touch-ups)

You can play around with a few different options to find the perfect solution that works for you.

Cleaning the inside of your windscreen

Once you’ve got your perfect mix, you’re ready to start cleaning the inside of your windscreen. You’ll be best off sitting in the passenger’s seat to clean, so you don’t keep bumping into the steering wheel, then follow the method below:

Use your first microfiber cloth to completely wipe down the inside of the windscreen without any cleaner. This’ll help to get rid of the top layer of dirt and dust and leave just the grime that’s a bit harder to shift.
Spray your cleanerdirectly onto your second microfiber cloth and start to clean the entire windscreen in small circles. Make sure to catch dirt in the cloth and to get right down into the corners. You might need to carefully fold the cloth a few times to make sure dirt doesn’t get smeared around the windscreen.
Once you’re happy you’ve got rid of all the grease, you can then switch to just using the alcohol-based glass cleaner. Spray it directly onto your third microfiber cloth and wipe up and down across the glass until it’s sparkling and streak-free.
If you have another microfiber cloth nearby or even some newspaper, you can dry the windscreen to make sure none of the chemicals are left behind. If you want to skip this step, you can leave the windows open and let the windscreen air-dry, away from direct sunlight.

Whilst you’re in the cleaning mood, you might want to check out our blog ‘How to clean leather car seats’

Top tips for cleaning the inside of your windscreen

Getting a lovely shiny windscreen really is as simple as that. But, there are a few things you can do to make the whole process as easy as possible:

Clean the inside of your windscreen last - If you’re cleaning your whole car, you’re likely to kick up dirt that’ll get stuck to the inside of your windscreen.
Clean the outside of your windscreen first - You don’t want to be trying to scrub away an annoying spot of dirt for ages to then realise it’s on the outside.
Avoid direct sunlight - Direct sunlight will make your cleaning liquids evaporate faster and leave you with streaks and spots.
Spray onto the cloth - Spraying your cleaners directly onto the windscreen leaves lots of little droplets of dirt on your dashboard and streaks on your windscreen.
Be careful with cloths and towels - Using any old towel or grab a rag that’s been used on another part of the car, could old dirt, wax, or grease and put it straight onto the inside of your windscreen.
Don’t skip the drying step - Any cleaning liquid left behind can potentially be too harsh for the glass and cause damage, or leave ugly streaks. Wipe down as much as you can and leave it to air-dry with the windows open.

While you're thinking about windscreens - why not check out our blog on windscreen cover insurance?

A few final tips…

Cleaning the inside of your windscreen is actually pretty easy, and we’re sure you’ll be keeping it sparkling in no time. Here are the last few things to remember when you’re cleaning inside your windscreen:

Making your own windscreen cleaner can give you the right balance of vinegar, alcohol, and washing up liquid to match your cleaning needs
Using the cleanest cloths you can get your hands on will make sure that you’re actually getting rid of dirt, rather than just moving it around
If you wash the outside of your windscreen before you clean the inside, you’ll save yourself from trying to get rid of dirt that’s actually on the outside

Urban Jungle is not a financial advisor and information in this article should not be taken as advice or recommendation.