How to stop car windows from fogging up?

Why do my car windows fog up?

When moisture in the air comes into contact with a cold surface, it turns from a vapour into water (condensation). If the air in your car has a lot of moisture in it and it’s cold outside, the difference in air temperature will make condensation form on your windows and they’ll get fogged up.

If you’re worried about your windscreen getting damaged, why not check out our blog on ‘Windscreen cover insurance’

Here are a few things that can cause moisture build-up in your car:

• The breath of people inside the car
• Leaks around doors and windows
• Wet umbrellas and coats left in the car
• Damp floors from rain or snow
• Open drinks left in the car
• Wet pets

How to prevent car windows from fogging up

Moisture and condensation tend to build up in a car overnight. When you get in your car in the morning, the moisture is probably already there, you just trigger the process with your warm breath. The best way to stop your windows from steaming up is to reduce the moisture in your car, tomake it harder for your windows to steam up when you do get in.

How to reduce moisture in your car

• Remove damp items - Taking everything damp out of your car at the end of the day is a must for keeping down the level of moisture in your car. Umbrellas, coats, shoes, dog blankets, and even open drinks hold moisture
• Use a dehumidifier - Dehumidifiers can be a great way to stop your car from getting too damp. We’ll go over the options in more detail towards the end of this blog.
• Look for leaks - If you find a leak in one of your doors or windows, it’s best to take your car to a mechanic as soon as you can. A lot of leaks tend to be a simple fix so are unlikely to cost a lot of money.
• Try a homemade dehumidifier - Cat litter and charcoal are great for absorbing moisture. Putting some in an old pair of tights and leaving them in your car overnight can be a great DIY dehumidifier.

How to anti-fog your windows

• Keep your windows clean - Dirt on the inside of your windscreen and windows can attract moisture. Keeping them as clean as possible can help prevent fogging.
• Use an anti-fogging layer - Anti-fogging sprays can be bought and applied after you clean the inside of your windows and windscreen. Read the product instructions will give you the best results.
• Use shaving foam - A great DIY hack is to wipe a small amount of shaving foam on the inside of your windscreen after you clean it. Make sure you cover the whole windscreen, then wipe it off completely with a clean cloth afterwards.

If you’re looking for the best way to clean your windscreen and windows, you can check out our blog ‘How to clean inside of windscreen: a guide’

How to clear fogged up windows in your car

De-fogging your windows and windscreen is all about drying out the air inside your car while matching the temperature of your windows to the air temperature inside the car. Here’s what you can do to clear fogged up windows in your car:

• Turn on the heater (the right way) - Your heater is definitely your friend, but it’s usually best to start cold, and slowly increase the temperature. This way you don’t immediately evaporate all the water in the car and create a load more work for yourself. Aim your vents at the windows and windscreen and focus on heating them up slowly. If you’ve got a heated windscreen or back window, it should kick in.
• Use the air-conditioning - Whilst you’re heating up your windows, you need to get rid of the moisture in the air. Turn on your air-conditioning (if you have it) to get some of the nice cold, dry air from outside into your car whilst sending out your moist air.
• Open your windows - If you don’t have air conditioning, or it’s just taking too long, you can also just open your windows (as long as it’s not raining). This will help to get the moist air out of your car, while bringing in some cold, dry air in.
• Use climate control (if you have it) - If your car has climate control or a demist function, it can usually do the job with much less margin for error. Climate control is designed to take into account the moisture level and temperature of the car to solve the problem for you, so it can be useful if you’re in a hurry.
  

If you’re thinking of buying a car with a heated windscreen, you can check out our blog ‘What cars have heated windscreens?’

Should I get a dehumidifier for my car?

Dehumidifiers can be a great solution if your car is regularly fogging up and you just can’t seem to figure out why. Most dehumidifiers will contain an absorbent material like silica gel (like you find in packages sometimes) which will draw in moisture from the air around them.

Reusable dehumidifiers tend to need to be emptied every few days, then dried out in the sun or the microwave. You can also get disposable dehumidifiers which tend to last about a week before you’ll need a fresh one. These can be useful if you’ve had a leak that you just got fixed and need to clear out those last bits of moisture left behind.

You can put your dehumidifier wherever the main area you want to focus on is in your car. If you’ve got pets, the boot tends to be the best option. You could also go for the centre console or the dashboard, just be careful to remove it or secure it before driving so it doesn’t slide around.

A few final tips…

Here are a few last things to remember about stopping your car windows from fogging up:

• You can use a small amount of shaving foam as a DIY hack to stop your windscreen from fogging up
• Dehumidifiers are a great way to keep out moisture if you’re having trouble finding a solution

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