Windshield glass is an important component of a car that decides your vision. If you have just bought an automobile, you might see a cloudy film on the windscreen after a period of time.
This issue can obscure your driving vision and decrease your car’s aesthetic appeal. Are you afraid that the film on windshield won’t come off?
Don’t worry. Rest assured, as you can easily remove the film from the windshield after reading this article.
In this post, we’ll discuss some reasons why a clean windshield gets foggy and suggest some solutions on how to clean film off of windshield. Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Film On Windshield Won’t Come Off – What Are The Causes?
Windshield glass is foggy mainly because of the outgassing process of new cars (from plastic or vinyl).
Besides, the leaking coolant can somehow leave an oily film on the windshield’s interior. Smoking and other external factors like rainwater can also contribute to the film.
OutGassing From Vinyl Or Plastic
The rubber and synthetic resins in the car, under the influence of the sun, can evaporate.
Then, those suspended gasses stick to the inside of the windscreen surface, causing a dirty film that is difficult to handle.
This is usually a problem for new cars, which somewhat explains the new car burning smell.
When having this problem, you can’t clean it up by making your windshield crystal clear outside. As the gas from these internal substances is the main cause, there would be a haze on the inside surface.
The haze could be thicker during summer days, especially when you park your vehicle under the sun’s fierce heat.
Smoking
Vehicle interiors provide a perfect environment for forming a coating that covers the inside of the glass.
In a confined, heated interior, cigarette smoke, humidity, and dust combine to produce a “mask” that ultimately covers the windshield. Smoke may be tough to eliminate, especially when it comes to toxins.
Engine Or Heater Coolant
Leaking engine coolant and heaters can also cause an oily film on the windshield, which can enter the vehicle through the front vents.
You can tell this by the strong odors, and they can leave a blue or colored haze on the car’s windshield.
The leakage of the chemical is a serious problem. A pungent smell and a colored tint on the inside of the glass would make you feel uncomfortable in your own car.
To avoid inhaling harmful substances, you should fix the problem as quickly as possible.
Other Outside Factors
That layer might not always be caused by interior gas but seems to be an issue outside your vehicle.
For example, rainwater not only causes a foggy windshield, but if it contains several mixed substances, it can also create calcium deposits. This produces an oily film and makes your car’s windshield blurry.
Other factors contributing to this issue include:
- Acid rain
- Hard water
- Film of crap
- Tree sap
In case you have external haze, you may feel lucky as there is a wide variety of cleaning solutions to choose from. This culprit is the simplest one to dissolve.
How To Get Rid Of Film On Windshield?
You can use a glass cleaner with a microfiber towel for optimal outcomes. Also, applying a defogging product to the interior of a clean window would help impede future residue.
Additionally, plenty of cleaning methods are suitable for your current situation; just read them and follow your choice of cleaning solution.
Here is how to remove film from windshield.
Use Shaving Cream
Shaving foam is a great product that can prevent fogging. Take some shaving foam and apply it evenly to the glass with the help of a clean cloth.
Leave the foam at least 2 minutes before you wipe it off with a dry paper towel. This helps to form a protective layer over the windshield and prevents moisture from accumulating on it again.
Open Car Windows
A simple way to limit foggy film is to open the car windows. However, do this only when you park in a safe place only.
Wipe Your Shoes Before Getting In The Car
Use a dry rag to remove snow or wet dew from your shoes before getting in the car. This helps reduce the vehicle’s moisture, thereby reducing the risk of windscreen steaming and fogging.
Check Your Car’s Air Conditioner
Malfunctioning heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can make removing fog from your windshield difficult.
If you notice a cloudy film when you activate the heating mode, take your car to a repair shop, and a professional will check it for you.
Adjust The Temperature Of The Air Conditioner
Although the cool air inside the car will make you feel comfortable, if you let the temperature be too different from the outside, it will cause the windshield to be foggy and steamy.
If you want to reduce the amount of fog on the windshield, try reducing the air conditioner’s capacity.
As the temperature inside the car rises, the air will begin to mix with the outside air and quickly reduce the fogging of the glass.
Turn On The Wipers
If the outside surface is foggy, you can use the wipers. As water condenses on the surface, you turn the lever to remove it. To make it better, you can spray a little more glass cleaner to clean it.
Use Specialized Products
Currently, many glass cleaning products have built-in anti-fog functions. You can completely use these products to fix the foggy steering wheel.
What Should You Use To Clean The Windshield?
White Vinegar And Water
White vinegar has long been regarded as an amazing cleanser. The active ingredient is 5% acetic acid, excelling in dissolving dirt, residues, and grime.
To clean film off windshield, you can make a cheap solution by blending white vinegar with distilled water with a ratio of 1:1.
Spray Bottle
Owning some superior spray bottles will allow you to dilute the liquid into smaller quantities while also controlling the water’s strength. Make sure your tool is non-porous and air-tight.
Invisible Glass
As it does not streak like other glass cleaners, Invisible Glass is all you need for automobile windows and windshield.
It is also ammonia-free and harmless to use on tinted glass because it will not erode the tint over time.
Rubbing Alcohol
You can use rubbing alcohol to clean up the outside inside of the window/windshield and remove any remaining oily film.
There are several advantages to utilizing rubbing alcohol for clean detailing. The most significant benefit is it disinfects the glass’s surface and leaves it streak-free.
And you don’t need to worry that the rubbing alcohol will damage car paint if you accidentally drop some.
Microfiber Cloth Or Paper Towel
The most vital feature of a window cleaning cloth is lint-free. Since it is absorbable and soft, a microfiber towel is perfect for cleaning any automobile.
If you cannot find a clean microfiber towel, you can also switch to a paper towel.
Conclusion
A blurred and dirty window is a problem that probably every driver has encountered. You might worry that the film on windshield won’t come off.
How to get film off windshield? After reading this post, we hope that you can find the answer to this question.
We’ve discussed some main reasons for that scenario and proposed many solutions.
As this troublesome situation can cause discomfort to the driver, limit visibility, and increase the likelihood of having an accident, you should deal with it as soon as possible.