Can't get inside of windshield clean...any ideas?

I have tried Windex and newspaper to try and get the inside of the windshield clean and it still looks horrible...espeically at night ... Any thoughts?

I have used windex and it works fine. Are you sure its on the inside?

Yup...just streaks, looks filmy...I never had this problem with other cars. Thought maybe the engine is blowing something diff. on the windshield. Outside cleans just fine.

Get yourself a high-quality glass-specific microfiber towel. Use it DRY on the glass. Takes some elbow grease the first time. If you keep up with it, it is very easy from then on. You will be amazed.

I bought a towel from one of those "hucksters" at a home show. You just spray clean water on the glass and this damn towel does an amazine job!!

I use Rain-X Original Windshield Treatment on the exterior of all my windows and exterior mirrors. I use Rain-x Glass Cleaner and Anti-Fog wipes on the interior of all windows and interior mirrors. It really works. It does takes a little work but since our night vision is not what it used to be, we find the improved visibility well worth the effort. BTW, I understand they now have a window washer fluid but I have not seen it in the stores yet. I would be anxious to try it. Has anyone out there used it?

Invisible Glass and a clean micro fiber towel.

Windex always streaked any window I tried it on, haven't used it in decades. I use fresh windshield wiper solution in a spritzer bottle, wiping clean with white (non patterned) paper towels. I have some PC monitor cleaner (GLAX) that I also use at times with a lint free monitor wipe (better than a paper towel.)

I haven't tried a microfiber towel. I use newspaper and/or plain paper towels on interior glass. Make sure they don't have any additives. Also make sure, if you wash whatever you use as a cloth or towel, that you don't use anything, such as, fabric softener or anti-static additives, when you wash it. I went crazy years ago before I learned to never use my handkerchief to clean my glasses. My wife uses anti-static/fabric softener sheets in the dryer and anything, towel, tee-shirt, handkerchief, all leave a film or haze. You may also have some protectant overspray on the windows and that takes a little extra elbow grease.

P.S. Microfiber towel should work fine. My point was that fresh out of the washing machine or dryer does not necessarily mean "clean" for cleaning windows. Make sure when you wash it, that you should probably wash it by itself and only with soap, no other additives.

I found the windshield slope to be pretty tough while cleaning the inside. I ordered one of these deals:

Welcome to Windshield Wonder

And it's worked really well for me.

I bought this microfiber towel about 3 months ago, and it works great.

Microfiber Cleaning Towel, Pkg/3

Thanks for the post. It looks like a handy thing to have. It's really is hard to get any pressure on the bottom of the sloped windows without something like this.

Use plain water (distilled) to spray on the inside of the windshield and clean off the residual from the Windex. Dry with paper towels or newspaper. Only use clean water, it works better than Windex (or most other "glass cleaners".

If the suggestions posted here still do not work, use a clay bar and appropriate lubricant to remove any stubborn contaminant. Then use distilled water and a microfiber towel with shortest 'nap' you can find to finish up. You do not want to use a clay bar on windows tinted with an interior film.

While we're on the subject of windows, if anyone has hard water spots on the car's exterior windows (or paint, for that matter) a vinegar/water mixture allowed to dwell for a brief period followed by a clay bar treatment usually does the trick. On paint, a clay treatment should be followed by polishing and then a sealant or a wax. I follow a window claying and distilled water cleaning with Rain-X. Works great.

This has been out for quite a few years actually. Its an additave to your normal wash fluid and works great if you use the normal Rain-x 1st. We used this in our Jeep and haven't had to re-Rain-x since we bought it in 04.

Thanks! I'll have to look for it.

Ammonia

I've added a little ammonia to the wash water for cleaning glass for years (both house windows and car windows). I don't use much, maybe a capful in a quarter-pail of warm water.

I don't know that to be the right amount, nor whether it will help for the specific film you face, but I doubt it will hurt.

I'm also a strong believer in changing the surface of the cloth used to dry and buff very frequently. Long before you can see dirt on it it is not so good as fresh out of the washing machine. My favorite cloth for this purpose is a retired cloth diaper, a good combination of sturdiness, absorbency, and only slight lint.

I actually witnessed someone using a gas-station windshield washer/squeegy on the INSIDE of their windshield, last time I filled up with gas. I kid you not. I stood their dumb-founded for a moment.

Invisible Glass by Stoner and glass specific micro fiber towels. I clean the outside glass using vertical wiping motion. Horizontal on the inside. That way if you have streaks you can tell what side of the window they are on. I know it has been mentioned in this thread, but I'd like to stress again that proper washing of your towels is IMPORTANT. NO fabric softeners or dryer sheets. The Invisible Glass and micro fiber towels are also great for keeping the interior black plastic on the dash shiny and scratch free.

Mike

consumer reports tested window cleaners in the current issue

i know its kind of off topic, but "windex no drip streak free foaming action" scored #1

walmart streak free with amominia did very well, and it only costs 3 cents an ounce

and their home brew recipe tested well too

Mix ½ cup sudsy ammonia, 1 tsp. dishwashing liquid, 1 pint rubbing alcohol, and water to create 1 gallon of cleaner, then pour some into an empty spray bottle.