Can You Use Glass Cleaner on Car Windows?
It might seem like a simple question with a simple answer. After all, glass cleaners can’t be all that different, can they?
So, can you use glass cleaner on car windows? In most cases, using a regular household glass cleaner on your car windows isn’t a good idea. When choosing a cleaner for your automotive glass, you should closely examine the ingredients and consider the specific needs of car windows.
Read on to learn why regular glass cleaners won’t cut it for your car windows and how to clean auto glass effectively.
Glass Cleaner for Cars - Why it Doesn't Work for Car Windows
A key reason why household glass cleaner is no substitute for auto glass cleaner is that the two are formulated with different ingredients. If you’re considering using a regular glass cleaner for your car windows, you must read the ingredients carefully.
If you spot the word ammonia, back away slowly. Most household glass cleaners use a base of ammonia as their primary cleaning agent. But ammonia is a kryptonite agent for automotive glass, threatening visibility and durability.
While some glass cleaners might be safer to use on car windows than others, none will do as good a job as a cleaner designed for car windows. Here are some special considerations regular glass cleaners don’t account for.
Tinted Windows
First, ammonia is such a powerful cleaning agent that it will break down any tint on your car windows a little more each time you use it. Using window cleaners on car windows can cause cracking, bubbling, and fading in your window tint. That’s not a pretty sight and can become a costly problem.
Streaks
Household cleaners with ammonia also aren’t the best choice for combatting bug guts and road oils. They don’t clean like auto glass cleaners and often leave dirty streaks behind. These may not even seem noticeable at first, but the more you drive and use your windshield wipers, the more you’ll notice areas that don’t come clean.
Fogging
Additionally, household cleaners can lead to fogging, especially when used inside your vehicle. Temperature changes and cabin vents blowing against the glass can cause heat, moisture, dirt, and even microscopic particles from your automotive cooling agent to stick to a household cleaner, obstructing your view at inopportune times.
Rain
Most automotive glass cleaners add a little more rain and water protection than a normal household cleaner. Water beads up and slides off a properly cleaned windshield’s surface easily. This also helps your windshield wipers work more efficiently because they meet less resistance in their path.
Gross Stuff
You may be thinking, “My cleaner doesn’t have ammonia and says no streaks or fogging! So why can’t I use my regular glass cleaner on my car windows?”
Great question. Your glass cleaner would indeed be a better choice than other household cleaners, but consider this—your bathroom mirror doesn’t go down the highway at 70 mph while exposed to bugs, leaves, dirt, rain, sleet, grease, and changes in heating and cooling on the way. An auto glass cleaner takes those things into account.
No, auto glass cleaner isn’t a magic force field, but it does keep the bugs and oils from caking and sticking as stubbornly as they might like to. Additionally, if you use an appropriate cleaner, most trusted brands will offer a companion product to help keep your windshield clear and your wipers in great shape for much longer.
Auto Glass Cleaning Tips
For the best results on your car window cleaning efforts, use an auto glass cleaner and follow these tips:
Use a dedicated microfiber cloth to clean your auto glass.
Spray your cloth, not your windshield.
Follow a consistent pattern to help avoid missed areas and make corrections.
Stay in the shade so the cleaning agent doesn’t dry on your windshield.
Don’t forget to wipe down your windshield wipers.
Give everything a final wipe-down with a dry cloth to remove leftover residue.
A Final Note
One more word of caution. Remember to read the label on any glass cleaner you pick up. Some of the more generic brands of auto glass cleaners are just relabeled household cleaners. Stick to a known brand you can trust to treat your car right.
Visit the Auto Glass Experts at Auto Glass Now
No matter the problem with your car windows, Auto Glass Now has the tools and know-how to ensure your safety and clarity wherever the road may take you.
Trust the experts at an Auto Glass Now location near you for top-quality auto glass repairs and services, or contact us if you have any questions.