I hate cleaning the inside of my windshield. Awkward, hard to reach, etc.

Has anyone tried any of these trowel shaped pivoting tool handles that hold a microfiber pad for doing the job? Like this?

I'd do the job a lot more often if I didn't hate it so much.

I am using SprayWay as the solvent.

Thanks.

My girlfriend has one of the Rain-x versions. I tried it. Doesn't seem to be any handier than just using a microfiber towel and your hand. Might be a bit more useful if you have a really sloped and long windshield, like on some older sports car.

First order of business: Switch to Invisible Glass in place of Sprayway.

Just spray it on a microfiber and wipe away.

I've got this one:
AutoFiber Reacher

It works well and is much easier to use than just using your hand. I watched quite a few review vids of different ones and this one was the best one in those tests. Ideally I'd like to get one of the magnetic ones, but I wasn't willing to spend $100+ on one.

I have one of those I stick a microfiber cloth on and push it around the windshield. Easiest way is to spray on a good aerosol cleaner and then squeegee it off with a small squeegee designed for cleaning shower tile. I find going from top to bottom the easiest way.

Got one. Works great. Wish I knew about them sooner.

I have the Invisible Glass Wet Dry Pro Reach & Clean Tool. It's good, but not great.

I like that I can sit in the driver's seat of my truck and clean the entire inside windshield. It does a really nice job.

It'd be great if it had a better attachment system for the microfiber covers.

quote:

Originally posted by sreding:
I've got this one:
AutoFiber Reacher

It works well and is much easier to use than just using your hand. I watched quite a few review vids of different ones and this one was the best one in those tests. Ideally I'd like to get one of the magnetic ones, but I wasn't willing to spend $100+ on one.

If I could turn back time, I'd purchase this one instead.

I'm glad you asked, Artie. I've been wondering about those tools. I hate cleaning my windshield!

I have the Invisible Glass one. Works great. I’m too short to reach part of the interior windshield.

I've used an Invisible Glass Reach and Clean on the inside of our windshields for years.

It works great with a spritz of windshield washer/deicer fluid that I keep in the garage.

It increases my reach and keeps the cloth flat to the surface. Makes what was a PIA chore easy and quick. It never streaks and doesn't need going over again.

If this one broke, I would get another ASAP.

How often does the inside of the windshield need cleaning?

I use Invisible Glass wipes maybe a few times a year if I notice something on the windshield? Usually passenger side because my kid touched it for some reason. I don't use anything harsher because I had my windshield tinted and don't want to mess with it.

I may try one of these reach tools. I've been doing without but it's a PIA, especially behind the steering wheel and increasingly as I get older and less limber.

I actually have more reach issues w/ the rear window, especially with immovable headrests. It's deep behind the rear seat. I've resigned somewhat to just cleaning the top half of the window.

I'm surprised that Meguiars or Chem Guys or other companies don't have a good offering.

I have a Corvette which is as is known has a very laid back windshield which is very hard to reach the base of and is tight with the dash. I have the Invisible Glass tool with the slightly triangular pad. It works pretty well as it can reach into tight corners better than the rectangular type. It isn't perfect but works far better than trying to reach down into the tight corners. When you wash the microfiber pads do not use fabric softener or put them in a dryer which has had fabric softener sheets as they will streak from the chemicals from the drum that remain in the fibers.

quote:

Originally posted by Chowser:
How often does the inside of the windshield need cleaning?...

Every few weeks.

The plasticizers and prolific amount of synthetic materials that outgas is a tremendous source of "fogging" film on the glass, and it requires some very good degreaser/cleaner to cut it and prevent smearing and streaking and a "place" for water vapor to get a toe hold and cause window fogging when humidity is up and/or temps drop.

With the number of people putting extremely over bright headlights in their vehicles, couple that with grimy windshields and it poses a significant hazard.

Those "window cleaning wands" that hold microfiber heads are a godsend to people with shoulder or back issues, and the sharp rake many windshields have on newer vehicles. Get extra "pads" so you can wash them, but always have a few fresh ones in rotation.

DO NOT WASH THEM IN THE WASHER IF YOU USE FABRIC SOFTENER. They will pick that up and you will hate the experience of never being able to get the windshield clean.


I hand wash glass cleaning micro fiber stuff with Dawn, and rinse by hand until nary a bubble remains, then hang dry.
Learned that with my eyeglasses.

I have a window cleaning wand, the slope of the windshield on the Corvette makes it very hard to clean. Driving with the top off attracts airborne oils and such that collect on the inside of the windshield.

I use Chemical Guys mircofiber towel wash for all of my detailing towels, but only after I run the machine on a cycle of just water to purge any excess detergent or softener from normal laundry. That made a huge difference.

As a guy who does detailing on show cars that turned me onto various products once said "Glass is the absolute bane of all show car detailing. It frustrates everyone."

I use one for both our vehicles and gave one to each of my daughters. It’s not perfect, but I can’t contort my body enough anymore to reach the lower corners of the inside of the windshield, so the delta-shaped tool is a must. The handle collapses to save space. I got them from Amazon; they came with a little spray bottle for distilled water, and four of the microfiber covers, all in a drawstring bag. It works pretty well. Even when I use it just to hold onto a paper towel it’s better than hurting my back.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Every few weeks..

I guess I'm okay then. My car is 5 years old and my daughter's is 4. Guessing the cars are done with outgassing. I "semi-detail" our cars every other month and that's usually when I do a good wipe with the invisible glass wipes. I can get away with two wipes for all the windows in the car, the mirrors, the screens, etc.

I guess it helps too that I have all our windows tinted. (35% sides and back and 70% windshield)


Someone at work has a windshield cleaning thing that you work from the outside. You attached the cloth part to the inside and use the magnetically attached wand outside.

Great thread. I use most of the advice in here already, but I think I want the autofiber reacher. I have the Invisible Glass one that I safety pin a Chemical Guys microfiber to. It works well, but I think I just learned some stuff.

The Lexus NX and the Subaru WRX windshields are a little too sloped for my old ass fingers to work without decent tools.

The waffle towels thing is a win.

quote:

Originally posted by Chowser:... I "semi-detail" our cars every other month and that's usually when I do a good wipe with the invisible glass wipes. I can get away with two wipes for all the windows in the car, the mirrors, the screens, etc....

I am sure it varies on different make models and a bunch of other things.

I just remember cars from the 60s' and 70s (70's being new cars) and over the years since with the problem of haze getting worse with newer cars along the way.

And the "distilled water. I always follow up with that once I have have gotten glass as cleans as I can, and then a light mist of water and a new dry cloth. That seems to get any thing remaining off and the glass stays streak/haze free much longer.

The second thing is to avoid the urge to "wipe" anything until you are prepared to to another full clean, because you might as well be going at it with a bacon grease saturated overripe banana like a crack head in at a city stop light trying to clean your windows for a quarter...


(I am a bit anal about streaks, haze and what not, having cleaned aircraft windscreens, canopies and such. Haze can kill you.)