How do you clean your windshield?

I know we had a thread on this a while back, but I am failing at the search.  

How do you clean the inside of your windshield?  I've tried to clean mine several times, yet the next time I driving toward the sun its clear that all I have done is change the shape of the streaks/smears.

I tried several different glass cleaners.  Then I tried a all purpose cleaner, followed by a glass cleaner.

Should I try a degreaser first?  WTF is the secret?

Glass cleaner and paper towels.

Then - AND THIS IS CRITICAL - after you've done that, go back a few minutes later and dry buff them with a clean paper towel or microfiber cloth.

I've had good luck with Invisible Glass and a microfiber towel. Do it in the shade and be sure to be thorough.

Simple green followed by invisible glass. Never have problems.sometimes I'll do the invisible glass twice.

Outside is invisible glass followed by rain x cleaner/protector. 

We have one of these in most of the cars. Use it dry. When the pad gets dirty toss it in the washer.

bobzilla said:

When the pad gets dirty toss it in the washer.

Do not use fabric softener. 

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

Keerect. 

I use 3M glass cleaner, its in a tall aerosol can.  fresh paper towel or micro fiber. Zero streaking.  its the only glass cleaner I've ever found that passes driving into the sun. Use that E36 M3 on everything you don't want hazing or streaking. Piano black interior bits? no problem. Kitchen appliances? nailed it. House windows? gravy. Kids inexplicably  fingerprint up the wall mounted flatscreen (again)? bingo.  Cell phone disgusting?  3M that E36 M3. 

 really is awesome stuff.  You'll probably throw away all that blue windex crap, and the concoction of water/vinegar/dish soap your wife made from Pintrest ..... the comparison isn't even close.  Available from NAPA, Amazon, and a whole bunch of others, but usually not your grocery store.   

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40070706/

For actual cleaning, we use Sprayway glass cleaner. I've been using it since I started in the dealerships in 2001. Best glass cleaner, hand cleaner, car cleaner I've ever used.

How I clean glass:

The glass cleaner was BOGO at Publix. It's what Tim McNair, our master detailer, uses. 

The blue microfibers have been in my garage forever. I don't think part number is still in production but I see that Griot's offers an updated glass towel. I wash them when it's time. But together they cut grime and don't leave streaks. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Ha, we both posted that at the same time. Yeah, Sprayway for the win. It doesn't drip all over the place, cuts nicely, and smells good, too. I keep one in the garage and another in the kitchen. (We have a glass-top kitchen table.)

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I knew I liked you for a reason!

Also, liquid glass cleaner makes a mess. Foam for the win. 

Whatever cleaning fluid you use, wipe it off with old newspaper - old detailer's trick. Can't explain why it works so well, but it does.

02Pilot said:

Whatever cleaning fluid you use, wipe it off with old newspaper - old detailer's trick. Can't explain why it works so well, but it does.

True.  But the trick nowadays is finding old newspaper!

02Pilot said:

Whatever cleaning fluid you use, wipe it off with old newspaper - old detailer's trick. Can't explain why it works so well, but it does.

Yep. That light weight brown packing paper works great too.

Don't use paper towels it'll leave residue and streak ! I spent quite a bit of time trying to clean mine with things getting worse and worse. Microfiber and whatever glass cleaner should be fine. 

I recommend cleaning it in the dark with a nice flashlight to look for the smudges/residue.

I gave up and just drive by braille. 

I've been trying out these Huck Cleaning towels after the guys on the Chicago Auto Pros 'tube channel recommended them for glass cleaning: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DHCH815

They do work rather well, although I'd probably have a look for lint free ones. The ones I have still leave a little bit of lint behind, but a lot less than your average glass cleaning towel.

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to bobzilla :

Ha, we both posted that at the same time. Yeah, Sprayway for the win. It doesn't drip all over the place, cuts nicely, and smells good, too. I keep one in the garage and another in the kitchen. (We have a glass-top kitchen table.)

I will third this. I have been using this stuff since the 70s when I'd clean the customers windows for my Dad's shop. That smell takes me back to being 8 years old.

02Pilot said:

Whatever cleaning fluid you use, wipe it off with old newspaper - old detailer's trick. Can't explain why it works so well, but it does.

It's lint-free, and since it's made of wood fibers, it's great at scrubbing stuff off.  Mom still does her whole house windows this way.

I use windex and a microfiber cloth.  Don't spray the window, put one spray on the cloth.  Microfiber does most of the work and it's not very absorbent, so if you try it the normal way you'll be wiping for a half hour.  Just enough windex on the cloth to make it have a little more drag on the window.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

02Pilot said:

Whatever cleaning fluid you use, wipe it off with old newspaper - old detailer's trick. Can't explain why it works so well, but it does.

It's lint-free, and since it's made of wood fibers, it's great at scrubbing stuff off.  Mom still does her whole house windows this way.

Don't use color print! Black and white only folks.

A car dealer porter showed my dad this trick once.  

No lint and something about the ink polishing it or something like that but I agree - who has newspapers?

1988RedT2 said:

True.  But the trick nowadays is finding old newspaper!

I'm old and would rather have my eyeballs plucked out by crows than read news on a screen, so I have an ample supply of newsprint. The joys of a crisp newspaper are vastly underrated (though for the most part the real broadsheet days are over, sadly).