Easy Window Cleaning Tips
Darren's secret weapon!

Crystal-Clear Results for Cars, Homes, and Everything Glass

While this guide focuses on achieving streak-free car windows, here's the best part: these proven techniques work brilliantly on any glass surface you can imagine. House windows, bathroom mirrors, glass shower doors—if it's glass, these methods will transform it.

Ready for a Reality Check?

Fair warning: what you're about to read isn't your typical window cleaning advice. You won't find me recycling the same tired tips that bounce around the internet like an echo chamber.

I'm not here to waste your time with advice you've already tried and failed with.

I won't rehash some generic window cleaner recommendation or dress up techniques I copied from random YouTube "experts."

Instead, I'm giving you the products and techniques I personally learned from the formulator of the product I will be recommending at this page.

Products and a technique I then used in my own professional detailing business that proved to be the sure thing.

Let's get started.

Breaking the Rules Again!
Darren's easy window cleaning trick!

Any of my long term followers knows I am have a reputation for breaking the rules. I have introduced many tools and products from outside the world of auto detailing and shown people just like yourself better and more effective ways to get from point A to point B.

Tips, tricks, and techniques that go counter to what this hyped-up industry would have you believe. My easy window cleaning trick will introduce you to one of my favorite professional auto detailing products that also has so many uses.

Easy Window Cleaning Tip:
The secret weapon!

Yes, there really is a secret weapon.

And that secret weapon consists of (2) secret weapons officially. But the first one is truly the secret for a few reasons.

• It is NOT a window cleaning product at all, but a detailer
  
• It is a product that has only recently been made available to the public on Amazon

CSi Q-7 Detailer on Amazon

This product is one of my favorites and a product I have been using for over 15 years. Only recently has it become available via Amazon. (And by recently —I mean in the past 6 years)

Easy Window Cleaning with Q-7 Detailer

What you will need:

• CSI Q-7 Detailer
• Distilled water poured into a separate sprayer bottle (purchase at your local market. Any brand will work)
• Micro-fiber cloth (Recommendations below)
• Waffle weave micro-fiber cloth (Recommendation below)

Glass Cleaning Process (Q-7 Detailer + Two-Cloth Method)

1. Prepare the first microfiber cloth (not the waffle-weave). Fold it twice so it fits comfortably in your hand and gives you multiple clean sides to work with. This thickness helps the cloth stay effective longer without becoming overly saturated.
2. Apply the Q-7 Detailer. Spray 3–4 mists of Q-7 Detailer directly onto one side of the microfiber cloth. Do not spray the product onto the glass.
3. Clean the glass. Using the dampened side, wipe the window or glass surface with firm, deliberate pressure. Your goal in this step is to remove dirt, haze, streaks, and smudges.
4. Let the product haze. Allow a few moments for the Q-7 Detailer to dry slightly and form a light haze—this allows the water content to evaporate.
5. Buff with the same cloth. Flip the microfiber cloth to a clean, dry side. Wipe the hazed area to remove the product completely, leaving a clear surface.
6. Switch to the waffle-weave cloth. Fold it the same way you did the first cloth for easy handling.
7. Lightly dampen the waffle-weave cloth. Spritz one side with a small amount of distilled water—approximately 3-4 spritzes.
8. Final wipe-down. Using the damp side, with ample pressure, go over the same glass area. You’re not scrubbing now—just removing any leftover Q-7 residue and evening out the finish.
9. Final buff to perfection. Flip to the dry side of the waffle-weave cloth and buff the glass until crystal clear and streak-free.

Darren’s Notes: Easy Window Cleaning Tips

Windows are tricky enough, but the front windshield is the real test. That steep slant (or rake) makes it one of the hardest surfaces to clean properly. Most people never reach the tight corners or the base of the glass where it meets the dashboard — which is exactly why I recommend using the specialized tool listed below.

When using Q-7 Detailer, don’t be shy — use firm, deliberate pressure. You’re not just wiping; you’re breaking down layers of stubborn haze, film, and buildup that have been clinging to the glass.

Your first cleaning will always be the toughest. That’s when you’re cutting through years of residue that ordinary glass cleaners can’t touch. But once you’ve mastered that initial deep clean, keeping your windows spotless becomes fast and effortless. (See the Maintenance section below for my quick upkeep method.)

One more thing worth mentioning: Q-7 Detailer is a non-staining formula. So if you accidentally get some on your dash, trim, or interior materials, there’s no need to panic. In fact, Q-7 makes an excellent interior detailer too — just as effective inside as it is outside.

Easy Window Cleaning Tips:
The Tools

You don't have to overthink your choice in microfiber cloths when using them to clean windows/glass. But with that said, I am recommending these since they represent what I consider the winning balance for cloths dedicated to doing windows: Features, benefits, and price point

Window Cleaning MF Cloths on Amazon

• They are my preferred size for all my detailing cloths: 16 x 16 inches —they fold twice into the perfect working size.
• Great quality with a matching price point.
• Use these with the Q-7 Detailer as your initial window cleaning step
• The micro-fiber cloths are perfect for the first step in my easy window cleaning process as they are thick enough to be effective, without becoming bulky as would be the case with any of the thicker microfiber cloths.

Korean Waffle-Weave MF Cloths on Amazon

• My "go-to" window cleaning cloths regardless of my technique.
• Ideal size and thickness.
• No linting at all!
• I fold twice to create the perfect working "tool"
• Use this cloth as part of my easy window cleaning tips along with the distilled water as your last step in the car window cleaning process.

Invisible Glass Windshield Cleaning Tool on Amazon

• The best tool for cleaning the front windshield of your car
• Built strong to withstand leveraged pressure when cleaning the tight corners of your windshield
• Has a thin, foam backer so your window cleaning cloth stays in place when using
• When I use this tool to clean any car window, I do not fold my window cleaning cloth, but leave it unfolded to cover entire area of the tool pad itself —reposition the cloth as needed so you can work with a wet or dry area of the cloth based on the step you are performing.
• Trust me when I say —this will save your back and shoulders! Especially useful in trying to clean the front windshield. 

Cleaning the windshield is  especially problematic due to the slant of the glass. Without this tool you will have to become a contortionist in order to twist, reach, and bend as you clean.

Easy Window Cleaning:
Maintenance Tips

If you have followed my instructions then you will likely have consumed a fair amount of time getting your windows perfectly cleaned!

The good news is that you may only have to do this process once or twice a year if you are willing to maintain the windows moving forward.

Once the windows have been "treated" with the Q-7 detailer, you will be able to do all future cleaning with just tap water  and your waffle weave MF cloths —I do prefer distilled water even for my maintenance window cleaning.

The Q-7 detailer will remain on your windows for an extended periond of time despite any repeat cleanings with water only.

Eventually you will need to add another treatment of the Q-7 detailer by following all these original steps, but this will only be occasionally based on your results and how well you maintain your windows moving forward. 

Darren's Note: I like to include examples of seriously bad websites/blogs you can easily find on the Internet written by "non-professionals" who simply gather bad information from other poorly written websites, add their own additional bad information and tips, and then represent this bad information as legitimate tips. Tips which are simply of little use at best, or plain bad information at worst.

GuideToDetailing: A website who clearly outsources it writing content to non-professionals — Maintaining Glass Clear Plastic

Traditional Car Window Cleaning Tips

I get it. Old habits die a slow death.

As people we resist change. Changing from the accepted traditional car window cleaners that have been crowned as the best car window cleaners, along with accepted window cleaning steps is going to be hard for many of you reading this page.

Here I am trying to enlighten you to a better way of cleaning car windows, using a product you have likely never heard of, using techniques that go completely against accepted ways of cleaning car windows.

But despite how effective my easy window cleaning tips are, you may want to default to the business as usual mentality of cleaning your car windows.

For this reason I have included my number one choice in a traditional window cleaner below:

Sprayway Foaming Glass Cleaner on Amazon

• Number 1 rated car window cleaner on Amazon
• If this is your choice, I still recommend only using the waffle weave micro-fiber cloths I suggest on this page
• For your angled front windshield, I recommend you spraying your cloth instead of the window with this window cleaner so as to not get over-spray onto your dash (this window cleaner is not necessarily going to damage your dash board in the short term, it will simply help dry it out in the long term — along with creating a fat mess on your dashboard)
• This is ammonia free but has alcohol in it (the world seems to be afraid to use ammonia and alcohol based window cleaners on tinted car windows. This is a myth based on outdated and inferior car window tint film. Window tint of today is made of far superior materiel than it used to be. Using ammonia and alcohol based window cleaners simply is not a problem on window tint due to the superior technology used to manufacturer modern day window tint films)

Easy Window Cleaning Summary

After being in the professional auto detailing business for over 30 years now, there are very few times that a new product or technique really puts a smile on my face. This Q-7 Detailer in its unique ability to clean car windows floored me with the results. These easy window cleaning tip and secret weapon continue to leave me with a huge smile every time I show a person just how perfect I can make their car windows by using these tricks!

I wish the same success and massive smile for you!

Sincerely,

Darren Priest