Easy Window Cleaning Tips
Darren's secret weapon!
Darren's Note: Easy Window Cleaning Tips is initially intended for the specific context of window cleaning tips for your car windows, but these tips are effective for anything glass related that you want clean: car window's, house window's, glass mirrors, virtually any glass surface that you want cleaned!
Are you sure you are ready for Darren's easy window cleaning tips? I will warn you in advance; it is not going to be your normal how to clean windows advice.
You know...the same old how to clean windows advice that is simply repeated from one bad website to another!
- Use this window cleaner 'cause it's the best!
- Use this window cleaning cloth 'cause it's the best!
- Use this window cleaning technique 'cause it's the best!
I am not going to bore you with all the traditional window cleaning tips you have likely already tried. I am not going to take some traditional window cleaner and overwhelm you with some hyped-up technique I stole from another detailer on the "University of YouTube".
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 quick detailer
- It is a product that has only recently been made available to the public on Amazon
CSI Q-7 Detailer Quart 62-205-Q
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.
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 (see recommendations below)
- Waffle weave micro-fiber cloth (Recommendation below)
Directions:
- Use first micro-fiber cloth (not the waffle weave) and fold in a way that allows you to use conveniently based on the size of your hands (I generally fold micro fiber cloths in half twice for a thick and usable cloth that is thick enough to work with and thick enough that is doesn't become saturated too quickly)
- Spray micro-fiber cloth with 3-4 sprays of the Q-7 Detailer onto a single side of your cloth.
- Proceed to wipe any window you are cleaning with firm pressure with the understanding you are deliberately trying to remove/clean any dirt/haze/streaks/smudges/etc. from window (this techniques is especially useful when cleaning the inside of your front windshield)
- Flip same cloth over and remove any Q-7 Detailer that has hazed up.
- Switch to the waffle weave cloth and fold in same manner for a workable size.
- Spritz one side of waffle weave cloth with distilled water.
- Proceed to wipe treated window with dampened side of waffle weave cloth as though you were attempting to remove the Q-7 Detailer from window (you will not need to be overly aggressive with this step as you were with the initial cleaning using the Q-7 Detailer. You just need to make sure you thoroughly wipe down all areas of window)
- Flip same waffle weave cloth over and buff window to perfection.
The picture above shows the dramatic difference between the clean left side, versus the dirty right side. The haze was so significant, I was able to draw the arrow with my finger into the haze build-up itself.Darren's Notes: I will add a couple additional notes for my easy window cleaning tips. Windows are difficult enough. The front windshield of a car (that window in which you send most of your time looking through as you drive) is especially difficult due to the slant/rake of the front windshield. Most people will not be thorough enough to get all the tight corners and down towards the bottom (see "tools" section below) edge where the windshield meets the dashboard. For this reason I recommend the tool below. I also recommend that when cleaning the glass with the Q-7 Detailer, you use it both aggressively and firmly knowing you are breaking down stubborn haze and build-up.
Your initial cleaning using my secret weapon and easy window cleaning tips will be the most dificult. Once you master the initial cleaning of your car windows, the maintenance moving forward will be much easier and simpler (see below under "maintenance")
Also worthy of noting is that the Q-7 is a non-staining formulation so if you are fearful about getting the Q-7 Detailer on your dash or other interior materials, you needn't be concerned. (the Q-7 is actually a great interior detailer just like it is a great exterior detailer)
Easy Window Cleaning Tips:
The Tools
See the following links for the easy window cleaning tools to be used with my secret weapon:
- I chose these particular micro-fiber cloths as you should have these nice micro-fibers as part of your car care arsenal anyways
- 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, but not the overly thick micro-fiber cloths that would make cleaning your car windows difficult due to trying to use overly thick micro-fiber cloths
- These micro-fiber cloths are not just perfect for cleaning your car windows (for the first step of my easy window cleaning trick) but also the perfect size and thickness of other detailing tasks: removing car wax, applying your favorite quick detailer, waterless washing, etc.
- My "go-to" window cleaning cloths regardless of my technique
- These cloths are substantial enough to maintain a good grip when working as well as substantial enough to not become easily saturated when suing with liquids
- 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
- 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
- If I am using this window cleaning tool, I use one cloth to do the initial cleaning, but use a second cloth to remove the residue, or the final buffing of each step (by using the cloth unfolded, the cloth will have a tendency to become too saturated with whatever liquid you are suing. This means that if you were try and flip this unfolded cloth over, it will continue to get your window wet, when you will need the cloth to be dry enough to buff off either the Q-7 Detailer or the final buffing after wiping the window with the distilledd water.
- Trust me when i say; "this will save your back and shoulders"! Especially useful in trying to clean the front windshield. If you aren't aware of any back or shoulder pains in your body; trying to thoroughly clean your front car windshield will reveal any pains that have remained hidden until this point
Here I am using the easy reach tool to clean the tight area of the front windshield where it meets up with the top of the dashboard. I simply drape my cleaning cloth over the face of the cleaning pad and I am good-to-go!
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! All that will be required moving forward will be to use the waffle weave window cleaning cloth and distilled water to maintain your clean windows.
Once again, simply spritz your folded waffle weave cloth with distilled water, wipe your window to freshen up, then flip cloth over and buff to perfection.If over time you feel this maintenance is not keeping up with your expectations, then go through all these steps for a reset to perfectly clean car windows.
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.
CarBibles: (one of the biggest offenders of bad car care tips) Ways to Clean Car Windows
GuideToDetailing: (another website who clearly outsources it writing content to non-professionals) This site actually still recommends using newspaper as a glass cleaning "towel". I haven't heard this bad tip repeated in decades, but you can find it at their site: 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 SW050-12 Glass Cleaner, 19 oz, Pack of 12
- Number 1 rated car window cleaner on Amazon
- If this is your choice, I still recommend only using the 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)
- 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
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