How to Clean Your Car Windows Without Streaks: A 5-Step Guide

Keeping your vehicle clean is tricky—many areas can gather dust and dirt. One such area is your car windows.

Many who try to clean their car windows end up with streaks and soap lines on the glass, which can cause poor visibility. Plus, streaky windows can make an otherwise clean car look disheveled and uncared for.

Knowing the best way to clean car windows will not only help keep your car looking sleek and new, but it will also give you better visibility, which can lead to a safer experience on the road.

The Best Way to Clean Car Windows: A Simple, 5-Step Guide

Achieving streak-free windows doesn’t have to be a struggle if you have the right supplies and a proven cleaning strategy.

Below is a list of tips for how to clean your car windows without streaks.

Step 1. Wash Your Vehicle Inside and Out

Before you clean your windows, you’ll want to take a few preventive measures to ensure your windows get (and stay) dust-and-streak-free. This includes thoroughly cleaning both the interior and exterior of your vehicle.

Take your car through the car wash and vacuum and clean the interior to eliminate any existing dust and dirt. If you wash your windows before cleaning your interior and exterior, you’ll end up with dust and debris on the same windows you just carefully cleaned.

Step 2: Gather the Right Supplies (Including a Microfiber Towel)

The right cleaning towel will help reduce window streaks. We recommend a low-pile microfiber towel. Microfiber towels are more absorbent than your regular kitchen hand towel, which is the trick to preventing streaks.

For glass cleaner, we use Pro5™ Glass Cleaner, Powered by Armor All Professional®, but if you have a microfiber towel, a variety of glass cleaners should work.

Step 3: Clean the Outside of the Windows in Indirect Sunlight

Now that you’ve cleaned your car and secured a microfiber towel and glass cleaning solution, you’re ready to wash. The key to success in this step is to clean in the shade.

The streaks you see on your windows as you clean often result from leaving your car in direct sunlight during and after cleaning. That’s why we suggest cleaning your car in either indirect sunlight or shade. Also, be sure to wipe any excess cleaner off before it dries.

Step 4: Clean the Inside of the Windows of the Car from the Passenger Side

While cleaning the outside of your car windows is important, the real streaks occur when you get down to the nitty-gritty of cleaning from inside the car.

Along with cleaning in the shade and using the right towel comes this tip: clean the inside windows of the car from the passenger side of your vehicle.

This will help you clean the windshield without having to hassle with reaching over or around the steering wheel.

Step 5: Clean the Top of the Windows

Many people forget to clean the very top of the windows. These areas can get just as dirty as any other part of your windows, so don’t forget to roll your windows down and wipe off the tops.

Bottom Line: Be Thorough

Streaks can occur from the wrong towels and being in direct sunlight during and after cleaning. But rushing through your cleaning job is just as likely to result in streaky windows.

Take your time and be thorough throughout the cleaning process so that you can hit the road with pristine, streak-free windows.

Clean with Pro5™

A Take 5 Unlimited™ Car Wash Membership keeps you clean and shining on the road with the high-quality, comprehensive car wash your vehicle deserves.

After your car wash, check out the free-to-use Pro5™ Detail Center, which includes both Pro5™ Interior and Glass cleaners, Powered by Armor All Professional®, with microfiber towels and high-power vacuums for a professional clean!