Why is ammonia bad for car windows?
Ammonia isn’t bad for car windows – it’s bad for color. Color may bubble, brighten and decompose after prolonged cleaning with ammonia-based cleaners. For this reason, nearly all car glass cleaners are ammonia-free.
How to clean the inside of car windows?
Just like you do outside. Ideally, you want to remove as much dirt and grime from the window as possible before polishing it to make it sparkle. Use a clean, lint-free microfiber cloth to wipe your cleaner in slow, circular motions. Avoid using paper towels, as they can really leave small scratches on your windows. Make sure to roll your window down a bit to clean the top.
What is ceramic glass cleaner?
Ceramic glass cleaner seems to be gaining traction in the automotive detailing world. This tool features a combination of detergent and ceramic coating to remove contaminants while leaving a waterproof residue. Some ceramic glass cleaners boast that you won’t need to use the windshield wipers because the water particles will fall off as soon as you drive.
We find that ceramic glass cleaner takes a little more effort to apply properly. You may need to do extra spray and wipe cycles to get it really crystal clear—and we had to use extra elbow grease to get rid of some nasty streaks and fog. The life of the ceramic glass coating varies from product to product, but the use of wipers will reduce the life of the coating.
Why trust us?
This testing is conducted in an environment that provides equal testing procedures for each product: car and driver garage. We tested each glass cleaner on an equally dirty portion of the large rear window, detailing each cleaner’s performance, streaks, dry feel, and residue. Having compiled our findings, we agree that our testing provided enough information to recommend options to our readers.
Hearst Autos combines the talent, resources and expertise of three of the largest, most influential automotive publications in the world. We don’t need to compete for traffic or advertise lousy products to make a sale. We care about our heritage, our reputation, and the trust our readers have in us Autoweek, car and driverand Road & Track to give honest reviews and expert opinions.
Read more about our product testing and review process this.
