The Best Windshield Glass Cleaners [2023]

Why Finding The Right Cleaner is Important

Windshield visibility is an extremely important factor in safe driving. Being able to see through a windshield that is clean, streak-free, and without glare is important for your safety and the safety of those around you.

Additionally, using a high-quality windshield glass cleaner allows your windshield wipers to work more efficiently and last longer. And if you use things like rain or snow repellants on a clean windshield then they will work more effectively and last longer too! So before you do anything with your car, make sure that your windshield has been properly cleaned!

OUR FAVORITE WINDSHIELD GLASS CLEANERS!

Best Overall

The easiest path to a cleaner windshield is with a good windshield glass cleaning tool. It is basically just a cloth attached to a long stick but it makes cleaning automotive glass a lot quicker and easier. Especially when it comes to reaching dirt and debris in the middle of the windshield.

While there are a lot of windshield glass cleaning tools out there and they all share similar shapes and styles. I would push you to use the Invisible Glass Reach and Clean Tool Kit. With many Chinese knockoffs on the market, it’s worth spending the extra dollar and getting something that you know is going to be quality.

This item has incredible reviews. It comes backed by a company that has been in the windshield glass cleaner and car care cleaning business for a long time.

This particular cleaning tool comes with an extendable handle to make sure it reaches wherever it is needed. It comes with a microfiber cleaning cloth that is perfect for cleaning windshields. Microfiber is great because it won’t leave behind any streaks or lint.

In addition, the cloth is reversible, washable, and reusable. So you can buy the tool once and never need another option for cleaning your windshield again.

If you like this cleaner then you may enjoy our article reviewing the best windshield cleaning tools.

Best Cleaning Cloth 

When it comes to cleaning a car windshield it seems like without the proper cleaning fluid and a fresh rag there is no way to get something off without leaving a smear or streak on the glass. That is until I found the Detailer’s Preference Windshield and Glass Cleaning Towel! This is by far one of the best items I have bought for cleaning my car. It stays in my driver’s side door pocket 24/7.

This windshield glass cleaning cloth has microfiber that’s specifically made for cleaning glass. It doesn’t require any sprays or the need to be perfectly clean to leave a windshield crystal clear. This cloth stays in my car because I can use it over and over.

I never worry about it getting so dirty that it won’t leave the windshield completely clean. Bugs, dirty, oily handprints, it doesn’t matter this rag will take it off in an instant and completely streak-free! This item is an extremely cheap windshield glass cleaner and a must-have for all of your vehicles!

Best For a Deep Clean

Undoubtedly the best cleaner for windshield glass, or any surface on your car for that matter, is a clay bar. Clay bars can pick up all of the small contaminants, impurities, and overspray that has hidden and hardened in the pores of your windshield.

Griots Garage Glass Cleaning Clay is made specifically for automotive glass. It is slightly denser than the clay used on automotive paint which helps it to keep from sticking to the glass. It can clean mineral deposits and road grime to deliver a smooth clean surface.

When using this cleaner on your windshield regularly, it can also increase the life of your wiper blades.

You need to get a lubricant, Griots Garage recommends Speed Shine, to spray on the windshield before you use the clay cleaner. Then you run the clay over the windshield to pick up any contaminants on the glass. Continuously kneading the clay between passes to ensure a fresh surface to pick up debris.

Once you have done the whole windshield you will have glass that is as clean as the day it came from the factory.

How to Use Glass Cleaning Clay

Best Cleaning Solution

This product is from the makers of Rain-X, the experts on anything that has to do with an automotive windshield. Rain-X X-treme Clean is exactly that, it is the perfect windshield glass cleaner for when you need to really deep clean your glass.

This product is actually so effective that it can also clean the haze off of headlights. Which just goes to show exactly how strong it really is. It will be an ideal pre-cleaner for any glass application like a windshield rain repellant. It is also said to improve windshield wiper lifespan if used consistently.

This may not be the quickest cleaner to use but it is definitely an extremely effective way to fully clean your windshield.

This cleaner comes out in a thick fluid that is rubbed across the windshield with a microfiber and medium pressure. Removing any contaminants embedded in the glass both visible and invisible. Be aware that this cleaner will also remove any rain repellant coatings that were on the windshield before cleaning.

Best Wipes

Windshield glass cleaning wipes make cleaning much easier. They don’t require you to keep a bottle and fresh rag around all of the time.

You pull out a wipe it’s fresh, it’s damp with cleaning fluid and you throw it away when you’re done. Lessen that big pile of dirty rags that need to be washed after your next detail with Invisible Glass Wipes.

I know I push their products a lot and no I’m not a rep of theirs. I have just used an insane amount of car cleaner and care products over the years and when it comes to automotive glass or your windshield, they are the best.

These are giant oversized windshield glass cleaning wipes so one will clean your whole windshield without a problem. They are tough enough to remove grime, dirt, and bugs.

You can also feel good when ordering knowing that they are made in the USA. And like all Invisible Glass products they come with a money-back guarantee if for some reason you’re not satisfied.

Best Cleaner & Rain Repellent

For an everyday windshield glass cleaner that is great for windshield touchups, I would recommend Invisible Glass Clean and Repel.

This works as good or better than any stand-alone glass cleaner but with the added benefit of having a built-in rain repellent.

This means with one spray and a wipe your windshield is sparkling clean and has a fresh coat of rain repellent for your next drive. No double coating needed as Rain-X suggests. And none of the hassle of dealing with the haze that rain-x often leaves behind.

This may not last as long as conventional Rain-X but it is much quicker and easier to use. Plus this cleaner leaves your windshield crystal clear.

Best Tint Safe Cleaner

The cleaner you need on the inside of your car’s windshield is very different from a cleaner you would use on the outside. The inside isn’t going to get the dirt and bugs and tough to get off debris that the outside will.

You also have to factor in that you will probably get some overspray on your dash and so ideally you want something pretty mild. And if you have a tint film on the inside of your glass you want to make sure that what you are using won’t erode that layer of film.

For the best tint safe glass cleaner for inside your car, I simply recommend Invisible Glass Premium Glass Cleaner. This stuff is amazing! You can find it everywhere and it’s mild enough that a little overspray in the car won’t hurt anything.

It’s also ammonia-free residue-free and it’s safe for tinted windows. This is a simple windshield glass cleaner that will leave a streak-free shine without having to worry about it harming your tint or leaving any residue that causes glare.