The Cleaning Combo That Is The Secret To Streak-Free Car Windows

Your car's windows are some of the biggest magnets for muck you could possibly own. It's bad enough to get a myriad of dead bugs and plant matter stuck to your windows and windshield, but attempting to wipe it off more often than not just makes the problem worse. Your windshield wipers also accumulate their own little collection of crud as time passes, and using them can streak it along your windshield. As for the windows, unless you have a specialized squeegee and some car window cleaning fluid, they're going to experience the same problem.

Is there a way to not only clean the gross stuff off your car's windows, but ensure that no annoying, obstructing streaks are created in the process? As it so happens, there is, and this method requires neither specialized tools nor cleaning chemicals. All you need is a bottle of ordinary household vinegar and a wad of old newspaper.

To make this type of D.I.Y. cleaning successful, you'll only need a handful of simple household materials. These materials include a bottle of generic white vinegar, a bowl of clean water, and a small stack of old newspaper. If you happen to have one lying around, a spray bottle can also make the process a bit easier as you can spray your cleaning solution right onto the windows, but a sponge will work for application as well.

While these components are common, there are a few little cautions you should keep in mind. Firstly, the vinegar you use does need to be white vinegar, as it's the only kind that doesn't leave residue. For the newspaper, make sure it hasn't been sitting anywhere dirty or dusty before you use it unless you want that all over your car's windows. Finally, you'll want a bowl for your clean water, as you'll need a spot to mix it with the vinegar and hold it all

Once you've got all of your materials together, it's time to get cleaning.

1. In the bowl/spray bottle, mix together an equal amount of clean water and white vinegar.

2. Spray/apply the vinegar and water mixture to your car window.

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3. Take a sheet of newspaper and crumple it up into a ball.

4. Wipe down the window with the crumpled newspaper until all of the liquids have been removed.

5. Repeat for all of your car's windows.

In the event you're dealing with some particularly stubborn contaminants on your windows, you can increase the concentration of vinegar in your liquid mixture a little bit.

This cleaning method is rather ingenious in its simplicity; vinegar is acidic enough to loosen simple chemical bonds, but not so acidic that it damages solid materials, so it's great for loosening up sticky substances from the surfaces of your windows. The newspaper, meanwhile, is made up of a multitude of densely-packed, highly-absorbent fibers. Compared to something like a rag, which might not soak up all the liquid, a newspaper can completely absorb your water and vinegar mixture, leaving no streaks behind. Not only is this excellent for cleaning your car's windows, it also works great in the home!