Expert car detailer reveals how to clean inside windshield haze and stop it ever returning to your car

If you’ve ever tried to wipe away that pesky interior windshield haze only for it to stay foggy, you’re not alone.

David Walker from Epic Automotive Detailing says it’s one of the most common driver headaches – and no, it’s not because you used the wrong cloth.

That ghostly film that won’t go away has a more interesting backstory than you think.

Turns out, it’s not dirt at all. It’s chemistry.

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The real cause of windshield haze and how to fix it

Inside every car, warm air full of fragrance vapors, polish residue, and leather oils collides with cold glass.

Those vapors condense, leaving behind a thin, greasy layer that fogs your view from the inside out.

Even spotless cars are guilty of this, as interior dressings and conditioners release microscopic oils that float up and cling to the glass.

And David says using your usual demister pad only makes it worse, spreading oils from your hands and door pockets straight back onto the surface.

So what’s the fix? 

This detailer says it’s best to go old-school.

Grab a clean wash mitt (or a small wheel mitt), dunk it in warm, soapy water, and wipe the inside of the windshield.

Then use one continuous downward sweep with a small squeegee to carry the grime off the glass.

Lay towels across the dash to catch drips, then take a small squeegee and pull the grime downward in smooth sweeps.

The goal is to lift it off, not smear it around.

Finish with a dry, lint-free glass cloth made from wetsuit-style material – no microfibers, going against what we’ve all been told.

The result is glass so clear you’ll think the windshield’s missing.

How to keep it from ever coming back according to a pro detailer

Once you’ve stripped that film, the secret is keeping new vapors out of the air.

Avoid hanging air fresheners and go easy on glossy dashboard sprays and leather conditioners.

David says those small tweaks stop the invisible buildup before it even starts.

Especially through winter when heaters make the problem worse.

It’s not just cleaner glass – it’s fewer chemicals floating in your cabin air.

Because once you’ve seen what truly clean looks like, you’ll never be able to ignore windshield haze again.

For more cleaning tips from detailer David, subscribe to Epic Automotive Detailing on YouTube or watch the video below:

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