Foggy Windows Won't Go Away

#1

I’m here on the Oregon coast, and it’s warmer in my van than outside, so the inevitable keeps happening - my windshield keeps fogging up.

Here’s the catch, the Defrost doesn’t work on the driver’s side, so I’ve had a really hard time getting rid of the foggy windows. Been super dangerous while driving in the windy rain.

In pure desperation, I’ve been wiping the foggy window before I drive / while I’m driving, but that’s just adding a lot of oils that seem to attract more fog.

Help! How do I best clean the fog off my window, given that my defrost doesn’t work and I’ve already done some damage by wiping it off regularly

#2

I have heard that washing eye glasses with the blue dish soap will stop them from fogging while wearing a face mask. Wonder if the same is true with a windshield?

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#3

SOLUTION: If the air conditioning works, use that with the temperature dial on heat and also use fresh air (don’t use the recirculate button). Speed up the process by opening the windows. Best luck to you!

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#4

Thanks! I’ve been opening the window and it’s helped a ton, but it’s also raining here all the time. So it’s definitely a balance haha

#5

Welcome to the coast! Or are you a native? The air conditioning trick works …if you have air. My husband and I argue about running air with heat but I told him to judge by the results. I won. At least with rain, you wont freeze to death.

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#6

Definitely wipe with a towel and not your hand. Have you tried RainX? I use it on the inside and outside of my windshield. Works great. Make sure to clean with Windex or equivalent first.

How’s it going otherwise? We delayed then scratched our trip to Tucson.

#7

Honestly after washing my towel to get the oils off, it’s been working great to get rid of the foggy windows. Thanks everyone!

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#8

Haven’t heard of RainX - will look into it! It’s going great. Really enjoying the Oregon coast when it’s not prime tourist season

Bummed that your plans got scrapped. Where are you at right now then? Still in Portland?

#9

Thanks! I’m not a native, but lived in Portland for a year, so i’ve done a decent amount of exploring around Oregon.

Good to know that cold works better than hot!

#10

The easiest way to keep a bathroom mirror from fogging when you shower is to put some dish soap on the mirror and then take a rag and clean the mirror rubbing the soap in until your streak free. I would assume the same principal would work with the inside of your windshield. I did a quick search and found this for you.

One of my professors at school taught us this trick a couple of years ago that prevents fog from forming on your windshield or any glass for that matter. It’s not rocket science but I wouldn’t have thought about doing it.

To start, get some windex, or whatever you want, and clean the inside of your windshield. Once dry, get a couple of dry, clean rags and pour a light amount of liquid dish soap on one of them. Dab the windshield (inside your truck) several times to spread out the majority of the soap. After that, you just start smearing the soap everywhere until you can see residue all over the windshield. Keep using clean rags to wipe away the soap until you can’t see it anymore.

Pretty much what you have done is created a thin, invisible, layer of soap on your windshield. When you’re all done breath on the windshield and it won’t fog up. It takes a while to do and a lot of arm-work but it’s worth it.

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#11

Agree, love Rain-X for the exterior, haven’t used it on the interior, but it was the first thing I thought about. Good to hear from someone who has used it inside. It is AMAZING to see the water just fly off your windshield during a heavy rainstorm. You hardly need the windshield wipers.

Keeping the recirculation off if essentially because you’re trying to get the moisture out. You’ll notice that it goes off automatically if you turn on the defroster, but you’ll want to be sure it’s off if you are using AC.

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#12

We’ve been up by Puget Sound, working on Ernest the Skoolie. Check out our progress at https://www.instagram.com/ernest.the.skoolie/

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#13

Over here in Vermont, I run the AC all year round to pull any of the moisture out of the car. It works wonders!

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