What is Smokey Film on Car Windshields and Windows
Smokey Film on Car Windows TIPS
- Smokey Film comes from plastic off-gassing
- Will come off with soap and water
- Streaks mean you did not clean it well
- Wash twice and rinse well - clean glass in shade not direct sun
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You might think that smokey film on car glass comes from all the bacon and eggs you have in your house. Not true!
Vicki Mead, who resides in Jonesboro, Arkansas, asked me with a tinge of smoker's guilt this question:
"First of all: I don't smoke, so that is not an issue. But there is a film that develops on the INSIDE of the car window.
I live in the sunny south and when the sun strikes that film, it is blinding! Do you have a solution for that? I don't think the ideas given in your window cleaning videos (which are great for outside windows) would be good for the inside of a car window."
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Here's my response to Vicki:
Vicki, maybe someone is borrowing your car and they're smoking. Just kidding!
The film you see is created by all the plastic that's inside your car.
When your car is out in the sun, the sun heats up the interior to 130-145F or so. This heat creates off-gassing of the plastic dashboard and all other components.
The plastic molecules get into the air and then settle on the glass surfaces.
It's easy to remove it with just a soap and water solution. I use any decent liquid dish soap and water.
It's important to wash the glass when it's cool and in the shade. I prefer to wash my truck glass in the morning when I know the glass is cool.
I wash it twice with soapy water made from Stain Solver and a regular liquid dish soap. Rinse out the sponge well in the soapy solution as you wash.
Then you need to rinse well with clear water. Rinse twice using fresh water each time.
Dry the glass with an old, but a decent, bath towel.
The glass will look like new. If you get streaks, that means you don't have all the plastic crap off the glass yet. Repeat the cleaning process.
IMPORTANT TIP: NEVER get into your car if it's been sitting in the sun without opening both doors and allowing fresh outdoor air to replace the polluted air in the car. Inhaling that plastic could cause lung cancer or cause you to grow a tail, fins or something!!!!
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