Best glass cleaners 2023
Are your car windows smeared with grime and insects? Give yourself a clearer view with these dedicated glass cleaners...
The last thing you want while driving is to struggle to see out of the windscreen or windows because they are so dirty.
You can, of course, use your car’s windscreen wipers and screenwash to get fresh muck off, but over time, road grime, dead insects and other debris can build up anyway. And, even if you've gone to great lengths to clean your car on the outside, smears and grime can build up on the inside of the glass. A good glass cleaner can help you tackle both of these problems.
Glass cleaners are available in a range of different forms and quantities. Some can simply be sprayed on to your car’s glass surfaces, while others come as creams that need to be rubbed in with a cloth to work at their best.
In this test, we’ve tried out a variety of glass cleaners from different brands and at different price points, so we can name the best – and tell you which ones to avoid.
The products or services referenced in this story have been reviewed independently by our experts. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. However, this will never influence our opinion or ratings.
1. BEST BUY: GTechniq G6 Perfect Glass (500ml)
GTechniq’s Perfect Glass is fragrance and colour free, and there’s a good reason why: to avoid smearing. In fact, preventing smeared glass is this product’s specialty. It works by creating a positive electrical charge on the glass to repel dust. Indeed, we found that our car’s windows remained dust free even weeks after use. Elsewhere, the GTechniq effortlessly removed all grease, grime and bugs from our windscreen, despite not being advertised as a dedicated insect remover. Considering its effectiveness, its price and how much you get in the bottle, it’s a clear winner here.
What Car? rating Five stars out of five
How we found the best car glass cleaners
To find the best car glass cleaners, we applied our test products to dirty windscreens, which had previously been washed only by rain. We followed each manufacturer’s recommended process then assessed how clean and streak-free the glass was, and how long the new shine lasted before we had to get the bottle out again for another spritz.
Typically, a good microfibre cloth is also needed to give your glass cleaner the best chance of clearing up any road grime by properly working it into the surface you’re working on.
You’ll enhance your chances of keeping your windscreen dirt-free if you give it a wipe with a clean cloth before you start too – this means you won’t be working in existing grime when you use a glass cleaner. Don’t use paper towels on your car’s glass, because they’re abrasive and can leave small fibres on the glass.
2. BEST FOR BUDGET: AutoGlym Car Glass Polish (325ml)
The AutoGlym formula is a cream, rather than a liquid, so you work in a small amount with a microfibre pad rather than spraying it on. It’s easy to do and leaves your car with glass free of grime and water spots. If your windows are very dirty, you might want to wash it with car shampoo first so you’re not swirling any grit around when applying the product. We found its anti-misting properties very effective, and given its price, it offers great value. Note, though, that the product is not suitable for perspex, acrylic or plastic windows.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
Other car glass cleaners to consider
3. Dodo Juice Clearly Menthol Professional Glass Cleaner (500ml)
Dodo Juice says its glass cleaner is a professional grade product, and it recommends that you use gloves to apply it. Maybe that’s because it has a high alcohol content, which helps to remove grime and leave your windows with a residue-free finish. We found it to dry quickly after application, and it left our windows looking showroom fresh. For the best results, use it with a microfibre cloth (Dodo Juice sells one separately). It costs slightly more than our winner, so it finishes lower here.
What Car? rating Five stars out of five
4. Meguiar’s Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner (473ml)
Like most of the cleaners tested here, the Megiuar’s formula can be used on both internal and external windows. Just spray it on a little at a time, wipe it in with a cloth, then buff it off again. We got especially good results using it in combination with a microfibre cloth, enabling us to remove some stubborn pollen from our car’s windows. The Meguiar’s formula was good at clearing our glass and had a pleasant smell, but needed more working in than some of our contenders to achieve the same results.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
5. TurtleWax Hybrid Solutions Streak-free Mist Glass Cleaner Inside & Out (591ml)
This cleaner comes with a fine misting sprayer that helps you to distribute the product evenly on the glass. We followed TurtleWax’s suggestion of cleaning the edges of our windows and working our way into the centre, and this helped us to achieve an even and streak-free clean. As well as glass, it can also be used to clean and protect all the interior surfaces of your car (fortunately it smells pleasant). Only the high price stops it from ranking higher.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
6. AutoGlym Fast Glass (500ml)
AutoGlym’s Fast Glass is free from abrasives, waxes and silicones. It can be used on all glass, mirrors, perspex, acrylic and plastic windows, so it’s a versatile product. We found it lived up to the name and cleaned our glass quickly, although with heavier dirt it needed a good scrub and left a bit of residue. For a quick spritz on relatively clean glass, it will give you a brilliant finish and is great at sprucing up any glossy black trim in your car, which can all too easily be ruined by fingerprints and dust.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
7. Sonax Xtreme Glass Clear (500ml)
We found that the Sonax Xtreme glass cleaner removed stubborn dirt efficiently and with no residue or haze. You’ll want to get yourself two microfibre cloths when using this product – one to spread it around, and the second to wipe it off and buff it for a streak-free finish. It doesn’t have an overpowering scent compared with some products tested, which we appreciated (especially when using it to clean interior glass). It does, though, have a relatively high price compared with some other cleaners here.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
8. RainX 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Rain Repellent (500ml)
RainX’s 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Rain Repellent applies the mysterious sounding ‘Water Beading Technology’ to enhance visibility during the very frequent rain we enjoy in the UK. It works best if you wipe it off after applying to get rid of all the dirt, then buff it afterwards with a microfibre cloth to get your shine. We did notice the promised water beading effect while driving, but found we had to use the product quite regularly to keep it up. We’d prefer a product we didn’t have to apply too frequently.
What Car? rating Three stars out of five
9. King of Sheen Glass Sparkle Car Glass Cleaner (500ml, plus microfibre cloth)
Although its name suggests that glass is its prime territory, we found that the King of Sheen formula held its own on a variety of surfaces. Just aim, spray and polish off. We found it very effective at giving us a streak-free clean without having to put in too much effort, but its shine didn't last as long as the best in this test. A microfibre cloth is included, so you don’t have to worry about finding a clean one of those around the house, but overall this is an expensive product.
What Car? rating Three stars out of five
And the car glass cleaner to avoid…
10. Armor All Glass Wipes (20 wipes)
These wipes are ideal for a quick clean on the go, and they’re free from ammonia, so are safe to use on tinted windows. We found them useful for removing most surface grime, but they weren’t very effective for cleaning large patches of glass. The budget price may be appealing, but we’d rather have a more effective glass cleaner for our whole windscreen.
What Car? rating Two stars out of five
The products or services referenced in this story have been reviewed independently by our experts. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. However, this will never influence our opinion or ratings.
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