steamy windows

liam1204

please can someone give me some tips on keeping my windows from steaming up. i know well i think i know it has something to do with moisture as the problem is well worse when i'm on the way home from training or when it is buckeing down. i can't stand it anymore somebody must know something. please

xabi

Make sure the air isnt re-circulating inside the car and put your air-con on if you have it.

mike65

Silly question but does the blower fan work?

Mike.

prospect

Get a room

el tel

RainX produce a product that you wipe onto the interior glass to prevent steaming up and is quite effective but a bit pricey for some bog standard chemicals.

Alternatively, a cheaper and easier method is to wipe the glass inside with some of disinfectant/hygene wipes that contain isopropyl alcohol as this is exactly what RainX contains.

MercMad

el tel wrote:

RainX produce a product that you wipe onto the interior glass to prevent steaming up and is quite effective but a bit pricey for some bog standard chemicals.

Alternatively, a cheaper and easier method is to wipe the glass inside with some of disinfectant/hygene wipes that contain isopropyl alcohol as this is exactly what RainX contains.

.........or rub a potatoe inside the glass, all around , then buff off till its clean !

Usually a lot of moisture on the glass in becaus eyou have water in the car, either from a leak or from the interior heater matrix !

What make/model/year ?

mike65

MercMad wrote:

.Usually a lot of moisture on the glass in becaus eyou have water in the car, either from a leak or from the interior heater matrix !

I was going to mention that but did'nt want to bring bad luck (horror job on many cars)!. Leaking matrix shows itself through damp in the footwells (under carpets), steam (!) and persistant streaky condensation on windscreen. Give the screen a wipe with a clean tissue and then sniff it, if you get a whiff of coolant chemical then you'll know you have a leaky matrix.

Mike.

layke

Clean your windows.

maidhc

Your pollen filter might also be blocked causing the blower to just make noise and do little else. Try taking it out and seeing what happens.

MercMad

Actually thats a very good point maidhc !

layke

Lads,

I think everyone here is jumping the gun. Windows steam up for none of the above reasons also, it just happens. Be it faulty heaters, getting into your car after being in the soakng rain or whatnot. My 96 Civic steams up like a mofo, there is nothing wrong with it. The fact is my windows are dirty and a spot of windowlean and a newspaper sort that problem out every week for me. As for the potatoe suggestion, it prolly works but i'd just use glass polish tbh.

Please don't make the poor man paranoid

mike65

Could be nothing at all of course, if so just open them windows and feel the cool breeze!

Mike.

MercMad

layke wrote:

think everyone here is jumping the gun. Windows steam up for none of the above reasons also, it just happens. Be it faulty heaters, getting into your car after being in the soakng rain or whatnot. My 96 Civic steams up like a mofo, there is nothing wrong with it. The fact is my windows are dirty and a spot of windowlean and a newspaper sort that problem out every week for me. As for the potatoe suggestion, it prolly works but i'd just use glass polish tbh.

................it isn't normal !

My car doesn't do it !

Well my old car does but that DOES have a leak (I just havent got time to fix it )

BTW Glass polish may clkean the glass but it wont stop the condensation issue like a potatoe will, and you can leave the spud in the car to make a good talking point !

el tel

Steamy windows are a very serious issue if you are in the dogging scene...

apparently.

layke

Every Civic i've driven which happens to be the only cars i've owned over the years have had this problem, the 96 being the worst since I replaced the windscreen a few months back.

the 86 fogged up, the 93 fogged up, the 96 fogs up.

It's simple logic. You get into a car with sweat pumping out of you it has to go somewhere, glass is cold and turns the vapour back in to moisture. I learned this in 1st year science. Heck you can prove it by breathing on glass.

So if your sweating where does the vapour go if your windows are up?

As for the poptatoe.... we'll try it your way, for now

magpie

Windows seals - older the car the worse the seal, moisture creeps in (or flows in if its pouring down).

5500

Actually ive the same problem in my civic too!
No leaks ect ect and i clean the windows with windoleen twice a week but in heavy rain or very cold weather they wont clear untill the car warms up.

69 mustang

If it happens when your not using the car then its a leak you can normally smell it.
If it happens when you are using the car I'd second the switching the car heating system from recirculating air to fresh idea
Option 2 should fix it either way {not the leak as its not a magic button}:)

Kersh

My 1979 911 steams up like a fooker. Quick way to clear ir is open the sunroof. Aircooled cars suck for condensation free driving...:(

aw

What's this about a potato?!
i've never heard that before.
Just cut it, wipe it on and polish off?

Does it work?

Kersh

Ill tell you later....

tapest

Potato on outside of windscreen, when wipers break....the starch stops the water beading...so you can see.

Washing up liquid wiped on inside to stop misting.....that one's so old...when rear screen heaters were extras.
t

ZENER

aw wrote:

What's this about a potato?!
i've never heard that before.
Just cut it, wipe it on and polish off?

Does it work?

It's a common ploy - along with saliva - to stop diving goggles from steaming up so I guess it should work on car winscreens.

ZEN

slade_x

The trick to stop your bathroom mirror from fogging up with shaving foam springs to mind, although i tried it myself and it only lasts maybe 1-2 days or so, but your left with a nice manly smell too

liam1204

MercMad wrote:

.........or rub a potatoe inside the glass, all around , then buff off till its clean !

Usually a lot of moisture on the glass in becaus eyou have water in the car, either from a leak or from the interior heater matrix !

What make/model/year ?

hi all- thanks for all the tips. its a seat toledo 99, window blower seems a bit week, so i'll try and clean it out , try been the operative word. and will give all other tips a go as well. i have some football gear in the boot as i manage a team which is probably not helping.
cheers everybody

Capt'n Midnight

el tel wrote:

Alternatively, a cheaper and easier method is to wipe the glass inside with some of disinfectant/hygene wipes that contain isopropyl alcohol as this is exactly what RainX contains.

You can buy isopropyl alcohol in many chemists.

Are any silane compounds any use ?
Has anyone used anything that smells like vinegar to prevent fogging on windows/spectacles

5500

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

You can buy isopropyl alcohol in many chemists.

Are any silane compounds any use ?
Has anyone used anything that smells like vinegar to prevent fogging on windows/spectacles

Ive tried vinegar on the windows but it doesnt seem to stop it happening,also leaves your car smelling like a single of chips!

Heathen

i bought a bottle of "antimist" or antifog.. i got it in pr reilly's in killbarrick.. did the job for me... also great for the mirror on the bathroom too :)

Heathen

eireal wrote:

also leaves your car smelling like a single of chips!

haha not a whole lot wrong with that if ya ask me :D

C_Breeze

hmmm, strange . I drive a 93 hatcback and the drier is PERFECT . not one steamy patch on any window when it rains . and when its already steamy , it clears it all up in less than 2mins .

liam1204

Macker Eire wrote:

i bought a bottle of "antimist" or antifog.. i got it in pr reilly's in killbarrick.. did the job for me... also great for the mirror on the bathroom too :)

cheers , just bought some. was going to use potatos but made some really tasty chips insread.