I. How Does an Oily Film Form on Car Windshields?
Many drivers have experienced this: on a rainy day, after wiping the windshield back and forth, it doesn’t become clearer; instead, it becomes even more blurry. Repeatedly spraying water and wiping doesn’t help. This is caused by an oily film on the windshield. So, how does this oily film form on car windshields?
1. Vehicle Exhaust Fumes
Pollutants from incomplete combustion emissions adhere to the windshield and, over time, form an oily film.
2. Cooking Fume Pollution
If you frequently park near restaurants or food stalls, cooking fumes will form an oily film on your windshield.
3. Corrosive Components
If the parking area contains bird droppings, insect carcasses, or tree sap—substances containing corrosive components—an oily film will also form on the windshield.
Oily film on car windows can easily lead to driving safety hazards. According to statistics, a major cause of car accidents in rainy weather is excessive oil film, which obstructs the driver’s vision. Therefore, if there is oily film on car windows, it should be removed promptly. So, how do you remove oily film from car windows?
II. How to Remove Oily Film from Car Windshields
There are many ways to remove oily film from car windshields. Here are a few:
1. Dry Newspaper
To remove oily film, after washing the car, use dry newspaper dampened with water to wipe the glass. Once the newspaper is dry, the oily film will naturally disappear.
2. Dish Soap Spray
Oil film is an oily substance. Apply some dish soap to the glass, spread it evenly, and then rinse with water. This can also remove the oily film. However, stubborn oily film may require multiple washes.
3. Use a specialized oil film remover
There are specialized oil film removers on the market. Compared to dish soap, they are gentler on vehicles and more effective at removing oil film. Furthermore, oil film removers coat the glass with a film after cleaning, preventing rainwater and other debris from adhering.
4. Replace the wiper blades
If using dry newspaper, dish soap, or oil film removers fails to completely remove the oil film from the car glass, it indicates that the wiper blades may be corroded. In other words, the oil film has adhered to the wiper blades. In this case, no matter how clean the car glass is, it won’t help, as the oily film will be reappeared when the wiper blades are used. In this situation, the wiper blades should be replaced immediately.