There’s nothing worse than windows fogging up while you’re driving. As you fiddle with the air controls to get the right combination to clear the windows, you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed about accidents.
What if you could prevent your windows from steaming up instead of just dealing with them?
ChrisFix offers a few at-home products you can use to stop windows from steaming up. They include:
- RainX
- Shaving Cream
- Baby Shampoo
- Potatoes
- Hand Sanitizer
Will they all work? #ChrisFix shows off all of these products to determine which ones work and which ones you should try to use. Keeping up with the maintenance on your vehicle is easy to do when you follow these nice tips and tricks. We have more of them for you at Vehicle History.
Which Products will Work to Keep Your Windows from Steaming up?
Why do windows fog up anyway? Chris shares that this happens because of the temperature change and humidity. Your body temperature even affects when it occurs.
ChrisFix says there are at-home products that can work to keep your windows from steaming up. You can go to the auto parts store and buy anti-fog products. RainX is one example of these products. It may work, but why spend the money and make a special trip?
Here’s his breakdown of how these other items can work to do the same thing. To do this, he sectioned the window into five parts. He applied each one of the options on the window, one in each section.
RainX
He follows the directions for applying the RainX to the window. That includes applying it directly to a paper towel. Then, rub it on the glass. Then, lightly wipe it off. Make sure there are no streaks when doing this.
Shaving Cream
This next product is shaving cream. There could be some differences in one product to the next. He’s using a basic product. Just apply the shaving cream directly to the glass. Use a paper towel to work in the shaving cream across all areas. Cover all of the glass.
Then, use a clean paper towel to buff off the shaving cream. This takes some time. You’ll need to buff it until it is clear. It takes a lot more work than the RainX product to get it to this point.
Baby Shampoo
Baby shampoo is an interesting choice. Chris uses it because he used it on the interior of his SCUBA diving mask to help prevent it from fogging up.
To apply the baby shampoo, just put a small amount onto a paper towel. Then, apply it to the window. Use a circular motion. Then, use a clean paper towel to dry off the surface. You have to get rid of those streaks.
You don’t want to remove so much of the product that it takes it off. Rather, remove just enough of this (and any other products) to get the window to a clear point.
Potatoes
This seems like one of the strangest of all options. However, Chris claims there is an urban legend about using a potato on the inside of a SCUBA diving mask. That’s the same type of concept as the previous option.
To try it out, he cuts a potato in half to expose the flesh. Then, he applies this directly to the window. Cover the entire surface with the potato. The liquid from the potato is pretty clear. He then lightly buffs the window to remove excessive material.
Hand Sanitizer
The final product he uses is hand sanitizer. He applies the product to a paper towel. Then, he applies that to the window. Rub it right into the windowpane. This creates some haze. You will need to buff it out to get a streak-free shine.
So, Which Ones Worked?
To find out, Chris brings a steaming hot cup of water into the car. By positioning the water close to the window, it should fog up the window pretty quickly and evenly. He actually tries the process out on the window before applying any of these products to it.
What’s the result? It’s pretty impressive. The RainX panel of the window remains pretty clear without any fogging at all. That’s easily the best choice from this standpoint. The shaving cream also works great. It keeps the window clear without fogging up.
The baby shampoo panel left a residue. While it did not fog up as much as the others, it did have some level of fogging that makes it less of an ideal choice for applying to windows. The potato also left a residue on the surface, with slightly more fogging up than the baby shampoo.
The hand sanitizer is made from alcohol. That’s why many people think it works. Yet, in this test, it failed most of all three products.
If you’re hoping to use something around the home to help improve your window from fogging up, go with the shaving cream. Skip the other products that just don’t create the shine you need to drive safely.
Keep Your Windows and Vehicle in Good Condition
The windows are just one part of your car, of course, to maintain. To help give you that extra boost you need, be sure to check out our other tips and guidance at Vehicle History for maintaining your vehicle.
