Never fogged up windows again? Here’s how you do it

We probably don’t need to tell you that fogged up car windows are annoying. Driving with fogged windows is dangerous, but you also don’t feel like waiting for the blower to warm up, and wiping with a cloth can cause smudges on the window. Not nice either. With a bit of bad luck, the moisture also freezes up in the winter, so you have to ice your windows on the inside as well….

The bathroom mirror that doesn’t fog up

You may have seen it in a hotel, or even have it in your own bathroom: even after extensive showering, the mirror is not fogged up. How is that possible? And could you apply the same thing in the car?

There are roughly two ways to ensure that the bathroom mirror does not fog up. For example, some bathroom mirrors are locally heated, which prevents moisture from adhering to the glass in that area and keeps the mirror usable. A cheaper solution is to treat the mirror surface with a moisture repellent. Car wax, for example, but shaving cream also works for this.

Bathroom trick in the car?

The great thing is: this bathroom trick can also be used in your car. Okay, the local heating may not. Some cars do have windshield heaters. It does not prevent the window from fogging up (if it did, the heater would have to be on continuously), but it does ensure that the moisture (or ice) disappears quickly from the window.

However, applicable in the car is the trick with the moisture repellent. We haven’t tried it ourselves, but the shaving cream is supposed to work best, according to the Internet. Coat the windshield (and possibly the other windows as well) well with shaving cream. Then, using a (clean!) cloth, wipe the windshield thoroughly again. You now see a nice clean window, even though a layer of moisture repellent has been left on it. In all the places you smeared, the window will now no longer fog up. Over time, the residual shaving cream does get used up and you have to re-lubricate the window again.

Here’s how to prevent moisture in the car

We can imagine you don’t like the idea of messing around with shaving cream in your car. Anyway, it is better to make sure there is no or as little moisture in your car at all. Even then the windows do not fog up easily inside.

You can easily prevent moisture in the car by not putting wet or damp items in the car. Sometimes, however, you can’t escape it, such as because of wet shoe soles, or an umbrella you need to carry. If so, a moisture trap can help. It can be purchased ready-made at auto specialty stores.

Warm up and vent well

Another simple trick is to thoroughly air your car. The next time you take a somewhat longer drive (at least half an hour) heat the interior of the car well. Preferably with the heater on the highest setting. This is because warm air attracts moisture. If all goes well, at some point all the interior moisture is in the interior air. The last part of the route you will drive with all the windows open, so that that hot humid air is blown well out of the car. If the car has been properly aired, the interior is now full of cold but dry air. If all goes well, you will now have a lot less, if any, fogged up windows. We did try this trick ourselves and it works quite well.