Windshield oil film remover tested: AutoGrooming Clean View 120g

AutoGrooming Clean View, an easy way to remove windshield oil film.

On rainy days, sometimes the windshield just looks hazy no matter how much the wipers move, and it never quite feels clean. My windshield hadn't been feeling great lately either, so this time I decided to do more than just wash the car — I tried removing the oil film myself. I used AutoGrooming Clean View, a 120g windshield oil film remover. I thought it might be tricky at first, but once I actually tried it, the process turned out to be simpler than I expected.

What comes with AutoGrooming Clean View 120g, and what the label says

Inside the mint-colored AutoGrooming Clean View package were the main oil film remover and a microfiber towel.

The volume is 120g. Checking the back of the product, it's labeled as an exterior windshield oil film remover, with aluminum oxide and purified water listed as the main ingredients, and the pH marked as neutral at 6.69 undiluted.

Buying an oil film remover and then separately getting a towel to wipe it off can be kind of a hassle, but since everything you need comes together, it seemed like a good starting point even for people trying windshield oil film removal for the first time.

The mint-colored package looked so pretty, kind of like Tiffany blue :)

Why remove oil film from a car windshield?

The windshield usually looks fine at a glance, but spraying water on it shows the real condition much better.

My car wasn't super dirty like an unwashed car, but when I sprayed water on it, instead of spreading evenly, the water pooled and streaked unevenly in spots. Especially on rainy days, a hazy feeling lingers even after the wipers pass, or lights blur at night, which bothers me — so I try to take care of the windshield glass every once in a while! Washing the car isn't the end of it; the oil film left on the windshield needs separate attention.

How to use Clean View on a windshield, step by step

• First, clean the glass surface you'll be working on
• Apply the remover and rub up, down, left, and right
• Once done, rinse thoroughly with clean water
• Repeat 1–3 times if oil film remains

The instructions on the label follow this same order, so I just went with it. First I wiped off any dust or debris left on the glass before starting.

Since the windshield is a large area, instead of trying to do it all at once, I worked in sections, which made it easier to track what I'd already covered.

I applied a small amount of Clean View onto the glass and rubbed it thoroughly, moving up, down, left, and right across the windshield.

As shown in the photo, I dabbed small amounts across the glass and worked section by section, which turned out to be a comfortable method. For spots where the film didn't clear right away, I checked the condition and reworked it rather than pushing too hard.

Before and after: how water flows off the treated windshield

Trying it myself, I could actually see a difference.

For me, the easiest way to check the results of the oil film removal was at the moment I rinsed with water, more than during the actual scrubbing. Before treatment, spraying water left droplets scattered all over the glass, but after removing the oil film, the surface I'd worked on felt much more even. The stuffy, film-like feeling that lingered even after wiping the windshield was gone, and it felt so much cleaner once treated. Since I'm particularly sensitive to windshield condition when driving in the rain, I figured it's worth doing this kind of oil film removal once before the rainy season or periods with frequent rain.

Before removal — droplets forming and staying on the glass.

After removal — no droplets form on the surface; the water just streams straight down. At a glance, there wasn't a single drop of water left sitting on the glass!

What AutoGrooming Clean View is like to use, and its drawbacks

What I liked most about using AutoGrooming Clean View was that the method wasn't complicated at all.

Since it's just apply, rub, then rinse with clean water, even I — someone who doesn't wash my own car often — didn't find it particularly difficult.

At 120g, it wasn't a hassle to store for windshield upkeep, and the narrow opening made it easy to dispense small amounts as needed. That said, depending on how much oil film has built up, one round isn't always enough to finish the job.

The instructions also note that you should repeat 1–3 times if film remains, so for long-built-up film, it's probably better to set aside a bit more time for the process.

Who AutoGrooming Clean View suits

• Anyone whose windshield looks hazy on rainy days
• Anyone whose glass never feels clean even after using the wipers
• Anyone who wants to try oil film removal along with self-carwashing
• Anyone who takes care of their own windshield
• Anyone looking for an oil film remover that isn't complicated to use

On the other hand, if your glass is usually clean and you barely notice any oil film, it's probably better to check the glass condition first rather than treating it constantly out of habit.

Precautions when using a car oil film remover

A few things worth knowing when doing this. The product label says not to use it inside the car. Use it only on the exterior glass, and it's best to clean off any debris on the glass surface before starting.

And after the oil film removal work, I made sure not to skip rinsing thoroughly with clean water so no product residue was left behind. If it's your first time using it, I'd recommend reading the usage instructions and precautions on the product before starting.

Final thoughts after removing the oil film myself

Every rainy day, I just kept running the wipers because the windshield looked hazy, but after actually trying windshield oil film removal this time, I get why separate glass care matters. AutoGrooming Clean View comes in 120g, so it's not a hassle to keep in the car and pull out when needed, and the process was easier than I expected — I plan to keep using it whenever the windshield starts looking stuffy again :) That said, the number of repetitions can vary depending on how much film has built up, so rather than trying to force it done in one go, it's better to check the condition as you work.