Car windshield oil film remover tested solo: AutoGrooming Clean View

Why did I try a car windshield oil film remover for the first time?

I have driven my car for about 10 years, but I had never used an oil film remover before. Recently, while driving on a rainy day, water suddenly poured down and I could not see ahead for about two seconds. That scary memory made me want to take care of the glass before the rainy season, so I used AutoGrooming Clean View.

What was included, and why was it easy to store?

The delivery arrived securely packaged.

When I opened the package, the large towel and oil film remover were safely wrapped inside. I thought it would also be easy to put any leftover product back into the original packaging for storage.

The steps were to remove dirt from the glass, apply the product thinly, rub in a straight line 4–5 times, and rinse thoroughly with running water. I was worried that doing it alone might be difficult, but the method looked simpler than I expected.

It is compact enough that it seemed convenient to keep in the supplies box in my trunk. Its mint color also looked easy to spot among my other car-washing supplies.

The instructions were printed on the bottle as well. I planned to try it on my car first, then later use it on my father's car too, since he drives often for work.

The included towel had a rough side and a soft side. I used the rough side to apply the remover, then used the soft side later to wipe away moisture.

What order was easiest when applying it to the glass alone?

On rainy days, the side mirrors are hard to see through too, so I wanted to clean not only the windshield but also the side mirrors and windows. I started after a very rainy day had passed and all moisture on the car had completely dried.

I brought the product out on a sunny day. First, I wiped dust and debris from the car glass with a water-dampened tissue.

After the glass had dried, I put the product on the included towel and applied it starting from the middle of the glass. Since I am short, starting at the edges can get product on my clothes when I reach toward the center, so it was more comfortable for me to move outward from the middle. I also took care not to get product on the rubber molding.

How did it feel when I first started rubbing?

At first, the product seemed to sit on top of the glass and felt stiff to rub. After repeating the rubbing 4–5 times, it suddenly felt as though it had settled onto the glass.

Because it felt stiff, I accidentally rubbed in circles once or twice at first. Then I remembered that the instructions said to rub in a straight line, so I switched to rubbing in one direction.

How did I finish the job in a parking lot?

After rubbing, I wiped the glass with a part of the towel that did not have product on it. Since removing the residue with clean water at the end was said to be important, I wanted to thoroughly wipe away any product that might have remained on the glass and rubber molding.

The recommended method was to rinse thoroughly with running water, but I was working in a parking lot and worried that water might splash onto the car beside me. So I sprayed water with a spray bottle and wiped it several times.

At first, I was worried about whether I could do it alone and considered asking a family member for help. Once I actually tried it, I was surprised that it was easier than expected.

The finished glass looked clean to me. It is a car I have driven for a long time, and I had neglected glass care until then, so I felt proud that I had taken care of it myself before the rainy season.