Windshield Cleaning On the Go

[Whoster69]

I just got my model 3 and my wife and I are on a road trip. Almost immediately, we had a lot of insects covering our windshield (spring in central California). This got me thinking. What do other Tesla owners do when they are on a road trip? Do you carry some sort of windshield cleaning kit and if so, what is it? I think I'd like to get something that I could carry easily, but I'm not sure of a way to do this easily.

I might also look into some sort of car touch-up kit too to get the bugs off the front of the car while on a trip.

 

[PDACPA]

Not a Tesla owner yet, but RainX helps to clean it easier.

 

[Cirrus MS100D]

Stop at an old fashioned "Gasoline Station" and block a pump to return the favor of Superchargers getting ICEd over the years ;-p

But seriously, I just keep a clean microfiber towel and a small bottle of glass cleaner in the frunk.

I've heard there are Superchargers that are stocked with squeegees, but I've never seen one.

 

[ATLCLS]

Invisible glass !! Buy a can and have some micro fiber towels in the trunk/frunk? Works great and no gas station.

Invisible Glass 91164-2PK Premium Glass Cleaner 19-Ounce Can - Case of 2 38. Fluid Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B4QDZHQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_0dIUCbWT0CP9J

 

[follow.johnny]

As others already recommended to buy a glass cleaner and keep some microfiber towels in your car for quick detailing of windows.

I would highly recommend buying a waterless wash for quick detailing of your car during road trips. I currently use Elite Finish WashMist which works great for detailing your paint and works great on windows with no streaks!

WashMist - Waterless Wash | Elite Finish Detailing

 

[Whoster69]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I will check them out as soon as I get home.

 

[Whoster69]

I got a little time tonight so I started looking into this/thinking about it. Here are my thoughts on the microfiber towel idea. It is really easy to include in a bag you toss into your vehicle and it works well for normal cleaning. The problem is what happened to us on this trip. We would have had to go through 2 or 3 microfiber towels easily to clean all the bugs off and they would have been ruined afterward. There were that many bugs. I wish there was some way to easily carry a squeegee.

I've been using invisible glass but not the aerosol version. That would be easier to carry and less likely to drip. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've started using the Ammo NYC products and like them so far. I'll check out the elite finish waterless wash and compare it with Ammo's.

I heard somewhere that RainX wasn't recommended for the model 3. I can't remember where though.

 

[woodguyatl]

I just got my model 3 and my wife and I are on a road trip. Almost immediately, we had a lot of insects covering our windshield (spring in central California). This got me thinking. What do other Tesla owners do when they are on a road trip? Do you carry some sort of windshield cleaning kit and if so, what is it? I think I'd like to get something that I could carry easily, but I'm not sure of a way to do this easily.

I might also look into some sort of car touch-up kit too to get the bugs off the front of the car while on a trip.

I am a skeptical guy but I decided to go ahead and try this product from gtechniq and have been very pleased with it. In most cases rain or wipers are enough to wash bugs off.

G1 and G4 ClearVision Screen Kit Usa.gtechniq.com

 

[woodguyatl]

As others already recommended to buy a glass cleaner and keep some microfiber towels in your car for quick detailing of windows.

I would highly recommend buying a waterless wash for quick detailing of your car during road trips. I currently use Elite Finish WashMist which works great for detailing your paint and works great on windows with no streaks!

WashMist - Waterless Wash | Elite Finish Detailing

How does this not scratch a dirty car? Does it assume a fairly clean car to begin with?

 

[Az_Rael]

I got a little time tonight so I started looking into this/thinking about it. Here are my thoughts on the microfiber towel idea. It is really easy to include in a bag you toss into your vehicle and it works well for normal cleaning. The problem is what happened to us on this trip. We would have had to go through 2 or 3 microfiber towels easily to clean all the bugs off and they would have been ruined afterward. There were that many bugs. I wish there was some way to easily carry a squeegee.

I've been using invisible glass but not the aerosol version. That would be easier to carry and less likely to drip. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've started using the Ammo NYC products and like them so far. I'll check out the elite finish waterless wash and compare it with Ammo's.

I heard somewhere that RainX wasn't recommended for the model 3. I can't remember where though.

I bought a bug scraper/squeegee like they have at the gas station. Keep it and the windshield cleaner in my frunk. I also have some ONR in a spray bottle with microfiber towels to clean the cameras and ultrasonic sensors.

Here is what I have: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B009KBUR2Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Only problem with it is the handle likes to come unscrewed. I need to add a little glue to it and it will be perfect.

 

[Whoster69]

I bought a bug scraper/squeegee like they have at the gas station. Keep it and the windshield cleaner in my frunk. I also have some ONR in a spray bottle with microfiber towels to clean the cameras and ultrasonic sensors.

Here is what I have: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B009KBUR2Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Only problem with it is the handle likes to come unscrewed. I need to add a little glue to it and it will be perfect.

I was thinking about something like this, but was concerned that it would be a drippy mess. Have you had any problems like that? How do you deal with the sponge part not being a mess?

 

[follow.johnny]

How does this not scratch a dirty car? Does it assume a fairly clean car to begin with?

It's not intended to "wash" a dirty car. It's mostly for quick detailing and light dust/dirt that may build up on the paint. I would recommended the two-bucket wash for a dirty car as usually.

 

[Feathermerchan]

I carry a squeegee in my F150. It has a very large windshield so I bought a telescoping model. That and a bottle of glass cleaner for the windshield. I have many microfiber towels for washing detailing. You could put some in a plastic bag and have another for the dirtys. Then wash them once back home or even in a hotel room sink.

 

[Dre78]

Because we have a kid still in diapers, I use baby wipes to wipe all the bugs and gunk, then use water or glass cleaner with microfiber towel to remove steaks.

 

[felixculpas]

I've used Gtechniq on glass in the past with good results. Feynlab is coming out with a new product soon for glass I've heard.

But I thought the official word from Tesla was that they didn't want any additional products such as ceramic coatings on the windscreen?

There are also bug specific sprays out there that are enzyme based products which loosens up protein based stains.

 

[animorph]

I keep a spray bottle of water and a roll of paper towels in the car. Useful for lots of stuff. You can add a mild cleaner to the water if you want.

 

[Az_Rael]

I was thinking about something like this, but was concerned that it would be a drippy mess. Have you had any problems like that? How do you deal with the sponge part not being a mess?

It doesn’t seem to get too bad. It isn’t soaking in the fluid like the ones at a station. I have the all weather frunk mat, so I just throw it in and don’t really worry about it. You could keep a plastic bag in the car to put it in if it is really nasty.

 

[Drewbaloop]

Sorry, maybe I’m missing something.. what’s wrong with using the windshield washer sprayers built into the wipers themselves? Are they really that bad?

 

[Drewbaloop]

As for why Tesla does not want you to use windshield treatments, this is on page 135 of the manual:

Caution: Do not use windshield treatment fluids. Doing so can interfere with wiper friction and cause a chattering sound.

 

[Whoster69]

I wish someone sold a squeegee with a container.

Thanks for all the ideas everyone!