What is the best way to defog windows of your car?

Drivers need to know how to handle many situation before they lead to trouble – from driving on ice to handling their vehicle correctly during a slid. Even the most mundane issue can cause dangerous conditions. A car with foggy windows may not seem very serious, but it can easily cause a life threatening accident.

No matter what type of climate you live in, you will have to worry about foggy windows. In warm climates or cold climates, foggy windows can make it difficult to see and dangerous to drive. Learning how to deal with this problem will make you a safer driver.

What causes condensation on windows, and why do they become foggy?

Foggy windows are the result of two factors: temperature and the air’s moisture content. When it is cold outside and you turn on your heater, you are creating an environment encouraging foggy windows. Any warm moisture from inside the car which comes in contact with the cold glass, will cause condensation and fog your windows. If the outside air is hot, and you turn on the AC, you have the opposite situation. The hot outside air meets your cooler windows resulting in fog.

The causes are different, but the result is the same – blurry windows and hazardous driving. The next time you have foggy windows, try the following methods of clearing your windows.

How do I clear foggy windows when it’s cold outside?

The best way to prevent fog from forming on your windows is to use a product specially designed to help eliminate the problem Car dealerships and hardware stores often sell these defoggers and the staff can help you choose the right one for your car. Simply apply these solutions to your interior windows before there are any problems, and you won’t have to worry about blurry windows this winter.

If you did not plan ahead, there are some quick fixes to this problem.

• Turn off your heat. Since it is your heater which is causing the problem, simply turn it off. This will help to equalize the temperature inside and outside of your car. You may even want to roll down your window a few inches defog your windows quicker.
• Turn off your car’s recirculating air feature.Some cars’ ventilation systems have the ability to recirculate air from inside the car. This will make foggy windows worse. By turning off the recirculating feature, your car will pull in the drier outside air which helps to eliminate the moisture level inside your vehicle and reduces condensation.
• Turn on your front defrost vent and rear-window defroster. This can help, especially if you turn on the A/C to low. You may feel cold, but being cold is much better than not being able to see where you are going.

How do I clear foggy windows when it’s hot outside?

Unlike foggy windows caused by cold weather, hot weather fog forms on the outside of the car’s windows. There are some simple fixes to this problem.

• Turn on your windshield wipers. Simply by turning on your front a rear-window wipers, you can wipe away the condensation and see much clearer. While this tip helps you to see out the front and rear windows, it does not eliminate the problem from side windows.
• Lower your A/C, or turn it off completely. Increasing the temperature in your car balances the temperature difference between the inside of your car and the outside air temperature. This will stop condensation from forming. You are usually able to prevent condensation without turning off your A/C completely.
• Keep your recirculating air feature off. Again, turning off your air recirculation will help correct the problem.

Whether your foggy windows are due to hot or cold weather, fixing the problem will make you a safer driver. Being safe while being on the road is the responsibility of every driver.

Poor visibility from foggy windows is just one of the many weather-related issues drivers need to know how to handle. Becoming educated in safer all-weather driving can make you more confident when you are behind the wheel. It is a good idea for all drivers to learn how to be safer in bad weather. Taking a traffic school course focusing on driving in adverse conditions is a wonderful step in becoming a better driver.