How to defog your windshield: Toyota of Orlando tips

 The weather in Central Florida this time of year is absolutely bananas. One day it's hot, one day it's cold, it's humid, it's dry, it's raining... all of it can wreak havoc on visibility during your drive time. However, one of the most annoying issues to deal with when behind the wheel is a foggy windshield - and we're here to help. Check out these tips from our Orlando Toyota auto service specialists on how to quickly and efficiently defog your windshield. 

Let's talk about why your windshield fogs up in the first place. Basically, your car usually has some sort of moisture inside of it, even if it's just from you and your passengers exhaling. And when it's cold outside, that moisture hits the cool air next to the windows and turns to condensation on the glass. Conversely, this can also happen when the humid summer air outside of the car turns to condensation on the glass as you turn your A/C on to cool the inside of the car. 

So how can you defog your windshield? We're breaking it down by outside temperature. 

If it's cold outside... 

Remember that in this scenario, the condensation or fog is on the inside of the glass. 

• First, turn on your heat - this will work the fastest if you use the defrost option to get your windshield clear, but running the heat will help clear the rest of your windows. Make sure your recirculation feature is OFF so you're not constantly recirculating the moist air. 

• Next, turn on your A/C for a minute to help pull moisture from the air as the air passes over the cooling coils. This in combination with the recirculation feature being turned off should help pump cool, dry air into your car to get rid of foggy glass. 

• You can also crack your windows to expedite the process and let cool, dry air into your car. 

If it's warm outside...

In this scenario, the condensation is on the outside of the glass. 

• First, turn on your windshield wipers to defog the exterior of the glass until you can balance the temperature to prevent fog from forming again. 

• Next, turn your A/C to the warmest  - yup, you heard us, warmest - setting without turning the heat on. You can also turn the A/C off for a few minutes. This will help to regulate the temperature inside of the car so the hot air outside isn't interacting with the cold air inside. Also, make sure that your recirculation feature is off. 

• Finally, in this scenario, you can use your rear windshield wiper as well as roll the windows down and up to try and get rid of condensation until things stabilize. 

There are also steps you can take to help prevent a fogged windshield; here are some more expert tips from Toyota of Orlando. 

• Use an ammonia-based glass cleaner. This will help prevent buildup and grime on the interior of your car's glass, both of which can lead to more condensation and fog. 
• Put a layer of shaving cream on the inside of your windshield. Sounds weird, but it works - when you wipe it off, it leaves a protective film to help prevent fogging. 
• Wipe your shoes before you get in to remove dew, snow, ice, or rainwater. The more moisture inside the car, the harder you're going to have to work to defog the windshield. 

And if you seem to have a severe issue, why not have Toyota of Orlando's experts inspect your A/C and heating system? There may be an issue with it that's making it harder than it should be to defog your windshield. 

Want more tips to defog your windshield or need an inspection? Call Toyota of Orlando today. We're open seven days a week at (407) 298-0001!