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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Lifestyle
Michelle Cullen

Experts top tips to clear and prevent car condensation over the winter months

As the winter months settle in and temperatures continue to drop, many motorists will be facing the same struggle of waiting for condensation to clear on their car windows.

However, there may be an easy solution that could save you time and arm work.

Car experts Leasing Options consulted cleaning professionals on a Mrs Hinch Cleaning Facebook group to discover what their suggestions would be for preventing condensation altogether.

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The experienced cleaning fanatics recommend some usual options, which ranged from cat litter, shaving foam and silica sachets to prevent condensation in the car.

Here’s how it works.

Cat litter in a pair of tights

Cat litter pellets are designed to absorb pet excretions, but many cleaning experts in the group swore by using this to absorb moisture in the air, too.

One group member said: “Put fresh cat litter in a pair of tights, tie them off at the top and place them on the dashboard close to the windscreen. It works a treat.”

“I have them under my front seats - works great!” another replied.

Smear washing up liquid on your windows and leave to dry

One comment suggested a classic tip of rubbing neat washing-up liquid with a dry cloth onto windows and buff until dry.

This stops condensation from forming when warm air settles on the cool surface of the window.

While the science behind this nifty trick could be simply getting rid of dirt on windows that moisture clings to, it’s a classic trick that’s been used by motorists for years.

Silica sachets

Ever found silica sachets in boxes of new shoes? One member suggested dropping a few silica gel packets into a box and keeping them in your car to prevent moisture buildup.

When researching further, Leasing Options found the handy sachets often found in boxes of new shoes can reduce humidity in a closed area by up to 40%.

Even better, once the sachets are heavy with moisture, they can be warmed to dry out and reused in the car again.

Clean windows with shaving foam

It may seem counterintuitive, but one cleaning fan even suggested slathering shaving foam across your windows, rubbing it with your fingers, and then wiping it off.

The film shaving foam leaves behind prevents moisture from adhering, because shaving foam is so highly aerated, it keeps the film layer thin enough that it wouldn’t leave any streaks or marks that might obstruct your view of the road.

Tupperware of coarse salt

Salt has a high capacity to absorb water from the environment - so why shouldn’t this work in a humid car, too?

A tupperware box of coarse rock salt is a popular dehumidifying option in homes, but it can also be used in a car.

To prevent the salt from spilling over, put a lid on the box and pierce holes in it to allow it to still work it’s magic.

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