It’s good to see where you’re going when you drive

It’s good to see where you’re going when you drive – keep those windows clean

Good vision is a nice thing to have when you drive. It’s extremely helpful in avoiding accidents. With good vision, it’s easier to notice potential problems while you drive. With impaired vision, your awareness is diminished.

A child runs into the road after a ball. Do you see the child in time to stop or swerve away? A truck at an intersection runs a red light into your path. Will you recognize the danger in time? If you’re having trouble seeing the odds start to build against you.

Vision starts with a clean and clear windshield. Proper lighting and wiper blades are also imperative in dark and/or rainy conditions and at night. And this is not a 50/50 proposition. If your headlights work but your wipers only streak the window, your vision still suffers. And, if your wipers are great but you’re missing a headlight, you still have a problem.

Newer cars are sealed tighter than older cars. This may create a problem with moisture or frost building up on the inside of the windshield. To compensate, newer cars often use the air conditioning compressor to dry moisture from the windshield. You turn the defrosters on and, even if you’re blowing heat across the inside of the windshield, the AC is on and drying the air, too.

Once again, if the glass isn’t clean, what are you to do?

Properly cleaning the inside of a car’s windows is sufficiently difficult that there are videos on the internet showing you how. Some of these help tips work better than others.

Denny Norton, the owner of Ringwood based Performance Unlimited, recommends an expert window cleaner for some solid advice on the subject. Bill Thomas, of Northern Illinois Windows in McHenry, has been cleaning windows professionally since 1990. When he cleans a window, it’s clear and streak free.

“The real key is to make sure the windows are really, really clean,” said Thomas. “For that, you may need to apply a little elbow grease.”

He also recommended using a cloth that doesn’t streak the glass or leave any lint on the windows, such as a cotton rag. Thomas also recommended using a proper cleaning fluid that doesn’t leave chemical residue on the glass, such as deionized water. Deionized water is pure and is available at many box stores and water treatment companies.

You may have trouble getting the glass clean if you’ve used a vinyl cleaner on your car’s upholstery, which can get on the glass. If so, the solution is the same but with extra elbow grease and, possibly, by repeating the process once or twice.

In the daytime, a window can look sparkling clean. But, the next time you’re driving at night, when headlights are coming at you, you may discover the glass is not as clean and streak free as you thought. It’s an unpleasant surprise you can avoid by using the steps above.

For more information about Performance Unlimited, call 815-728-0343.

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