‘Lmfao Y’all Sanding Your Windshield:’ Man Shares Windshield Cleaning Hack. But Does It Work?

A clean windshield is one of those small, behind-the-wheel pleasures. That is until lovebug season hits in the South, fire season scorches the Southwest, and winter grime coats everything up North. Then you notice how quickly your windshield can take a beating. Plus, it just looks messy.

These days life is messy enough. Your view of the road shouldn’t have to be.

Or at least that’s the promise made by one Kentucky car enthusiast who swears by a good DIY. By day Ceith Griffith works at Smithfield Foods, off the clock, he works on keeping his ride nice and clean. His Facebook is full of affordable cleaning tricks using everyday items like Vaseline, Coca-Cola, and the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

Glass is Made With Sand So It Kind of Makes Sense…

"Use a Magic Eraser on the inside and outside of your windshield to get rid of all the dirt, grime, and oils and to keep your window from fogging up," instructs Griffith. 

But that’s not all, he says that to keep funky smells under control inside your vehicle, leave an open bottle of apple cider vinegar in the cupholder for about two hours. "I guarantee you this will get rid of every smell in your vehicle," he says. 

These seem like simple, innocuous hacks, and though Griffith has captioned the Reel "DIY tips for your vehicle," the internet is not having it.

Dish Soap > Magic Eraser?

One user said she’s tried using the Magic Eraser both wet and dry and it just doesn’t seem to work. Then Staci Jones hopped in, saying, "It’s cuz he’s full of it. If you want your windshield to get really clean use warm soapy water preferably Dawn with some rubbing alcohol and a scrubby pad. Put a towel down on your dash [and] scrub your windshield. Wipe it, do it again and then wash it down with window cleaner and it’ll be like brand new. Been detailing cars for 20 years."

Others just make jokes. "I use 120 grit sandpaper on a belt sander. Worked amazing," snarked Brian Hovet. 

But failure wasn't the only outcome for filthy windshields across the internet. Cyndie Turner said she used it, dry and, "it really works on the inside especially."

Another user asked about getting sap and smear marks off the window and hood of the car. Hint: not a Magic Eraser. Think of soft cloth and turpentine, said Barry Ennis.

Will Magic Erasers Mess Up My Windshield?

In a Facebook direct message, Mr. Clean, the maker of Magic Eraser, told Motor1, "Magic Erasers can be used on car windows effectively; however I always recommend testing a small area first." 

And what about the vinegar trick? Well, science agrees: vinegar is an acetic acid. Because it easily bonds with volatile molecules (often sources of bad odours) a light mist of it will banish smells. And the vinegar smell will dissipate, because it wants to bind with something too.

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So grab a bottle of vinegar and a Magic Eraser from the pantry, get your windshield clean, and banish the lingering scent of dogs after the beach…for this week anyway.

Motor1 reached out to Griffith via Facebook messenger. We will update this he responds.

 

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