How to Stop Car Windows from Fogging Up in Winter (11 Ways)

Foggy car windows can make anyone feel anxious and nervous while driving, and that’s why everyone should learn how to stop car windows from fogging up in winter season. It doesn’t matter whether you are a new or an experienced driver; you should know; what causes car windows to fog and how to keep car windows from fogging up while driving.

If you notice car windows fogging up inside and outside during the winter season, do not panic as it is a common phenomenon amongst car owners due to humidity and other related reasons. But even though it is an ordinary occurrence, it is equally dangerous too!

When the car windows or the front glass becomes foggy during driving, it can lead to several mishaps, including fatal accidents as well.

Moreover, if you are out for a long trip along the countryside and your car windows keep fogging up while driving, then it can clearly ruin your viewing experience from inside the car. Thus, foggy car windows must be prevented at any cost to experience safe travel and enjoy the outside views as well.

how to stop car windows from fogging up in winter
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Most of the time, the car window glasses start to fog up because of the humidity inside and outside the vehicle, but some other reasons also cause such windshield fogging that we will discuss later in this article. Besides that, we are precisely going to discuss how to stop car windows from fogging up in winter season (cold weather) and what are the best techniques to prevent the same.

So, have a good read and find the solution to your foggy car windows instantly. Read on …

What Causes Car Windows to Fog?

In general, car owners primarily focus on preventing car windows from fogging up on the outside and inside without caring about what causes car windows to fog in the first place. Most of the time, when you know the reason behind any problem, searching for the solution becomes easier.

That’s why, in this section, we will discuss the reasons behind car windows fogging up in winter season (or in the summer season) so that you know how to deal with it easily.

There are certain elements present in the air that, when mixed with moisture or falling/rising temperature, get condensed, which creates fog inside and outside of the car windows.

If you notice that your car windows keep fogging up frequently, you have to understand that the temperature balance inside and outside of the car is not being set correctly.

Most of the time, if it’s colder outside and you turn on the heater inside the car, it can cause foggy windows, and if it’s hotter outside and you turn the AC inside, then it can also make the car windows fog up. Basically, the moisture content in the air and the humidity are what you can blame for creating the fog.

foggy car windows

Not only that, when you keep driving in an area where the temperature remains unbalanced, which means sometimes it is cold and sometimes it is hot, the car glass is most likely to get fogged due to this.

A certain rise or fall in the temperature outside can increase the moisture and humidity of the air inside, thus leading to the formation of fog. Thus, it is necessary to balance the inside and outside temperature in a way that can prevent the car windows from fogging up during the trip.

If still, the car windows fogging up outside and inside, the effective solutions listed in the next section will help you understand how to prevent car windows from fogging up in winter driving through some easy processes. Keep reading!

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How to Stop Car Windows from Fogging Up in Winter

As you are reading this article, then it is evident that you might be searching for the most effective methods to deal with your foggy car windows! Right? And to help you with that, we have constructed this comprehensive list of the 11 best ways on how to keep car windows from fogging up in winter season.

So, please go through all these solutions one by one and find out how to stop car windows from fogging up inside or outside in both the winter and summer seasons. Here we go:

Keep Your Car Windows Clean

One of the significant reasons behind car windows fogging up inside can be unclean or dirty windows and windshields. Yes, you read that right!

Dirty windshields and windows are the primary reason why the car windshield and window becomes foggy. While most car owners neglect this, they do not understand the importance of keeping their car windshields and glasses clean to avoid fogging up inside.

When the car windows and windshields are not cleaned for days, it attracts dirt and other dust particles, which in turn attracts the moisture present in the air inside. And when the moisture gets attached to the car window glass, it becomes foggy evidently. Thus, it is advised that you keep your car windows clean to avoid attracting moisture and thereby paving the way to fogging up.

stop car windows from fogging up

And if you are confused as to how to keep your car windows clean (inside and outside) regularly, then you must know that it is a straightforward process in these advanced times. You have the option to buy auto glass cleaners at cheaper prices and use them frequently to clean your window glasses.

And if you are wondering, what’s the best window cleaner for cars and trucks on the market right now then I recommend you to go for the Stoner Invisible Glass Cleaner and window spray or Meguiar’s Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner for a streak-free shine on car windows, windshields, and mirrors.

It can be understood that keeping up with the cleaning process is not always possible if you take out your car often, but when you use these car window glass cleaners, it would be effective for a more extended period.

Warm up the Engine Before Driving

Dealing with foggy car windows can be a real task for car owners, especially during winters. But if you take care of a few essential steps, you can deal with them efficiently.

The car’s engine plays a significant role in removing lots of moisture from the inside of the car. While most people turn on the engine and warm it up for a few minutes before moving the vehicle, some of them don’t perform this necessary step. And the moisture that is already present inside the vehicles gets better in fogging up.

how to stop car windows from fogging up

It is highly advised that you run the car engine for a straight few minutes so that it can quickly dissipate the moisture inside your car cabin and allow the window glass to remain fog-free throughout the drive. You should also do this before turning on the defroster button, as it won’t even work properly if the car is not already at 130 degrees.

If you have started the vehicle engine for quite a few minutes, switch on the AC so that it can absorb the remaining moisture easily. This process shall help you get rid of the usual foggy condition inside the car, and you will be able to drive safely and comfortably during winters.

Crank Up the Heat

There are several ways to deal with car windows fogging inside during the winter season. One of these ways is to crank up the heat present inside the vehicle to let the fog subside for a while.

In most cases, the condensation of the moisture in the air causes the car window glass to fog up. And this happens more frequently during the winter or rainy season when there is more moisture in the air.

To balance this, turning on the heater inside the car and facing the vents towards the side window glasses can turn out to be an effective solution to prevent them from fogging up. When the temperature inside rises a little, it prevents condensation from forming, which in turn prevents the fog from occurring frequently.

car windows fogging up

Turning up the car heater is also one of the easiest and quickest ways to get rid of the foggy windows both on the passenger’s side and on the driver’s side. But when the inside temperature is raised too much, it can cause fog on the outside so raise the temperature in a balanced manner.

Turn Up the AC

If you still find out that the car windows fogging up frequently after having experienced all the methods mentioned above, do not panic! There are still many ways to deal with foggy car windows, and one such way is turning up the AC when you drive.

Are you wondering whether it is an effective solution or not? Well, it definitely is an effective solution to control the rising foggy windows condition inside your car.

It might feel like an insane and crazy idea to turn on the AC during the cold and breezy winter season, but if you want to get rid of the fog instantly, turning on the AC would definitely be an effective option.

car windows fogging up inside

In general, the work of an AC is to control the moisture present in the air and remove it entirely. So, when you turn on the car AC, it will eventually remove the moisture content inside your car and help in preventing fogging up of the car window glass pane.

But if you do not want to be frozen inside the car due to turning on the AC when it is already very cold outside, try switching the vents away from you towards the window panes and turning on the heater at a minimal speed to balance the coolness. You won’t feel too cold in this way, and the window glass will get de-fogged too!

Open Your Car Windows Slightly for the Fresh Air

Most of us have experienced that mirrors inside our washrooms get foggy when we use warm water for bathing if there is no exhaust or open window in the bathroom. It is so because humidity and moisture content often present inside the washroom cannot pass out due to no open ends inside the bathroom.

Likewise, the car window glass also gets foggy if there is no way the moisture or the humid air can pass out. And most of the time, this is the cause why the window glasses get foggy during winter.

how to keep car windows from fogging up

Though it can be understood that rolling down the car windows during drives in the winter days can be a bit uncomfortable for the passengers due to the cold air coming in.

But if you want to prevent car windows from fogging up, it is advised that you roll down the windshield a bit so that fresh air from outside can get in and the moisture and humid air from inside of the car also get out through it.

When this happens, it is evident that you will have clear car windshields or window glass panes, and the foggy patch won’t distract you from driving safely!

Use Anti Fog Spray for Car Windows

You might read many suggestions as to how to stop car windows from fogging up in winter driving, but there are some that work most effectively to keep the fog at bay. And one such method is using the anti-fog spray for car windows.

Overall, we know that the fog inside the car window is formed due to the excessive moisture content inside the car and the humidity. So, the most prominent way to prevent fog is to control the moisture and the humidity inside the vehicle.

car defogger spray

And what better way to do that than using an anti-fog spray, right? The anti-fog sprays have the formula of controlling the fog inside your car by absorbing the excessive moisture and humidity present in the car cabin. These are easy to use and apply and also bring out effective results.

Some of the best anti-fog sprays for car windows and windshields available in the market include the Rain-X Glass Treatment and Anti-Fog Combo and Invisible Glass Anti-Fog Spray to improve all-weather visibility, safety and driving comfort for interior and exterior windows. These two anti-fogging sprays have an affordable price range and have high-quality standards as well.

You just need to apply the spray on the interior and exterior side of the car window glass panel and let it dry out the fog instantly! Overall, it’s an effective, cheap, and sustainable way to prevent car window glass from getting foggy in cold weather.

Don’t Bring Any Wet Items into Your Car

Are you constantly tired of having clear visibility because your car windows keep fogging up every time you take it out? And is it so that you are still unaware of what exactly is causing the car window glass to fog up?

Well, you might not have noticed, but the wet and damp cloth or other wet materials that you carry along with you while driving is the cause behind your car window glasses being foggy so frequently.

When you carry a wet umbrella, moist towels, wet boots, and other such items that have too much moisture content in them, you are more likely to experience foggy window glasses than when you do not have any wet materials inside the car cabin.

car windows fogging on inside

This can frequently happen at places where snowfall and rain are very common. So, most of the time, your clothes or shoes or socks remain wet, which you carry along with you while driving in a car. And when there is any damp material inside the vehicle, it will attract more moisture inside the cabin, which will eventually lead to fogging up of the window glass panes.

So, it is advised, even if you have wet or damp materials along with you, do not get inside with them, instead try to keep them in the car trunk so that the moisture content inside the cabin does not increase.

Use Car Dehumidifier to Absorb Moisture

If you are looking for the quick and best way to stop car windows fogging up frequently in winter, using a dehumidifier or moisture absorber for cars is a quite genuine option to rely on.

Most of the time, the car interior windows get foggy due to the vehicle’s excessive humidity and moisture content. So, when you use a car dehumidifier, the excessive moisture gets absorbed in it, which in turn decreases the foggy glass condition inside your car.

There are ample car dehumidifiers available in the market that you can choose from! But suppose you are looking for some excellent suggestions. In that case, you can go for the Zarpax Reusable Auto Dehumidifier and Pro Breeze Wireless Mini Dehumidifier for Car, as these are some of the best car dehumidifiers to absorb moisture available in the market right now!

car dehumidifier

These moisture absorbers for cars and trucks are cheap products that normally come within a price range of $15 to $20, and they work efficiently in keeping away the excessive moisture content inside your car, which in turn prevents the foggy glass condition for you to drive safely.

These are portable and good-looking dehumidifiers, so you do not have to worry about your car’s look due to placing them inside. Apart from dehumidifying, they also fight bad odor and ensure your journey experience is fresh and healthy!

Use Shaving Cream to Reduce Condensation

Out of these 11 best ways to stop car windows from fogging up in winter mentioned in this guide, you might find this solution a little bizarre or weird, to be precise!

Using shaving cream to reduce condensation might not be a regular thing that you have tried to control the foggy windows and windshields inside your car. But it is a thing that you can trust if you want to keep your car window glass pane free of fog.

The components present on the shaving creams work as a regular dehumidifying agent, which, when applied to the glass windowpane of the car, absorbs the moisture content in it and allows it to defog instantly.

how to prevent car windows from fogging up

But then, you certainly do not put a lot of shaving cream on your car windshield and windows because, if not the fog, the shaving cream will eventually block the view outside. You just need to spread a little bit of shaving cream in the car window glass pane so that it absorbs moisture while you drive safely.

So, what are you waiting for? Use the extra shaving cream pack that lays unused during the winter season to clear off the fog from your car window and increase the chances of safe driving now!

Park Your Car in the Garage (If Possible)

Are you still finding ways of how to keep car windows from fogging up in the morning, especially during winters? Well, here is the dope!

Make sure you park your car inside your garage the night before so as to prevent it from getting fogged up in the morning. Sometimes it is not possible for car owners to park their cars inside the garage for various reasons, but if possible, park your vehicle inside the garage as there is less moisture than the outer opening area.

When you keep your car parked in the open the entire night, or for an even more extended time, the moisture content in the air starts to get attached to the car interior, and the inside becomes moist and humid at the same time.

car windows fogging up outside

But when the car is parked inside a garage, it is generally kept away from excessive moisture content, and thus, the inside is dry, which eventually doesn’t make the glass screen foggy when you take out the car the next day.

If, anyhow, it is not possible to park the car inside a garage, at least try to park it in a closed area or in a shaded area that doesn’t have much scope to circulate moisture air so that your car window glass pane does not become foggy while driving.

Use Cat Litter to Absorb Moisture from the Air

You might still be thinking about what to put on car windows to stop fogging up, even though so many ways have been mentioned above! Well, if you are actually thinking the same, then take note of this last method which is not only helpful in keeping away the fog but also keeps moisture at bay!

You can usually think that cat litter might be dirty or how you can put it up inside the car to make it work effectively. Well, worry not!

For those who don’t know, cat litter is an excellent moisture absorber, and when you place it inside your car, it will eventually absorb the moisture content inside the car and allow it to be defogged for a more extended period.

car windows keep fogging up

If you can do it manually by using natural cat litter from your kitten, you can use socks-type clothing and place it inside the car. This DIY moisture absorber for cars can be a bit smelly but works really great.

But if you don’t have a kitten at home and want to buy the cat litter from outside, you can go for Dr. Elsey’s Ultra-Premium Clumping Cat Litter or Fresh Step Advanced Clumping Cat Litter as these are the best moisture absorber products available in the market for serving the purpose.

These cat litters for absorbing moisture are affordable, effective, and your go-to cat litter products for fighting the foggy car windows in winter.

You might also like: 13 Best Car Window Tint for Heat Reduction and My #1 Pick is…

How to Prevent Car Windows from Fogging Up [FAQs]:

Even though you have come across almost the entire article, and now you are at the last portion, there would still be some questions popping up in your mind regarding the car windows getting fogged up while driving.

Like you might be thinking whether there is any DIY moisture absorber for car or is a dehumidifier rightly placed, etc. So, to answer such queries, the following frequently asked questions and answers section is formed.

So, just go through it one after the other and find the answers to your questions right away!

What Causes Car Windows to Fog Up on the Inside?


The car windows fogging on inside have become a common phenomenon during winters or sometimes in summers. Basically, the moisture content in the air becomes condensed and gets down on dewpoint, which causes it to be foggy.

The dewpoint is the air temperature in which the moisture content gets turned into tiny water droplets, which gets foggy when vaporized due to a rise in temperature.

So, if the temperature outside is too cold and you have turned a heater inside your car, it is more likely to make your car inside foggy, leading to the windows becoming foggy as well.

Does Cat Litter Absorb Moisture from the Air?


You might have noticed some car owners using cat litter to dry out cars during winter or during very humid weather. You might be wondering how cat litter helps in dealing with the foggy weather.

For those who don’t know, cat litter actually works as a super absorbent of moisture from the air. You can use silica cat litter and tuck it inside a piece of clothing and put it inside the car dashboard (preferably) overnight so that it can absorb moisture inside the car quickly.

And when you go out, your car inside would be free from excessive moisture content that will eventually lower the chances of car windows getting foggy.

Where Should You Put a Car Dehumidifier?


One of the most coveted ways to deal with foggy car windows is undoubtedly using car dehumidifiers.

But sometimes, the car owners become confused as to where to put the dehumidifiers so that they work more efficiently in controlling the humidity and moisture content of the vehicle.

As per automobile experts, placing the dehumidifier in the car dashboard can be an excellent option to let it work efficiently.

You can also buy dehumidifier bags for cars that are available across various online and offline stores, which you can use to place the dehumidifier right inside the vehicle. This way, you can make it work effectively!

How to Stop Car Windows from Fogging Up in Winter – Author’s View

If you are out for a long road trip in your car or have to travel through a jerky road, having maximum visibility and convenience of driving is a mandatory requirement. And if you are interrupted by foggy car windows, that would not only disrupt your driving but also block your outside viewing during your trip.

But then, there’s a solution to every problem, right?

And that is why we have presented the 11 best ways on how to stop car windows from fogging up in winter so that you can enjoy your trip without any disruption. Even though the best methods have been mentioned in the article above, there will always be some favorites that you will frequently use to defog your car windows and windshield.

And just like that, I have mine too! And some of my favorite and most effective ways to stop car windows from fogging up in winter driving are:

  • Turn Up the AC (for inside fogging up)
  • Use Anti Fog Spray for Car Windows (very significant role)
  • Use Car Dehumidifier to Absorb Moisture (most prominent method of de-fogging)

Nonetheless, all the above-mentioned solutions can be considered as the best ways to keep car windows from fogging up on the outside and inside no matter how far or how near you travel. Although these are my personal recommendations, you must choose the ones that best fulfill your needs and requirements.

I hope this article has helped you understand how to prevent car windows from fogging up in winter season and take the necessary measures when you face it!

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About Amy Cuban

I am an automotive enthusiast who loves to be around cars. I enjoy working on cars in my spare time and love anything related to automobiles. I like using different types of car accessories, car gadgets, and innovative car care products.

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