Keeping lights and mirrors clean on long journeys

Associate
Joined
19 May 2009
Posts
1,508
Location
Nottingham
ETA: If your doors are filthy, how do you imagine your lights magically stay clean?

I honestly have no idea, but they are. In all honesty I don't really have any visible dirt above the kind of mid way door line. It must be something about the shape of my car.

I certainly agree with others and have had the backs of hatchbacks I've had muck up relatively quickly, just never come across it to this extent on lights / mirrors.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
21 Feb 2006
Posts
29,300
I always carry a bottle of Autoglym glass cleaner and some kitchen roll in my car, though this is more use to me in the summer to remove squashed fly mess off the windscreen. I tend to use water and a sponge to clean off plates and lights at a service station when on a journey as most tend to have them by the pumps.
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Sep 2003
Posts
15,875
Location
Norwich
I have a cheap pack of window wipes in the car. Quick wipe with those then a rinse with water and all is well. I often have to do the side windows, headlights and mirrors when I'm out on a work tour for a few days.
 
Caporegime
Joined
22 Oct 2002
Posts
26,811
Location
Boston, Lincolnshire
I don't have this problem because my car was specced with xenons so has headlight washers. ;)

On a more serious matter our commuter car is on the road 364 days a year so never gets a wash. There was a road closure a couple of weeks back so took a B road route back home. Had to stop and clean my headlights as I could barely see anything.

Car at the moment is basically a panda. Clean headlights and number plates but the rest is pure filth. Opening the rear tailgate is a dangerous task for the cleanliness of your hand!
 
Permabanned
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
12,336
My car has headlight washer, all they serve to do is drain the washer fluid quicker!

I also have an electric boot, but since the car has keyless entry ive gotten in the habit of never taking my keys out, so i end reaching for the boot release on the boot.....1st world problems :(

I did end up washing my car in the rain as i just got fed up getting my clothes dirty everytime i went near the car:p
 
Associate
OP
Joined
15 Jan 2011
Posts
819
Drove up and down to London from Manchester this weekend.

Conditions weren't as bad as the last couple of weeks, but still needed a bit of a clean before returning. Spray bottle of autoglym and paper towel took slightly longer than the wet wipes but worked better and lasted longer.

Cheers!
 
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