Do window cleaning products attract more dirt than they remove?

I think you may have hit upon the answer.

With the weather turning cooler and with more frequent rain, I think the glass may actually just be not getting dirty as quickly because:

1) Rain cleanses the dust out of the air, so it doesn't settle upon the outside glass surfaces

2) The cooler temperatures mean the interior plastics are not outgassing as much plasticizer as when it's hot. It's the plasticizer which makes the oily film on the interior glass that's very difficult to remove.

With respect to window cleaning products, there's an auto detailer on YouTube named Scott who has been in the business many many years. In his video on how to clean glass, he says (near verbatim quote), "Take your favorite glass cleaner....It doesn't matter which one you use, they all suck!"

What he recommends is using a very powerful citrus-oil-based cleaner called Citrol, then going over the glass with a conventional window cleaner to remove any Citrol residue. To get exterior glass absolutely spotless, he uses an electric polishing tool and super-fine abrasive compound to literally polish away any contamination and surface irregularities.

There is nothing in the world, including my face, that would cause me to go through this for a clean face, much less a  window. But then, again, do I really have to convince you of that?  I am not into spotless.  I think it is a recipe for a nervous breakdown.  I have germaphobes at work that are always sick but they are always looking for germs.  This is the same thing.  The window is clean enough.  No one cares.   This post was edited by WM BARR . =ABSOLUTE TRASH at December 28, 2019 11:10 AM MST

Auto detailing is one of those disciplines where the level of obsession can rise very quickly. The temptation to add yet another product or tool to one's cleaning regimen can be quite strong.

And, of course, if you're a professional detailer and people are paying you many hundreds of dollars to make their vehicles pristine, you actually need to acquire a lot of the top-end tools and products.

That's one reason I'm fond of Scott on YouTube. He recognizes that the Average Joe or Jane just wants his or her car to look nice, and they're not looking for absolute perfection. So, he frequently recommends, "Hey, if the (cheap product or technique) satisfies you, don't bother spending your money or time trying to get from 90% perfect to 99.9% perfect)."

For your situation, I recommend alcohol-based glass cleaner and microfiber towels (both available at dollar stores). That will usually get you to 90% perfect. This post was edited by SaltyPebble at December 28, 2019 10:27 AM MST

Christine is pristine.

Yes, the inside glass (esp. the windshield) can be a real pain. But lately it has seemed like NOT cleaning the windows leaves them (subjectively) just as clean as when I go over them (inside and out) with various window cleaners.

Jane. That is it. The FILM.  I figured something was not coming off my windows on the inside and it always looks smeary.  And my car is very old.  It still does it.  

The best thing I've found for removing the oily film from the inside glass is (isopropyl) alcohol (though I suppose vodka or Everclear would work, too...). You can either use straight isopropyl alcohol (if you use the 99% pure stuff. The 50% stuff is mixed with glycerin, which will leave its own film), or you can buy any glass/all-surface cleaner with alcohol in it. The dollar stores often (but not always) carry alcohol-based window cleaner.

Once you get it clean, you'll be amazed at how much better you see at night.

That matches some of the advice I've seen from auto detailers on YouTube.

One suggests the following technique:

1) Go over the glass with a clean dry microfiber towel (to pick up loose dirt and some of the film)

2) Apply glass cleaner and agitate with a cloth. Then wipe dry with a microfiber towel

3) Go over the glass one last time with a clean dry microfiber towel.

That probably works for most situations.