How can I keep my car's rear window clear without wipers or a water nozzle?

October 4, 2010 6:07 AM

How can I keep my Mazda3's rear window clear, when it doesn't have windshield wipers or a water nozzle?

My Mazda3 is a nice car, but it doesn't have windshield wipers for the rear window, nor a water-spray nozzle.

This gets annoying during the dry seasons, when dust mixes with the water that condences on the car during the night. By morning the rear window is semi-opaque with dry dust, or with big fat dirty droplets.

So far, I've just been wiping it down every day. But I'd rather find a solution that either drew off the water (and prevented it from staying on the rear window) or lets me clean the window without having to get out of the car.

posted by scraimer to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

Best answer: Rain-X makes the water bead and roll off your windows. I had pretty good luck with it on a car with severely underpowered wipers. Should be available pretty much everywhere.
posted by electroboy at 6:11 AM on October 4, 2010 [3 favorites]

I have a Mazda3 too, and I use my rear defroster to clear the morning's condensation from my rear windshield. No solution for the dust, however, other than wiping it down like you're already doing.
posted by gladly at 6:15 AM on October 4, 2010

A quick sluice with a watering can is faster and easier than a wipe down.
posted by flabdablet at 6:28 AM on October 4, 2010 [1 favorite]

RainX is pretty awesome, however I just have a cheap bath towel dedicated to this purpose.

turning on the rear defroster will help evaporate the condensation enough to see what is behind you.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:33 AM on October 4, 2010 [1 favorite]