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Original poster

Why does the interior of my rear car windscreen get totally soaked with condensation?

31 replies

splatfrog · 01/12/2022 20:49

And none of the other windows do? The car stands in the open air, totally exposed. I can't fathom it. I'm having to dry it with a towel before I drive each time. Where's all the moisture coming from? Nothing is kept in the car.

OP posts:
lmnabc · 01/12/2022 21:10

All of my car windows have terrible condensation in the morning. Drives me nuts as it takes ages to dry them with a towel before I can see out enough to drive

lmnabc · 01/12/2022 21:11

I've tried leaving the windows open crack overnight with no improvement

WondrousWinger · 01/12/2022 21:15

You need a hanging damp trap. The sort with a hanger top designed to go in wardrobes. Cost £1.50 in my local B&M.

I hung one in my car last week to try and help the internal condensation because it was driving me nuts.

It's worked SO well. It's collected about an inch and a half of water in a few days and my condensation problem has literally disappeared.

Looks ugly as fuck dangling from the passenger side roof-handle thing. But it's worth it!

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BedTaker · 01/12/2022 21:16

This happened in my old car although it was mainly with the front windscreen. The seats were actually had a bit of mould on them from the damp if I didn't drive it for a bit Shock

Anyway, it turned out that the problem was that there was a load of leaves stuck in that bit under the windscreen wipers, and it meant there was no ventilation getting into the car. The garage gave it a good clear out and the problem was a lot better after that (although they didn't fix the wipers back on properly and they came loose while I was driving in the rain a few days later Hmm)

So it could be something similar?

eurochick · 01/12/2022 21:17

We've got these little things that look like beanbags that you leave in the car and they absorb moisture. When they are full you can microwave them and reuse.

Magpiecomplex · 01/12/2022 21:17

Agree with @WondrousWinger , I had the same problem in a previous car and this sorted it. Mine was in the boot so less obvious, but that only works on hatchbacks

confusedlots · 01/12/2022 21:19

eurochick · 01/12/2022 21:17

We've got these little things that look like beanbags that you leave in the car and they absorb moisture. When they are full you can microwave them and reuse.

Yes I got one of these for my previous car as it was a nightmare with condensation in the mornings. Think I got it on Amazon. It really helped with the condensation.

UsingChangeofName · 01/12/2022 21:25

I've just got one of those for my car @eurochick
I can't believe how brilliant it is.
I am just sad I didn't know about them until recently and have been dealing with this problem for about 4 years.

ScarlettDarling · 01/12/2022 21:26

My windscreen actually freezes on the inside. I have to scrape the outside and the inside of my car on cold mornings. I wonder if one of those moisture absorbing things would help?

UsingChangeofName · 01/12/2022 21:27

This sort of thing - though this isn't the model I have, Mine were 2 for about £13 I seem to remember.

Tannedandfake · 01/12/2022 21:29

splatfrog · 01/12/2022 20:49

And none of the other windows do? The car stands in the open air, totally exposed. I can't fathom it. I'm having to dry it with a towel before I drive each time. Where's all the moisture coming from? Nothing is kept in the car.

It will be the seal that needs replacing. Loads of ideas up thread, also you could fill a sock with rice, and leave it on your parcel shelf

Honeyroar · 01/12/2022 21:29

My husband is a mechanic and always says it’s because my windows are dirty inside.

Ikeabag · 01/12/2022 21:50

The location of it could be to do with sun angle, if it's getting sun before you set off. Mine is always colder on the west side, frost melts on the other side because it gets sun warmth. It's on the street away from the homes nearby because of the way the road works, so heat from homes doesn't reach it.

megletthesecond · 01/12/2022 21:53

I've got one of the beanbags too. I'm terrified it's going to blow my microwave up the first time I dry it out.

I was using the damp traps from poundland but they only lasted about 4 days a tub.

LBOCS2 · 01/12/2022 22:27

I microwaved mine for the first time yesterday, it was fine!

Spectre8 · 01/12/2022 22:45

Also got a beanbag thing too what a lifechanger!

SoupDragon · 01/12/2022 22:49

I have one of those dehumidifier pots with the crystals in my car. It's sorted out the ice problem I used to get and it demised so much quicker than before. They're useless in a room but great in the confined space of a car.

loafintheoven · 01/12/2022 22:55

When this happened in my car, it was a seal in the roof that had gone. Water was running down the channels in the roof, round the rear door seal, and pooling in the boot around the spare tyre. Fixing the seal solved the problem.

cinnamonsnails · 01/12/2022 23:01

Also a tip someone told me years ago. When you are almost home open all the windows for 30s or so to change the air in the car. A lot of the moisture is the exhaled air so venting that out before closing the car up to chill overnight does make a difference. Less so if it's mega humid or rainy outside of course.

AlwaysFullOfQuestions22 · 01/12/2022 23:03

Mine are clean on the inside and have same issues
I got one of the beanbag things in halfords seemed to help.
Need to get another as somehow it split. Think one of dcs stood on it or something

The4teddybears · 01/12/2022 23:07

I get it too. I use the Karcher window vacuum on my wet car windows. It’s bloody brilliant .

MargotMoon · 01/12/2022 23:08

Do these bean bag things work if you get iced up interior windows as well?

Theunamedcat · 01/12/2022 23:22

Wet feet umbrellas etc so basically your getting in and out with wet feet putting your wet umbrella down breathing moist air then turning it off and leaving it to stand in it

Original poster
splatfrog · 02/12/2022 04:02

Some great thoughts here so thanks for that. I'll look at the seals tomorrow and see if there's any collected leaves. The rear window faces east, though we've not had any frost yet this year. I did have moisture traps in years gone by but I remember getting fed up of how fast they ran out. I've not had a microwaveable one though so that's a good idea.

OP posts:
Noelfieldingsjumpers · 02/12/2022 05:24

A cheap one! My mum's kept doing this inside the front screen. We filled a kids beaker with salt and put it on the dash, it worked!