- I’ve actually had the opposite experience with those rechargeable dehumidifiers—mine worked surprisingly well in my hatchback, but only when I remembered to “recharge” it every few days. If you forget, it’s basically useless.
- Cracking the window is classic, but in my area (lots of pollen), it just means waking up to a dusty dashboard.
- Parking angle definitely matters. I park on a flat surface and rarely see condensation, but when I parked nose-down at my old place, the windshield always fogged up more.
- One thing I’ve found: keeping a microfiber towel in the glove box for a quick wipe-down beats waiting for the defroster. Not high-tech, but it works.
The microfiber towel trick is underrated—I keep one in my center console, and it’s saved me from the “peering through fog” routine more than once. I tried those little dehumidifier bags too, but honestly, I always forget to recharge them. Has anyone ever found a way to actually remember? Maybe I need a sticky note on the dash...
I tried those little dehumidifier bags too, but honestly, I always forget to recharge them. Has anyone ever found a way to actually remember? Maybe I need a sticky note on the dash...
Man, I hear you on forgetting to recharge those things. I tossed one under my seat last winter and remembered it existed about two months later—completely soaked and useless by then. What’s worked for me is tossing it on top of my reusable grocery bags in the trunk. When I go shopping, I see it and remember to swap it out or throw it in the microwave. Not perfect, but better than nothing. Sticky notes just end up blending into the chaos on my dash after a week...
Sticky notes just end up blending into the chaos on my dash after a week...
Ha, that’s exactly my problem—sticky notes just become part of the background noise after a while. I tried using my phone to set a recurring reminder, but it got annoying fast. What actually helped was pairing it with a routine I already have. Whenever I fill up on gas (which isn’t as often as it used to be, thanks to working from home), I check the dehumidifier bag. Not foolproof, but at least it’s tied to something I can’t ignore.
I’ve also wondered if there’s a better kind of bag out there that changes color more dramatically when it’s saturated. The ones I bought just go from light blue to…slightly darker blue? Not exactly obvious in low light. Has anyone found one that gives a more obvious signal, or maybe even has an indicator you can see from the driver’s seat?
The ones I bought just go from light blue to…slightly darker blue? Not exactly obvious in low light.
That’s spot on. I’ve had the same issue with those color-change dehumidifier bags—half the time I can’t even tell if they’re “done” or not unless I hold them up to a streetlight. It’s honestly kind of ridiculous that they market them as an obvious solution.
I like your idea of tying it to something you already do, though. That’s way more realistic than relying on sticky notes or constant phone pings. I tried keeping a small microfiber cloth tucked into the door pocket, and every time I grab my keys in the morning, I give the windshield a quick wipe. Not high-tech, but it helps when the bag’s doing… well, whatever it’s doing.
If you ever find a bag that actually changes color dramatically, let us know. For now, it feels like most of these things are designed for people with better eyesight (or brighter dashboards) than me.
- Those color-change bags are basically useless unless you’ve got eagle vision or a flashlight handy—been there, squinting in the driveway like a detective.
- I’ve had better luck with a cheap chalkboard eraser. Stash it in the console, swipe the glass before driving. Weird trick, but it grabs moisture fast and doesn’t leave streaks.
- Tried rice in an old sock once… worked for a week, then just smelled like a sushi shop.
- Honestly, nothing beats cracking the window a hair overnight if you’re not worried about rain or sneaky raccoons. Not high-tech, but it works.
- If you do stumble across an actually dramatic color-change bag, I’m all ears. For now, I’m sticking to low-budget hacks and hoping for dry mornings.
Honestly, nothing beats cracking the window a hair overnight if you’re not worried about rain or sneaky raccoons. Not high-tech, but it works.
I tried the cracked window trick last fall and woke up to a family of spiders setting up shop in my cupholder. Guess it’s a trade-off between foggy glass and unexpected roommates. I’m with you though, those color-change bags are practically invisible unless you’re shining your phone flashlight right on them—mine always look “kind of blue? Maybe?” No idea if they’re actually working.
The chalkboard eraser idea is wild. Never thought of that. I’ve just been using an old t-shirt, but it mostly just smears everything around and leaves lint behind. Chalkboard eraser sounds like some MacGyver-level stuff compared to my usual routine.
Rice-in-a-sock is classic, but I had the same problem... after a week my car smelled like last night’s takeout and I was paranoid about bugs moving in. Has anyone ever tried those silica gel packs that come with shoes? I feel like they’d do the same job as the fancy bags, but maybe cheaper (if you hoard enough shoe boxes).
Kind of wish there was a magic solution that didn’t mean leaving my car open to wildlife or making it smell like a sushi bar. Anyone ever had luck with those anti-fog sprays? Or do they just smear around and make things worse?
Those anti-fog sprays are hit or miss, honestly. I tried one last winter and it kind of worked for a week, but then it left this weird, greasy haze that was actually worse than the original fog. Maybe I used too much? Hard to say. I’ve had better luck just cleaning the glass with a little dish soap and water—just a tiny bit wiped on and buffed out. Not a miracle, but way less smearing than those sprays or the t-shirt trick. The silica gel packs from shoes do help, but unless you’ve got a mountain of them, they’re not quite as effective as the bigger bags. Still, they’re basically free if you save them up.
You’re not alone—those sprays always seem to leave either a film or just don’t last. Your dish soap trick is pretty much what I’ve stuck with, too. Just a tiny bit goes a long way, and it’s cheap. Those silica packs are handy, but yeah, unless you hoard them for months, it’s barely enough. Honestly, sometimes just cracking the windows a touch overnight makes more difference than anything else if you can swing it.
Cracking the windows a bit does help, but in my experience, it only works if it’s not pouring rain or freezing out. I tried the dish soap trick last winter—just a tiny smear on the inside, wiped off with a microfiber cloth. Worked better than those sprays, honestly, and didn’t leave that weird residue. Silica packs always seemed like overkill for me, unless you’ve got a glovebox full of them from every shoe box you’ve ever owned. Sometimes I just toss an old towel on the dash overnight to catch any condensation. Not exactly high-tech, but hey, it works.