Guide
Windscreen sun shade: how to fit it and why it works
A car sun shade — a windscreen shade, a window shade, call it what you like — is the cheapest thing you can do for a parked car in summer. It takes ten seconds to put up and it stops the parts you touch from baking. Here is how to fit one so it stays up.
Reflective side out, plain side in
The printed, reflective face goes against the glass; the plain side faces the cabin. That is the whole trick: the reflective layer sends the sunlight back out through the windscreen instead of letting the dashboard absorb it. Put it the other way round and you get a printed picture against your dashboard and most of the heat still inside the car.
Fitting it in ten seconds
- Open the shade flat and press it against the inside of the windscreen, reflective print facing the glass.
- Fold both sun visors down over the top corners of the shade. That holds the top edge without any suction cups or adhesive.
- Push the bottom edge down until it rests on the dashboard.
Nothing sticks to the glass and nothing is left behind on the dashboard when you take it out. That matters more than it sounds: suction cups lose their grip in the heat, exactly when you need the shade to stay up.
What it does and does not do
It blocks heat and UV on the glass it covers. The parts you touch — steering wheel, seat, dashboard — stay cool enough to use. It does not cool the air in the cabin: a parked car in full sun still heats up, and a shade is not a substitute for air conditioning. Parking with the rear of the car facing the sun, and cracking one window, does the rest.
Folding and storage
The shade folds back to roughly the size of a large book and slides into the sleeve that ships with it. Keep the sleeve in the door pocket. Wipe the shade with a damp cloth rather than washing it, and fold it flat for storage: the folding frame keeps its shape as long as the shade is not crushed under a seat or a crate.
Production and delivery
Each shade is printed after you order it: 6 to 9 days of production before the tracking number is issued, then 2 to 4 weeks in transit in the United States. Flat $6 shipping per order, free over $100, and 30 days to return an item that is not right.
The 19 sun shade designs
Common questions
Does a windscreen sun shade actually keep the car cool?
It keeps the dashboard, the steering wheel and the seats from heating up in direct sun, which is what you feel when you get back in. The cabin still warms up — a shade is not air conditioning — but the surfaces you touch are far cooler and the dashboard is protected from UV.
Which side faces the glass?
On a sun shade the reflective side faces the glass and the plain side faces the cabin. Put it up with the visors folded down to hold the top edge.
Will it fit my car?
One size covers most saloons, SUVs and vans. It springs open to the width of the windscreen. If your windscreen is very wide, fold the visors down over the top corners to hold it flat.
Where do I store it?
Every shade ships with a sleeve. It folds to roughly the size of a large book — keep the sleeve in the door pocket and the shade takes no room in the car.
Can I machine wash it?
No. Wipe it with a damp cloth and fold it flat for storage. The folding frame keeps its shape as long as the shade is not crushed under a seat.
Also in the same prints: car seat covers (17 designs) and car floor mats (14 designs).