How to make vi redraw screen?

Question

When I use

git commit --amend

It will enter into a vi window to let me input comments for commit, the problem is the vi windows will show some dirty characters from former shell background. So I wonder how can I let vi to reload or redraw the screen to make the screen normal.

So far, I try reset terminal and Ctrl+L, it works, but I wonder is there best answer for such situation?

Answer 1

I've been using control-L for such purposes for 35 years now, what's wrong with it?-)

Answer 2

^R or ^L

http://www.cs.rit.edu/~cslab/vi.html#A1.4

Answer 3

To force a screen refresh

:redraw!