Window cleaning advise...

T

TA373

New member
Hi everyone,



I'm cleaning my window and wondering about a few things.



My windshield doesn't really appear dirty, it's just that when my wipers run across, the windshield seems to haze slightly. It's more noticable in light rain, at night. It's also noticable when I'm cleaning the windows. Just before I get the surface completely dry, I can see a slight hazing, and what looks like water marks. But then when the windows are completely dry...it's gone. They look like new again.



Does anyone know what would cause that? I bought the steel wool (0000) just in case it was starting to etch.



Also I live near an airport, might that have anything to do with it?



I've not replaced my wipers yet...I bought the car in August of '02, so she's just about a year old.



What do you all think?



Thanks in advance...

m. :wavey
 
Shine a bright light (i.e. 1000W worklight) on the windshield where there's little to no ambient light, like a garage. Sit in the driver's seat and see if the windshield is really clean. Move around some to view the glass at different angles.



If it's dirty, clean it using the light. Birds will start to fly into your super clean windows :D.
 
Only thing that comes to mind to me is maybe claying the window, then clean with window cleaner as usual and see if that helps.
 
I may be beaten up or somthing for saying this but i clay my windsheild once a season. Really gets the speccyness out and makes the wipers work alot better.



The light method is good, or face it towards the setting afternoon sun. Shows up everything.
 
Thanks for the replies guys...but I gotta tell ya, I feel like an idiot guys...



I was taking off my wiper blades, and my wiper arm smashed into the windshield...nice big crack there.



I'm pretty let down right now.



I don't even wanna work on the car right now...
 
MYLES!! Why would you fear getting beaten up??? Yep. Clay the windows. And not just once a season. I probably clay mine 3-4x per year, and then use Zaino glass polish, then Z2. They absolutely gleam! :D
 
recently my car was oversprayed at work. They were painting the buliding and since parking lot is close by, my car was covered with blue paint.



I clayed the paint work and manage to remove alot except for the windows. I did use the plastic bag test and felt ther was alot of 'bumps' so i clayed but the paint was still there especially when i drive at night where the street lamps made it more noticable looking from inside the car.



So i tried using autoglym glass polish and Meg`s yellow pad with a rotary. It made a difference, the bumps were less but they`re still there,the overspray paint i mean.



So what can i do to totally remove them? Please advise!!



Thanks alot!
 
xenangel said:
recently my car was oversprayed at work. They were painting the buliding and since parking lot is close by, my car was covered with blue paint.



I clayed the paint work and manage to remove alot except for the windows. I did use the plastic bag test and felt ther was alot of 'bumps' so i clayed but the paint was still there especially when i drive at night where the street lamps made it more noticable looking from inside the car.



So i tried using autoglym glass polish and Meg`s yellow pad with a rotary. It made a difference, the bumps were less but they`re still there,the overspray paint i mean.



So what can i do to totally remove them? Please advise!!



Thanks alot!
Click to expand...



Try 0000 grade steel wool with a strong window cleaner. Rub back and forth, up and down real well. Rinse and dry. Try the rotary and glass polish again after that.



If that doesnt work, *I* would try a single edge razor blade on a small spot and gently see if they can be scraped off.



Also (and I have NO idea what this would do to glass) try Tarminator or a Bug and tar remover and see if you can dissolve them. Or what about paint thinner? AGAIN, I DON"T KNOW WHAT THIS WOULD DO TO GLASS SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION unless someone else here can vouch for it. I have never tried it. I'm just thinking off the top of my head.
 
Does the claying not leave a residue on the window? I can get the windows so clean that looking into the setting sun shows nothing so thats no the concern. Where I have concern is there were postings about applying sealants to the windows which I did. They looked wonderful.. right up until it rained then the wipers more smeared than wiped. Vision was terrible. I removed it then did the Zaino on them.. Same result. So this brings up the question .. Using a Clay Bar with a QD your obviously going to lay down a layer of something on the window .. it may be clean looking but how will it effect the wipers?



BTW its not the wipers .. they are new and last month at the dealer they let me take a set off a new VW that worked 100% on the new car and smeared on mine.
 
Claying is certainly a solution...VW had sent 3M clay + 3M gloss enhancer to owners just for this purpose.



You can also use any decent polish (with PC, I 'spose) and follow up with a wipe down using isoproply alcohol. That will usually do the trick.



With all the crud in the air today, this is certainly a wide-spread concern we all face.
 
Jesstzn,

What you are describing about the wipers sounds familiar. I think the problem isn't actually the wipers, but a residue that has been left by them at some time. I believe the problem is that when in use, the wiper blades leave a coating on the windshield from wiping across them. This coating is a super thin (thus clear) coating of rubber or synthetic material the blades are made of. Take a piece of rubber, like an eraser, and rub across glass; you'll see a residue.

I've successfully removed it from mine in the past using 0000 steel wool and window cleaner as a lube (not pressing hard, just firmly buffing). I then followed up carefully with a wipedown of acetone (be very careful to only get it on the glass. I applied a small amount to a cloth away from the car, then just wiped the windshield. Keep away from trim, too). After the acetone, clean your windows your normal way to remove any remaining residues. The reason I used the steel wool was to physically remove as much wiper blade residue as possible, or atleast "break" it up some. Then the acetone could chemically remove whatever was left. I don't know if it was one or the other that got the results, or both, but this worked very well (I was desperate as I had tried everything). After that treatment, I applied RainX (which seems to be getting a bad rap lately, but I love it). The problem has not returned.

Another option would be to try a glass polish. My favorite for waterspots is Duragloss Nu-glass. I would imagine this would be very effective on your blade residue problem.



Hope this helps.



Dave
 
Dave Holmes.. the smearing I am experiencing was never an issue until I was foolish enought to use a sealant on the widsheild like was suggested in one of the forum and confirmed by a few on how wonderful it was. I think they did the application and never drove in the rain at night to see the ramifications.



Thus my question regarding Claying the windshield and using a QD spray as a lube. How does the QD react in the rain?
 
I use Autoglym Super Resin on my glass and have done for years. You do get some smearing but at motorway speed (which is where I do 70-80% of my driving, the water droplets slide straight off). I also use Autoglym Glass Polish which has a similar effect.
 
If you live near a Jaguar dealership, they sell a great glass paste cleaner. Autoglym is also very good. Completely agree with the others about claying the windscreen.
 
TA373 said:
Thanks for the replies guys...but I gotta tell ya, I feel like an idiot guys...



I was taking off my wiper blades, and my wiper arm smashed into the windshield...nice big crack there.



I'm pretty let down right now.



I don't even wanna work on the car right now...
Click to expand...



Oh no! Sorry to hear that. I'm always afraid of doing just that when I'm changing wipers.



I'm sure your insurance will pay for the glass replacement, and just remember, there goes the water spotting with the old peice of glass ;)



I clay the glass whenever I clay the car, and I use Poorboys Spray and Wipe exclusively now on the windows. No smearing in the rain.
 
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