Recommendations for a glass cleaner that works?

Durenol · Post by **Durenol** » 07 Sep 2018, 16:15

I've tried several now but all they seem to do is smear the grime around. The inside of the windshield is slowly getting to the point where it's hard to drive at night. Do these models gas out something weird that needs a special cleaner to cut through or have I just had bad luck with brands?

Post by **ogatrulle** » 07 Sep 2018, 18:01

Windex (ammonia solution) and a clean cotton cloth. I clean and save my old cotton sock and t-shirt rags and use those. I park my car aimed into the sun so I can tell when I am getting the glass wiped clean.

Post by **mrbrian200** » 07 Sep 2018, 19:52

Windex doesn't do anything if the film/oil is silicone based. Which is what I suspect OP is dealing with. Clean and buff all you want, silicone tends to smear around but sticks to the glass, not to your towel.

Silicone is inert to just about everything, nothing really cuts or dissolves it.

Could be overspray from a detailing spray or anti-fog treatments sold to apply to the inside of the windscreen (that causes more of an issue than it solves IMO).

You have to use a stronger solvent such as denatured alcohol, silicone dissolver (hardware store), or add more ammonia to your window cleaner, use gloves, and a ton of elbow grease. And a bunch of towels. Even though they look clean you have to keep switching them out fresh. Make sure you use the better non-scratchy towels (or better yet, cotton) for this because you could be going at this for a half hour or more and you don't want to risk scratching the glass all up.

Durenol · Post by **Durenol** » 07 Sep 2018, 23:39

mrbrian200 wrote: ↑07 Sep 2018, 19:52 Windex doesn't do anything if the film/oil is silicone based. Which is what I suspect OP is dealing with.

I honestly don't know. AFAIK no one's ever used any kind of fog spray or anything, it's just outgassing from the dashboard.

mrbrian200 wrote: ↑07 Sep 2018, 19:52 denatured alcohol

So "denatured alcohol" is kind of vague as I've seen all sorts of crap used to dilute it. It used to just be they added some methanol or maybe isopropyl to the ethanol, but these days I've seen everything from oil to acetone. Do I need it mixed with a specific additive or is it just the ethanol doing the work? Because I'd rather buy a bottle of vodka than something with other questionable crap in it.

Post by **Rattnalle** » 08 Sep 2018, 00:40

A bottle of pure isopropyl alcohol would be what you're after in the alcohol department. One of those alcohol and acid paint cleaners to use before sealing the cars paint would also work since they're almost pure alcohol as well.

I don't get the same brands over here but I also get some kind of fog on the inside over time. I just use an ammonia and alcohol off the shelf window cleaner and microfiber towels. It's not super strong or anything. Takes a bit of rubbing and I often miss small portions but it gets the job done.

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 08 Sep 2018, 03:20

Durenol never stated what is being used to wipe down the glass. For all we know it maybe cloth with fibers clogged with fabric softener. Yea there is a reason one is not suppose to use fabric softener on towels and wash cloths, it cloggs the fibers and then the clogged fibers won't pick up anything including water.

Newspaper is the best for wiping down glass. If you use the newspaper folded, it does not tear. Newspaper does not leave lent. Newspaper picks up just about anything from the surface of the glass. No solids in Newspaper fibers that will scratch glass.

As you work it just keep refolding the paper.

Newspapers switched to soy based inks years ago, ink smears is no longer an issue as it was with the petroleum based inks used in the past.

Post by **abscate** » 08 Sep 2018, 05:32

I tried using the NYT to clean my window and the IPad scratched the glass. Did I use the wrong side?

If you have a heater core leak, a slight one, you will get a hard to clean film on the glass

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 08 Sep 2018, 06:18

The IPad screen is high gloss plastic not glass. Are you claiming you scratched a window with the NYT? ... the hardware kind not the software kind.

Post by **prwood** » 08 Sep 2018, 07:14

I use the 90% isopropyl alcohol to do a first pass on glass cleaning. They sell it in the first aid section at my local CVS pharmacy. It comes in a red label as opposed to the 50% which is a blue label.

Incidentally, 90% isopropyl alcohol is essentially the same cleaner that Volvo recommends for cleaning surfaces like the cylinder head prior to applying chemical gaskets, so it's good to have a few bottles around. Usually only 99 cents each.

Durenol · Post by **Durenol** » 08 Sep 2018, 09:38

RickHaleParker wrote: ↑08 Sep 2018, 03:20 Durenol never stated what is being used to wipe down the glass.

Soft paper towels. I was always told never to use newspaper since it's too scratchy and the cleaning solution can dissolve the inks and deposit it on the glass.

Anyway, it seems isopropyl is the next thing to try. Thanks everyone I'll give that a go and report back.