Glass Cleaner Help

[johnnyapollo]

I've got huge windows on my house. The commercial cleaners just don't work - like you said the streaks start appearing in a day or two. I've found this recipe very effective:

1 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon ammonia

Using isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar together makes a quickly evaporating spray glass and mirror cleaner that eliminates streaks. The vinegar adds a mild acid and the ammonia a general cleaner and grease cutter. Use lint-free towels (I scab all the left over coffee filters at work).

-- John

[circmand]

Looks like Johny Apollo reads Heloise to I forgot the amonia in my recipe

[nfpgasmask]

Thanks guys, I will try some of these options. I actually liked the shine Rain-X created, but I find my wipers stick and rub and make all sorts of noise when I actually do need to run them, which sucks. So now I just use the Rain-X on the side windows. But for the front window, on the inside and out, I gotta get a streak free method down pat.

Thanks - Bart

[Scott Harness]

Bart,I wasn't sure if you were talking inside or out, tinted or not. The vinegar is good on non-tinted windows. Iwould use a silicon based cleaner on the tint works wonders. I had my tint basically ruined at a carwash using a windex type cleaner. It looked like they used steel wool on my tint. I got out the silicon based cleaner, It took a while but now look brand new. I guess it fills in scratches and bonds with the tint. The brand I use is called Solar Solutions. Hope all is well!! Later Scott

[circmand]

Bart I am not sure but I think I may have discovered your problem. Rain X is NOT a cleaner is is more of a glass wax. You need to thoroughly clean and dry your windows before applyng and removing. Done this way it does an awesome job of repeling rain from the windows.

[nfpgasmask]

Well, when I was using Rain-X, I would typically wash the truck with normal car washing soap, including the outside windows. Then, after the drying is done, the cladding and tires are shining, I would then use some glass cleaner (like Invisible Glass) and wipe and dry that, and then apply the Rain-X.

But I stopped using Rain-X, and now I just want my Windows to shine and stay that way for a while, with no streaking. I will try the vinegar solution next time around and see how that works.

Thanks - Bart

Bart I am not sure but I think I may have discovered your problem. Rain X is NOT a cleaner is is more of a glass wax. You need to thoroughly clean and dry your windows before applyng and removing. Done this way it does an awesome job of repeling rain from the windows.

[VehiGAZ]

Bart,

It's not always the cleaning solution, it's what you wipe with. I have two suggestions for you, both of which I learned in the detail shop of a car dealership I worked at for a summer in college:

1) Glass cleaner + newspapers - yes, wadded-up newsprint (B&W preferred) leaves no streaks with regular window cleaner. It comes apart pretty quick when you rub it along rubber weatherstripping, but it really works. My wife uses it on the sliding glass doors, windows, and mirros in the house, too.

2) Damp chamois - this also works, and it's probably handy if you've just washed your car, but from what I remember, it was best when used on off-gassing residues.

Speaking of off-gassing (hee-hee), if you use any interior products on the upholstery or the dash when you do your windows, such as Armor All, prepare to see streaking in about 48 hours. That stuff will evaporate to some extent and settle on the inside of your windows, most noticeably on the windshield. Whenever I use those, I wipe the surfaces down with a clean terrycloth towel after a few hours of soak time. I think this helps, but who knows. If your windows appear very clear after all your hard work but look streaky or cloudy after a day or two, this might be your main problem.

Good luck and happy detailing!

[nfpgasmask]

Hey Scott, thanks. I will try that on the tinted side for sure!

Bart

Bart,I wasn't sure if you were talking inside or out, tinted or not. The vinegar is good on non-tinted windows. Iwould use a silicon based cleaner on the tint works wonders. I had my tint basically ruined at a carwash using a windex type cleaner. It looked like they used steel wool on my tint. I got out the silicon based cleaner, It took a while but now look brand new. I guess it fills in scratches and bonds with the tint. The brand I use is called Solar Solutions. Hope all is well!! Later Scott