Can't Clean Glass Well...

Allen Anderson said:
Great thread. Still no one that dislikes SIG has said why? Anyone want to touch on that?
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I said right after someone asked.

For me it streaks at random with no change to my methodology. I'm using the aerosol version, and have for the past decade.

I loved it (and recommended it) when I first started using it, in fact I loved it so much I bought a case (12 cans) directly from Stoner.

Some folks seem to have consistent good luck with it, perhaps the heat/humidity here in my area is the reason I can't get consistent results with it.
 
Mindflux said:
I've used Stoners for almost a decade, and there are times when things go right and times when they just fall apart.

My biggest beef is that the times when things fall apart is I'll have the window appearing spotless, that is UNTIL you get the right glare on the windshield (early morning/late afternoon) and bam, you've got this haze that you can see follows your wiping pattern.

It doesn't matter how I apply it (I always used 'less is more' for SIG), how I wipe it off or how many towels I use for an after 'buffing'.

This seems to apply moreso to windows with polyvinyl hazing (and probably smokers cars).

After years of hit or miss performance with it I've given up and moved on.
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:iagree:
 
Kurt_s said:
My apologies. I completely misread your comments and I am not sure why.

I reread your post today, it makes complete sense and was very good advice regarding Film Buster.

Please forgive me.
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All is good my friend, I just wanted to clear that up. I am always mindful of how I conduct myself as a professional and want to leave that impression everywhere I go. While I believe that process is a large percentage of the success that can be gained in detailing or anything else for that matter, sometimes there is a product that outshines others. I think that is the case with my glass cleaning but as I suggested in my earlier posting, I am led to believe that the main ingredient in Film Buster is IPA. So has anyone here tried a simple mixture of IPA and distilled water for glass cleaning? If so how did it work out?
 
tuscarora dave said:
All is good my friend, I just wanted to clear that up. I am always mindful of how I conduct myself as a professional and want to leave that impression everywhere I go. While I believe that process is a large percentage of the success that can be gained in detailing or anything else for that matter, sometimes there is a product that outshines others. I think that is the case with my glass cleaning but as I suggested in my earlier posting, I am led to believe that the main ingredient in Film Buster is IPA. So has anyone here tried a simple mixture of IPA and distilled water for glass cleaning? If so how did it work out?
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I was thinking that I needed to PM you and apologize again. I'm glad that all is good.

I have not tried an IPA solution. I would guess that surfactant to encapsulate the dirt would work better than an IPA solution alone. I just cleaned a couple of my window towels and the MFs that I used over the past week. I have a bottle of 50% IPA, and my windshield could handle a quick clean. I'll try to report back later today or tomorrow if you don't get an answer before I can get to it.
 
Mindflux said:
Is it like a terry on a stick or something? Pics?
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Looks kinda like this one. They have them at Lowe's. It comes off the frame for machine washing. I just spray on glass cleaner liverally, move this thing around the glass, squeegee, then follow with a MF. It is super fast with great results. I think the squeegee is the most important step. Getting that dirty solution off before polishing it out with a MF is the key.

window_cleaning1__2_.jpg
 
integritydetail said:
Looks kinda like this one. They have them at Lowe's. It comes off the frame for machine washing. I just spray on glass cleaner liverally, move this thing around the glass, squeegee, then follow with a MF. It is super fast with great results. I think the squeegee is the most important step. Getting that dirty solution off before polishing it out with a MF is the key.

window_cleaning1__2_.jpg
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Nice.

I have a squeegie somewhere but I was always afraid to use it inside in case one of the metal edges caught an pillar and scraped the interior paneling or something.

:props:
 
I also seem to have difficulty with cleaning windows. However, I find that humidity plays a key factor in streaking. Stoner's IG or Sprayaway are good aerosol cleaners, but both seem to be finicky when humidity is higher. I have also experimented with distilled water/IPA/White vinegar both at 1:10 ratio and that works well.

My preference is to use No Streek window cleaner. It goes on like a wax, let haze and wipe. The advantage is that I try to apply in horizontal lines(interior) and vertically (exterior). That way, I know if I missed a spot and/or missed a spot when wiping off.
 
longdx said:
My preference is to use No Streek window cleaner. It goes on like a wax, let haze and wipe. The advantage is that I try to apply in horizontal lines(interior) and vertically (exterior). That way, I know if I missed a spot and/or missed a spot when wiping off.
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I too clean windows one direction outside and the other inside so I can find which place the streaks are coming from.

:) It aint perfect but it helps.
 
Mindflux said:
I too clean windows one direction outside and the other inside so I can find which place the streaks are coming from.

:) It aint perfect but it helps.
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They have that very recommendation on the Meguiar's Glass Cleaner bottle.
 
Rob T said:
Then it's a good thing that I made that post, letting you know!

:props:
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Yeah I'd totally not know that technique if you hadn't pointed out it's on bottles I don't own.

:buffing:
 
Mindflux said:
Nice.

I have a squeegie somewhere but I was always afraid to use it inside in case one of the metal edges caught an pillar and scraped the interior paneling or something.

:props:
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I got one that's all plastic and rubber from Walmart. Over with the dish scrubbers. 1.99
 
Oh boy... windows. I hate doing them, too. I will do a write-up soon, when a get a block of time. :bash:

G U A R A N T E E D sparkling clean, streak-free windows. Best part? You already have everything you need! :props:

Hint: it's all in the technique. Im the MAN
 
Come on guys, this shouldn't be difficult or require secret special techniques. Just go around the vehicle twice.

Meguiar's D120 Window Cleaner Concentrate mixed 1:10

Any old clean terry cloth towels


Spray a relatively heavy mist on dirty window.

Wipe of most of the crud and insects with a towel folded in 1/4s. Just get most of the dirt off. Repeat on every window with a fresh 1/4.

Repeat the process with a light spray and clean towel, this time wiping completely.
 
XB70 said:
Come on guys, this shouldn't be difficult or require secret special techniques. Just go around the vehicle twice.

Meguiar's D120 Window Cleaner Concentrate mixed 1:10

Any old clean terry cloth towels


Spray a relatively heavy mist on dirty window.

Wipe of most of the crud and insects with a towel folded in 1/4s. Just get most of the dirt off. Repeat on every window with a fresh 1/4.

Repeat the process with a light spray and clean towel, this time wiping completely.
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You must not be cleaning windows that have been dirty for 6 months+ like some of my clients.

Windows that are cleaned regularly are a snap.
 
XB70 said:
...Come on guys, this shouldn't be difficult or require secret special techniques. Just go around the vehicle twice...
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YOU WIN! :wave::wave::wave:

"Um, that woulda' been like fun on those two school buses I just did?" :props:

Kidding. No secrets here. Just won't have time for pics and writing for a bit.
If going around twice or newspaper or squeegees or a particular brand of cleaner does the job... do that.
Your statement of "...This shouldn't be difficult..." dings the "true statement" bell... which is why there's already 57 posts about this topic.

Here's my secret technique:
On regularly cleaned windows, I use cotton towels and water.
On post-detailing windows, I use cotton towels and water.
Even if I use a glass cleaner, APC, or rubber dressing on the windows first... I always follow up with cotton towels and water.
 
I find the secret is to switch to a clean, dry wiping towel often.

When you're cleaning glass, you're often time removing "Vinyl Fog" off interior glass which is an oily film, plus fingerprints, smudges, interior dressings that were accidental over sprayed onto the glass.

Once you wipe these "substances" off the glass and have them on a wiping towel, (no mater what the wiping towel is made of), if you keep using this same towel you keep re-introducing these substances back onto the glass. What's the difference between wiping and applying?

So have plenty of clean, dry final wipe towels and you reduce the potential to simply re-introduce removed substances, or or cross-contaminate substances removed from one window to another window.


We're actually in the middle of a class, we're on break but break is over... so back to the class...


:D
 
I also continue to wipe after it appears dry. The alcohol (or other solvents) in the glass cleaner evaporate fairly quickly giving the illusion that it is dry but does not mean the glass is clean.
 
Bunky said:
I also continue to wipe after it appears dry. The alcohol (or other solvents) in the glass cleaner evaporate fairly quickly giving the illusion that it is dry but does not mean the glass is clean.
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I do this too, but the problem that I seem to run into sometimes is that if the glass actually is already completely dry and I wipe it again with a completely dry towel, it will often leave lint behind.
 
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