Can't Clean Glass Well...

T

The Critic

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OK, I am REALLY frustrated. This is an ongoing problem that has been occuring for years.

I have tried using water, washer fluid, car wash soap, and ZEP window cleaner concentrate, all with the same results-- streaks and water "marks" (those perforated looking dotted water lines).

I have tried using thick, cloth baby diapers and microfiber rags. Regardless of which cleaner/rag combo I use, I always get nasty looking windows. I just leave behind a ton of streaks and/or water marks. It seems like I don't get the window 100% dry on the first pass, and by the time I come back with a dry rag for the second pass, any liquid I originally left on the glass from the first pass dries up and leaves those marks. It seems like I need a kind of glass cleaner that just evaporates instantly?

Can anyone please help me with some tips or advice on how to get sparkly clean windows? I'm tired of watching the guys at the car wash get sparkly clean windows with minimal effort and me not having the same success.

Thanks.
 
Meguiar's Glass Cleaner D-120 or Stoners Invisible Glass + Microfiber Waffle Glass towel = Sparkling shine
 
Are you cleaning your windows out in the sun?
 
Disagree with the SIG recommendation.

Do the windshield in halves. Spray, wipe away and use another dry towel for final mop up. Repeat on other half of windshield.

ZEP is well liked along with the Megs Concentrate.
 
the main thing is clean them out of the sun . :xyxthumbs:
 
Are you using distilled water to mix up your glass cleaner, when you use a concentrate?
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Are you using distilled water to mix up your glass cleaner, when you use a concentrate?
Click to expand...


Yes. I like to use distilled water when cleaning the windows. Including the windows on the house. :xyxthumbs:
 
I have sucessfully used Invisable Glass with newspaper for years. My go-to answer for glass.

Cliff

ps: I balked at using newspaper for years until I tried it.
 
I thought newspaper didn't work anymore because they use soy-based ink now :dunno:
 
Cliffnopus said:
I have sucessfully used Invisable Glass with newspaper for years. My go-to answer for glass.

Cliff

ps: I balked at using newspaper for years until I tried it.
Click to expand...

I tried it, didn't like it. Also didn't fix my 'problem' I have with SIG.
 
whatever I use for chemical, I use a clean "designated window" microfiber towel, spray 1/2 of windshield, "picture frame" the section than do center, flip microfiber to dry side than repeat same method.

this seems to give me best results and I hate doing windows. if they are real dirty sometimeas I repeat twice

the key seems to be not using excessive amounts of cleaner.
I never clean windows in the sun or if the glass is hot, most times I crank up the a/c and do them with the inside of the car cold

by "designated window", I mean only used on glass and not even washed with wax, sealant or polish microfiber towels
 
I only use chemicals on nasty glass. Generally just water and MF glass towels. 1 wet to scrub the junk, 1 dry to wipe it away. Works for me.
 
I like Stoners (Mindflux, I'm curious what your problem with it is?), also yesterday I was testing a sample of WG Instant Detailer which was great. Wiping down the (exterior) windows was a breeze, streak free almost instantly.

I suggest cleaning the windows in sections, as Impressions said "picture frame the section". Do a cleaning pass then a drying pass, f the glass cleaner dries before you can wipe it dry, work a smaller section. After a window is done section by section give it one more full pass with a clean/dry glass MF.

Quick! While they are BOGO (and thank Mark for them being BOGO :D ) The Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel and a tool like Glass Master Pro is always helpful too.
 
A4 1.8tqm said:
I like Stoners (Mindflux, I'm curious what your problem with it is?), also yesterday I was testing a sample of WG Instant Detailer which was great. Wiping down the (exterior) windows was a breeze, streak free almost instantly.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
Click to expand...

I know exactly what you mean, I blamed my towels though. Haven't noticed it since only using dedicated glass towels, both Cobra Glass MF and the thin "napless" glass towels from dollar stores. Really, I think it's the final wipe with a clean dry Glass MF that gets it done for me. :xyxthumbs:
 
A4 1.8tqm said:
Quick! While they are BOGO (and thank Mark for them being BOGO :D ) The Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel and a tool like Glass Master Pro is always helpful too.
Click to expand...
I have one of these that I bought from AG:

3 Pack Cobra Guzzler HD Waffle Weave Drying Towels, 16 x 24 inches

I guess it'll do the same thing? I haven't used it in a while to clean glass, but I'll give it a shot.

Setec Astronomy said:
Are you using distilled water to mix up your glass cleaner, when you use a concentrate?
Click to expand...
No, I'll have to give that a shot.

Dubbin1 said:
Are you cleaning your windows out in the sun?
Click to expand...
Usually not. Though strangely, on the few occassions that I have cleaned my windows in the sun, I have had better results.

Anyway, what really ticks me off is that the guys at the local car wash can clean windows with just a cheap bulk window cleaner and a few dirty old shop rags and obtain near perfect results. There must be something to their technique that I don't know about. :doh:
 
The Critic said:
OK, I am REALLY frustrated. This is an ongoing problem that has been occuring for years.

I have tried using water, washer fluid, car wash soap, and ZEP window cleaner concentrate, all with the same results-- streaks and water "marks" (those perforated looking dotted water lines).

I have tried using thick, cloth baby diapers and microfiber rags. Regardless of which cleaner/rag combo I use, I always get nasty looking windows. I just leave behind a ton of streaks and/or water marks. It seems like I don't get the window 100% dry on the first pass, and by the time I come back with a dry rag for the second pass, any liquid I originally left on the glass from the first pass dries up and leaves those marks. It seems like I need a kind of glass cleaner that just evaporates instantly?

Can anyone please help me with some tips or advice on how to get sparkly clean windows? I'm tired of watching the guys at the car wash get sparkly clean windows with minimal effort and me not having the same success.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I use two dediated MF towels to clean windows (I have both smooth and WW MF glass towels from different vendors) and a window cleaner not available from AG.

I tried Stoners and went back to my old window cleaner. It's an alcohol based cleaner that I dilute with DI water. I have yet to find a perfect window cleaner but I like it better than windex and most others.

I absolutely HATE the BMW window cleaner with defog properties. At least Stoner's usually works fine.

I clean the window initially with one MF towel and the window cleaner to remove the initial layer of whatever. I then wipe down the window with a clean, dry waffle weave MF towel to remove any remaining haze or spots. A clean Cobra WW MF towel is a good example.

Never wash your window towels with any other MFs (or any other cloth) or they may pick up polish or wax residue from the other MFs

If the kids have not put their hands all over the windows or I have not gotten an interior dressing on the glass, I will often just use a DI water-wetted Waffle Weave (WW) towel to clean and then use another dry WW MF towel to buff it out.

For basic cleaning, DI water (we have RO or distilled (grocery store) and a couple of WW MF towels are hard to beat for interior windows. A dry WW MF towel for buffing the windows after washing the car is normally all I need.

I also started claying my exterior windows every 6 months or so. It does seem to get something off, even after a nice bubble bath.
 
A4 1.8tqm said:
I know exactly what you mean, I blamed my towels though. Haven't noticed it since only using dedicated glass towels, both Cobra Glass MF and the thin "napless" glass towels from dollar stores. Really, I think it's the final wipe with a clean dry Glass MF that gets it done for me. :xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...


I've got dedicated towels. Same stuff, different day.
 
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