How to remove scratches in glass - Wiper Scratches from Beach Sand

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

How to remove scratches in glass - Wiper Scratches from Beach Sand



I've buffed a lot of glass in my life and if you actually want to remove scratches "in" the glass you need a glass polish that contains cerium oxide and make sure the directions state it's recommended and approved for use with a rotary buffer to remove scratches out of glass.


Tip
Don't test or experiment on the driver's side of the glass, at least not in their field of view. Just in case the polish and/or process doesn't go to plan.


Here's a little Tape-Line Before and After I did to a Honda windshield that's parked outside all the time.

This windshield is extremely scratched over time from beach sand being dragged across it from the wipers. This is common to cars in coastal areas.

These are deep scratches in a 2004 Honda that has spent it's entire life parked outside in Stuart, Florida.

Here's the same windshield and the same exact location as above...

Glass Polishing is very messy
Just for anyone reading this into the future... glass polishing is very messy. Do yourself a HUGE favor and break out some old bed sheets or "something" and cover as much of the car as you can...

See my thread here...

How to remove tiny pinhole pits in glass windows using a rotary buffer

To remove scratches in glass you need,

1. A polish that contains the abrasive Cerium Oxide and the label should state the products is safe for removing scratches "in" the glass.
2. A glass-safe glass polishing disc

Myself and others have had good luck using CarPro Ceriglass with the CarPro Rayon Glass Polishing Discs.

NOTE: The CarPro Ceriglass "polish" states right on the label and on the webpage that it does in-fact use Cerium Oxide.

CarPro Ceriglass Glass Polish 500 ml



Here's a screenshot I just took highlighting the pertinent information with red circles and lines.

Here's the link to the CarPro Rayon Glass Polishing Disc

CarPro Rayon Glass Polishing Pad

And a screenshot highlighting the pertinent information...

IMPORTANT

From experience, I'd say glass polishing, specifically removing scratches out of glass without leaving scratches behind in the process is an advanced procedure. It's not a project to tackle without first doing due diligence in your research.


Further Resources

You can read Nicholas's article on how to remove scratches and scuffs that are IN glass here,

Autowerx Ceriglass Guide




How to reduce the mess...

And to make the job a LOT LESS MESSY read my article here,


Glass Polishing Water Spray Bottles at Autogeek



The spray bottle in my hand is the 4 ounce bottle and works best for most people.

 

[swanicyouth]

^^^ nice.

 

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Thanks for the article Mike.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Thanks for the article Mike.

Not so much an article as just a collection of stuff I've already written and posted pictures of in the past.

New guy joined the forum with a brand new car and says he lives next to the coast and like all of us that live next to the ocean wiper scratches are an issue.


So this is just a quick reference article with a very important tip at the beginning to try to help others avoid getting themselves into trouble.

In the big scheme of things, I consider glass polishing a more advanced skill. I think having some experience polishing paint is a good primer.

 

[FrankS]

Thanks for the post Mike!

I polished the windshield of a 94 Camry last weekend using the same method you used in one of your videos where you used a Flex PE14 rotary and a blue 5" Hybrid pad, except I used a 4" Hydro-Tech pad using the same product you used in the video, and after polishing, I noticed similar scratches as in the photos above.

At first I thought I had caused the scratches myself but then I realized that they were already there and the polishing must have exposed them. The scratches must have been caused by sand/dirt particles being dragged across the wipers as you mentioned. The car has spent its entire life in the West Palm Beach area, about 5 miles inland from the beach.

I suppose a good tip to keep this from happening would be to clean your windshields often and change you wiper blades when needed.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I suppose a good tip to keep this from happening would be to clean your windshields often and change you wiper blades when needed.

I honestly don't think you can realistically live at the coast at keep this from happening.

The sand is blown in the wind and I know from experience it's normal to jump in your car in the morning, start the engine and go to work. Right now when I do this around 6:30am it's dark and I'm not going to clean my windshield each morning. Plus I would have to drag out the Werner work platform.

This means any sand that has blown onto the windshield since I last used the wipers will be dragged across the windshield first thing as I almost always have to use my wipers in the morning.

I have a brand new windshield in my 1987 Silverado so any wiper scratches will be from my use of the truck. I had a brand new windshield in my 1975 Jimmy and after a few years of coastal living it too had wiper scratches.

It just goes with the territory...

Also, for you to remove the scratches in your windshield you're going to have to use something like the CarPro system.

 

[swanicyouth]

Maybe I'm nuts (probably), but I haven't used wipers in forever. If it's a crazy down pour - I'll use them. But, if you put a glass sealant on your windshield and keep it fairly fresh, water just flies off.

The less you use the wipers, the less scratches the glass will get - and the longer the sealant will last.

 

[dsg03gt]

Maybe I'm nuts (probably), but I haven't used wipers in forever. If it's a crazy down pour - I'll use them. But, if you put a glass sealant on your windshield and keep it fairly fresh, water just flies off.

The less you use the wipers, the less scratches the glass will get - and the longer the sealant will last.

I'm with you on that.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

 

[FrankS]

Maybe I'm nuts (probably), but I haven't used wipers in forever. If it's a crazy down pour - I'll use them. But, if you put a glass sealant on your windshield and keep it fairly fresh, water just flies off.

The less you use the wipers, the less scratches the glass will get - and the longer the sealant will last.

Sounds like good advice :xyxthumbs:

 

[AeroCleanse]

Mike, did you try GTechniq G4 glass polish as well?

 

[spiralout462]

Maybe I'm nuts (probably), but I haven't used wipers in forever. If it's a crazy down pour - I'll use them. But, if you put a glass sealant on your windshield and keep it fairly fresh, water just flies off.

The less you use the wipers, the less scratches the glass will get - and the longer the sealant will last.

:iagree: It drives my wife crazy when she's riding shotgun and I won't turn on my wipers. However that doesn't prevent the "meteor" that fell from the sky and put a bullseye right in my line of sight in my 2 week old pickup.

I have filled it but still don't want to break the factory seal.

 

[AutowerxDetailing]

I'm so glad to see this valuable information assembled into an easily accessible resource.

Being able to find and rely on CREDIBLE and FACTUALLY CORRECT information on the subject of glass polishing is an amazing resource for anyone looking to remove wiper haze and scratches in glass. With the right tools, knowledge, patience, (and the support of the kind folks on this forum) I'm sure anyone will be able to get their glass back to looking as good as new! :dblthumb2:

 

[rstark]

Maybe I'm nuts (probably), but I haven't used wipers in forever. If it's a crazy down pour - I'll use them. But, if you put a glass sealant on your windshield and keep it fairly fresh, water just flies off.

Does this work when you park on the street overnight and in high humidity where in the early morning, dew is on your windshield? You can't drive faster than 30mph for at least a mile and have no choice but to use the wipers to clear the glass?

I haven't tried any glass sealant on my car that's parked on the street at night and would consider using some if the morning dew doesn't develop on the glass. A little feedback please.

 

[HateSwirls]

Thanks Mike
Bookmarked.
Have a bad scratch on my windshield on my truck that bothers me and this will help me.

 

[Woob]

Wonderful guide! Good advice in regards to doing a test spot not in the driver's field of vision.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Wonderful guide! Good advice in regards to doing a test spot not in the driver's field of vision.

Exactly.

Don't ask me how I know... :bolt:

 

[Woob]

Exactly.

Don't ask me how I know... :bolt:

I feel your pain, glass polishing is devilish.