Rain X?

Opti-Seal also works great on glass (better than it does on paint IMO!), 2 coats on the windshield, 1 coat everywhere else lasts a few months.

Duragloss Aquawax on glass also beads and sheets off water completely from glass.

Basically I use a combination of both!
 
I like rain-x, it's super cheap and does a good job. The downside as everyone said is durability. I don't think I have seen it last much longer than a month.

I just tried Menzerna PowerLock on the windshield of my work car last week. Tonight was the first rain since I applied it. When I first used the wipers it streakers like crazy. Then after a few minutes it stopped and glass was clean. Did not rain enough to put it to the test though. Hopefully it will do a better job than Rain-X in terms of durability.
 
I use it as well, but like others said it doesn't last too long. It does work pretty good though. I want to try opti glass just becuase it wont be easily rubbed off by the wipers ( or any coating in that category )
 
I love the orange Rain X 2 in 1 windshield washer fluid. All my cars have it and it cleans well and leaves a coating on the glass that repels water.
 
Just out of curiosity, those of you who say Rain-X doesn't last much longer than a month for you, what washer fluid are you using?

I have Pinnacle Window Sealant on my truck right now, and it seems to be lasting just as long as Rain-X for me. One big advantage to Pinnacle though is ease of application. I'll be doing a half and half of BL Diamond Surface Coating vs DP Glass Coating on my windshield at the end of the month to see how they stack up.
 
Aquapel works for me. I usually get over six months with one application.
 
I have used Rain-x with good results for its price. I have also used Adam's glass sealant and Nonoskin rain. Overall the nanoskin is the easiest to apply and has pretty good durability as well. Adams just cost to much for me to keep using.
 
I think this is one of those cases where its so easy to bash RainX because its not a boutique product and its cheap and readily available. Its probably one of the best performing over the counter products one can buy. I have used it, its super easy to apply, and I have no issue with its durability.

I tried Flyby30. Its not for the everyday user, its finicky to apply, and it did not last long at all for me.

There are probably better performing longer lasting glass treatments, but for the price and ease of use, RainX is excellent.
 
Like some others here, I found that Rain X doesn't last very long either.
I just put two coats of Opti-Seal on all the glass probably twice a year and maintain with Zaino Z8 or DG Aquawax....works wonders in the rain.
 
Rain X is a fine product and I have used it with good results. However, try some paint sealants you have. They may work just as well or better.
 
Chris's FX4 said:
Just out of curiosity, those of you who say Rain-X doesn't last much longer than a month for you, what washer fluid are you using?

I have Pinnacle Window Sealant on my truck right now, and it seems to be lasting just as long as Rain-X for me. One big advantage to Pinnacle though is ease of application. I'll be doing a half and half of BL Diamond Surface Coating vs DP Glass Coating on my windshield at the end of the month to see how they stack up.
Click to expand...

Here in Québec our washer fluids contain a lot of alcool because it gets really cold during the winter time. I am sure that is not good for any sealant but Rain-X seems really sensitive to it.

I tried PowerLock last week (or was it before?) and I am not impressed. Tonight it wasn't raining, but the window on the car was a bit dirty so I tried to clean them using the wipers... OMG I did not see anything for about 2 minutes. I am not sure if the problem is with the wiper blades or the PowerLock coating but I find it very strange that this problem happens right after I apply PowerLock.

It's like the wipers can't remove the water at all. Anyone ever experienced this? The windshield had a thick layer of water on it and the wipers did not do much to it. Never seen anything like this.
 
Rain-X is basically the simplest possible way of making glass water repellent. In detailing terminology, it is more like a filler than it is a sealant. This is the reason that durability is limited, especially with stronger screenwash - it is not strongly bonded to the glass so is relatively straightforward to remove.

With glass, there are a number of methods. There is this simple approach, there is then effectively the polymer sealant type approach and then the coating. I would not really want to name products in each class as I fear that would cause a fight with some. From the formulators point of view, glass products are fundamentally different to paint products. With the simple and mid approach, the ingredients used are not massively different to those in the paint products but there are notable difference. For a good start, we don't put all the oils and fillers into glass products. I know many here are saying they use paint products on glass but the textbook says that many of the ingredients in there have the potential of causing longer term issues with rubber/seals not to mention the shorter term potential for issues with wiper judder (mainly because of the same rubber problems).
 
PiPUK said:
Rain-X is basically the simplest possible way of making glass water repellent. In detailing terminology, it is more like a filler than it is a sealant. This is the reason that durability is limited, especially with stronger screenwash - it is not strongly bonded to the glass so is relatively straightforward to remove.

With glass, there are a number of methods. There is this simple approach, there is then effectively the polymer sealant type approach and then the coating. I would not really want to name products in each class as I fear that would cause a fight with some. From the formulators point of view, glass products are fundamentally different to paint products. With the simple and mid approach, the ingredients used are not massively different to those in the paint products but there are notable difference. For a good start, we don't put all the oils and fillers into glass products. I know many here are saying they use paint products on glass but the textbook says that many of the ingredients in there have the potential of causing longer term issues with rubber/seals not to mention the shorter term potential for issues with wiper judder (mainly because of the same rubber problems).
Click to expand...
A few years back I was a participant in a "Landolt C" type of visual-acuity-testing program,
involving two different (and unknown prior to testing) hydrophobic windshield treatments.

An Aside:
I received some very queer looks from the program administrators when
I asked if this was to be considered a double-blind test. But I digress.

The results were staggering in favor of Aquapel over RainX.
Following are the MSDS's for each of these products.

My question is:
Since the manufacturer of Aquapel claims that it chemically bonds to auto-glass:
Is this treatment a Sealant, or a Coating? Thanks.

Bob
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

AQUAPEL Glass Treatment MSDS
SECTION 2: INGREDIENTS: proprietary mixture...100%

(NOTE: I could be wrong but I thought I once saw an MSDS where it once said it was:
Naptha ~90%; and was an: alkylalkoxysilane/siloxanes solution)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rain-X Original Glass Treatment
(A mixture of water, alcohols and additives.)

2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Chemical Identity......CAS#.......Concentration
Ethanol.................64-17-5.............30-60%
Acetone ...................67-64-1.............10-30%
Isopropyl alcohol...67-63-0.............10-30%
 
I only use rain-X as my windshield washer fluid. Great stuff especially when driving on the interstates.
 
BillE said:
Been a faithful user for (at least) 30 years.

Bill
Click to expand...

THIS is me as well. :D

Although it is a royal PITA to get just right, the first time. High humidity or something not just right with you towel that you remove with and it'll not be so clear.

Do like the RainX washer fluid and/or additive.

Although I don't use it on everything just for that reason. But have, actually for darned near 40 years. :)

PiPUK said:
Rain-X is basically the simplest possible way of making glass water repellent. In detailing terminology, it is more like a filler than it is a sealant. This is the reason that durability is limited, especially with stronger screenwash - it is not strongly bonded to the glass so is relatively straightforward to remove.

With glass, there are a number of methods. There is this simple approach, there is then effectively the polymer sealant type approach and then the coating. I would not really want to name products in each class as I fear that would cause a fight with some. From the formulators point of view, glass products are fundamentally different to paint products. With the simple and mid approach, the ingredients used are not massively different to those in the paint products but there are notable difference. For a good start, we don't put all the oils and fillers into glass products. I know many here are saying they use paint products on glass but the textbook says that many of the ingredients in there have the potential of causing longer term issues with rubber/seals not to mention the shorter term potential for issues with wiper judder (mainly because of the same rubber problems).
Click to expand...

And with that, my new 'go to' is of course a sealant type product. In this instance that'd be BL850 Glass Coating. ;) The wife got it last week on her truck that is a DD with 110K on it. It's garaged at night, but she is far from easy on it. (I put it on my G as well, after polishing with GG pads and DP Glass Restorer, but that car only gets wet when I'm washing it. Like it's been in the rain 7~8 times since 2006.) :rolleyes:

I know it is seriously slick! Guess time will tell how the durability is. :dunno:
 
FUNX725 said:
My question is:
Since the manufacturer of Aquapel claims that it chemically bonds to auto-glass:
Is this treatment a Sealant, or a Coating? Thanks.

Bob
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

AQUAPEL Glass Treatment MSDS
SECTION 2: INGREDIENTS: proprietary mixture...100%

(NOTE: I could be wrong but I thought I once saw an MSDS where it once said it was:
Naptha ~90%; and was an: alkylalkoxysilane/siloxanes solution)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rain-X Original Glass Treatment
(A mixture of water, alcohols and additives.)

2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Chemical Identity......CAS#.......Concentration
Ethanol.................64-17-5.............30-60%
Acetone ...................67-64-1.............10-30%
Isopropyl alcohol...67-63-0.............10-30%
Click to expand...

That info would tell me that Aquapel is a sealant type product (not a bad thing). Rain-X says nothing apart from it is very high in water soluble solvents and makes most of the IPA dilutions used by AGers (which get stressed over massively!) look like soft drinks.
 
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