Video: How to remove water spots off glass

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Video: How to remove water spots off glass





Before I start doing the paint polishing on this 1964 Catalina I polished the glass. This is the order in how I work on cars personally and what I teach in my classes, that is machine polish the glass and headlights before washing and claying so you can remove any residues that might get on the paint. If you're going to detail the engine you would do this before washing and wiping clean first tackling the exterior paint.


Two things build up on glass,

  • Water Spots
  • Road Film

Normal spray-on glass cleaners won't remove built-up water spots or road film or any of the other gunk that builds up on your car's exterior glass so you need a glass polish with glass safe abrasive technology to mechanically abrade the glass and remove all the contaminants.


After you remove all the built-up contaminants then you can maintain the glass using spray on glass cleaner but keep in mind, over time, the water spots, road film and gunk will build-up and for this reason it's a good idea to machine polish your car's glass anytime you're going to detail your car or a customer's car.



On Autogeek.net

Pinnacle GlassWork Water Spot Remover

Pinnacle GlassCoat Window Sealant with Rain Repellent


Pinnacle Crystal Clear Glass Cleaner with Water Repellent



:)
 
As always excellent instruction mike. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into all these.
 
Mike, what plus would there be to polishing the glass with a product such as the Pinnacle Glasswork vs. claying?

Would it be just be to get the more etched in water spots? Or would this method clean better than a clay alone even without having to deal with water spots ?
 
Mike, what plus would there be to polishing the glass with a product such as the Pinnacle Glasswork vs. claying?

Would it be just be to get the more etched in water spots? Or would this method clean better than a clay alone even without having to deal with water spots ?


Machine polishing glass gets it clean right down to a fresh base. Claying won't do that.

This car and my fiancé's Honda both were machine polished over the weekend and it makes a huge difference.

Birthday Detail - Stacy's Honda



I should have tried to capture the stains on the glass on this Honda but I was pressed for time, (plus I do lots of pictures all the time, once in a while I'm taking a break from all the picture work).


I've been machine polishing glass all my detailing life, it's an important part of any buff-out for daily drivers and older cars.




:)
 
I just cleaned the glass on my car this past weekend using the Lake Country glass cutting pads paired with Detailer’s Pro Series High Performance Glass Restorer. The windshield had minimal spotting and I thought this would do the trick. Did a small test spot using the GG random orbital and now my windshield is trashed...deep scratches and swirls. Why would this combo do this and is there a way to correct these deep scratches?
 
I just cleaned the glass on my car this past weekend using the Lake Country glass cutting pads paired with Detailer’s Pro Series High Performance Glass Restorer. The windshield had minimal spotting and I thought this would do the trick. Did a small test spot using the GG random orbital and now my windshield is trashed...deep scratches and swirls. Why would this combo do this and is there a way to correct these deep scratches?


Someone asked a similar question on the YouTube comments section for this YouTube video, here's what I wrote,



This video and these products are NOT for removing scratches, (defects "IN" the glass), this video and these products are for removing water spots, gunk and road film "ON" the glass.


To remove defects in the glass you need a quality glass polish that uses Cerium Oxide. I know there's a lot of people that want to remove scratches out of glass but the new Pinnacle GlassWork is just for removing water spots, (minerals), and other gunk and road film off the surface of glass.

I just read the page for the Detailer's High Performance Glass Restorer and it does not state this product can be used with the Lake Country glass cutting pads.

These pads for those who have never used or even seen one are very hard and flat and when used with the wrong type of abrasive can cause scratches in glass.

I have some experimental glass polish and used the Lake Country Pads on my fiancé's windshield this last weekend and using the right abrasive technology they work really well. So it's vitally important to match the right pads with the right products when working on glass.

This is a picture of the windshield on Stacy's car from the last time I tested a glass polishing product.

ScratchesINGlass007.jpg


This last weekend I did the lower portion. Yes, she's been driving around for 2-3 months with only half the windshield polished.


I recommend you do an advanced search using the words

Cerium Oxide


You'll find some threads from other forum members sharing how they removed scratches in glass.

Advanced Search

:)
 
Thanks for the tip on Cerium Oxide...i'll look into that. What I don't understand is why the glass pad and designated glass polish cut so abrasively into my windshield. Carefully read the description for both products before ordering and applied both products exactly as their instructions stated, but now have a damaged windshield. The DP glass restorer instructions state it's recommended to be used with a dual action polisher on low speed (which I did) and the glass pads as well as glass restorer both state they are to remove waterspots from glass which is exactly what I was aiming to do. Any help on why this damaged my windshield instead of correcting the waterspots is greatly appreciated. Again, I was trying to remove waterspots from my glass, not scratches. I'm only interested in how to remove the scratches now that the products I bought and used damaged my windshield. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Excellent video as always, on a off subject the polisher seems to have an extender on it, curious what that is used for versus the traditional way. Does autogeek sell that attachment, if so what is it called and can that be used for the XC 3401.

Thanks Chris aka Italian Guy
 
Mike, it looks like you used a Blue LC 5" Hybrid pad, is that correct?

Also, what speed did you use on the rotary?
 
Thanks for the tip on Cerium Oxide...i'll look into that.

It's the only product that works on glass to my knowledge.


What I don't understand is why the glass pad and designated glass polish cut so abrasively into my windshield. Carefully read the description for both products before ordering and applied both products exactly as their instructions stated, but now have a damaged windshield.

The DP glass restorer instructions state it's recommended to be used with a dual action polisher on low speed (which I did) and the glass pads as well as glass restorer both state they are to remove water spots from glass which is exactly what I was aiming to do.



I think there's some confusion here...

The Lake Country Glass Cutting Pad is designed for removing scratches out of glass when used with the right polish.

The right polish is a polish that contains Cerium Oxide. In this video I'm using Pinnacle Glassworks Waterspot Remover and it does NOT contain Cerium Oxide. I"m also using it with a FOAM PAD as the directions state.

On the page for the Lake Country Glass Cutting Pads, this one...


Lake Country Glass Cutting Pads

The page recommends a product that is no longer in stock. Here's a screenshot I just took and outlined the product recommendation reference.

Lake_Country_Glass_Cutting_Pad.jpg





No where on the page does it recommend to use any other product. I'll bring this to management's attention and have them update the page.




Any help on why this damaged my windshield instead of correcting the waterspots is greatly appreciated. Again, I was trying to remove waterspots from my glass, not scratches.

I'm only interested in how to remove the scratches now that the products I bought and used damaged my windshield.

Thanks in advance for your help.


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.

CarPro_Ceriglass_Glass-Polish.jpg



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

CarPro Rayon Glass Polishing Pad

And a screenshot highlighting the pertinent information...

CarPro_Rayon_Glass_Polishing_Pad.jpg



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.

The only articles I have written that show removing scratches out of glass always show polishes that use Cerium Oxide with glass polishing discs.


I found a post you made in this thread,

Swirls in Glass


Where another member used the WRONG product and instilled scratches into his car's windshield.

If you read through the thread, like I'm doing in this thread, I politely pointed out where he went wrong and then I was able to find some Diamondite Resurfacing Creme, send it to him and with this product, the right product he was able to remove the defects he put in using the wrong product.


See Post #17


***Update***

I'm working on getting you and Excessive Detail some glass polish that will help you to undo the damage.


Just to note, the Diamondite Glasswork Restore is recommended for use with a foam pad, not the Lake Country Glass Cutting pads on the page for the product on the Autogeek store.


Diamondite® Glasswork Restorer


I'll send you a PM as soon as I get some product.


:)



So I have experience finding the ROOT CAUSE of the problem and then helping the person correct the issue.


In Post #31 of the Swirls in Glass thread, you wrote this,

I used the DP glass polish combined with the Lake Country glass pads using my Griot's Garage 6" polisher on my windshield and it's scratched all over just like the pics in this thread.

Very frustrated that my initial problem was just waterspots,

I followed Mike's how-to thread, and now I have a badly scratched windshield.


And in Post #36 I replied...


I used the DP glass polish combined with the Lake Country glass pads using my Griot's Garage 6" polisher on my windshield and it's scratched all over just like the pics in this thread.

I'm holding a bottle of the Detailer's Pro Series High Performance Glass Restorer and the directions state to use it with foam or microfiber applicator pad by hand and by machine the label states to use a polishing pad. Polishing pad isn't super specific but most people would assume a foam pad and if not a foam pad possibly a polishing lambswool pad.

I'll send an e-mail to management today recommending they do a rolling change to the labels for this product and specifically state the specific pads for this product.

One thing for sure though, the label does NOT state to use this product with a Lake Country Glass Cutting Pad.

Glass polishing discs, to my knowledge are only for use with glass polishes that use Cerium Oxide for the abrasive technology.

Detailer's Pro Series High Performance Glass restore does NOT use Cerium Oxide.


Very frustrated that my initial problem was just waterspots,

I feel your frustration because I've used glass polishes the wrong way and I too have instilled scratches, not removed them. I then did the research and follow-up work to remove them using a glass polish that contains Cerium Oxide.



I followed Mike's how-to thread, and now I have a badly scratched windshield.


Now here's where you're going to have to help everyone reading this thread.


Please find ANY article where I state to use Detailer's Pro Series High Performance Glass Restorer with a Lake Country Glass Cutting Pad and/or a Lake Country Glass Cutting Pad and a Griot's Garage DA Polisher.


I can tell you right now you're not going to find one because I've never written a how to article telling people to use this product with this type of cutting disc.

If you can find the article... please post the link.


:dunno:


From what I can tell, you used the wrong product with the wrong pad but state you were following the directions in one of my how-to articles.

I'm happy to try my best to help you remove the scratches you've instilled into your car's windshield as we here at Autogeek strive to offer the very best in customer service.

:)
 
Excellent video as always, on a off subject the polisher seems to have an extender on it, curious what that is used for versus the traditional way.


Hi Chris,

Technically these little guys are called Adapter as then enable you to use a Double Sided Wool Pad on a rotary buffer.

I use them as extensions. Now days I think people call them both.


Check out this article to see how they work for their original intended use.

Meguiar's Double Sided 100% Wool Cutting Pad

W5000DoubleSided012.jpg







Does autogeek sell that attachment, if so what is it called and can that be used for the XC 3401.

Thanks Chris aka Italian Guy



We carry to brands, see below and no they do not and will not work on ANY type of dual action polisher.






On Autogeek.net

Lake Country Double-Sided Pad Rotary Buffer Adapter
LakeCountryRBExtension.jpg



Optimum Double-Sided Pad Rotary Buffer Adapter
OptimumyRBExtension.jpg



:xyxthumbs:
 
Mike, it looks like you used a Blue LC 5" Hybrid pad, is that correct?

Also, what speed did you use on the rotary?


Yes I was using the 5" Hybrid Blue Cutting pad as its' a fairly coarse foam formula. You need a 4" rotary buffer backing plate to use these pads and we carry these here at Autogeek.

As for speed, I picked up my bead on the fly at 600 RPM and then bumped it up to what sounds like the 2-3 speed setting on the Flex PE14 which is around 900 RPM to 1200 RPM if memory serves me correctly.


What are you working on?


:)
 
Mike,

Would it be safe to say that if the same products, buffer and techniques were followed on your video on "How to Remove Water Spots off Glass", that no scratches or marring would be instilled in the glass?

The reason I ask this question is because over the weekend I used the same product (Pinnacle GlassWork Water Spot Remover), rotary buffer (Flex PE 14) and technique on the windshield of a 1994 Toyota Camry, except that I used a LC 4" Hydro-Tech Cyan pad with an approximate speed of 1000-1200 rpm and I noticed quite a bit of marring and swirls on the windshield after the polishing step.

After close examination, I noticed that most of the swirls were in the direction the windshield wiper travels, semi-circular, and I buffed going up and down and side to side as in your video. Which makes me think that these swirls were there before since the car is about 20 years old and the polishing just exposed them.
 
Did a small test spot using the GG random orbital and now my windshield is trashed...deep scratches and swirls.

The scratches are limited to only the Test Spot correct? Not the entire windshield?


To everyone reading this into the future here's a tip... when machine polishing glass, never do your testing on the glass directly in front of the field of view of the driver.

Always test on a side window or the passenger side of the windshield. Then if by chance something does go wrong, you won't create a safety issue for the driver.




is there a way to correct these deep scratches?

I have an open bottle of Ceriglass in my product inventory that's mostly full. I would be happy to have this sent to you in Hawaii with any future order you place.



:)
 
Would this technique be what I would utilize for these defects in this picture? My car is a year old with 16k highway miles and the windows look fine after cleaning but I know there is still a film after seeing this a few mornings ago. This is sealed and clayed glass also by the way.
ZxncQiH.jpg

lDtww0u.jpg


Sent from my SCH-I545 using AG Online
 
Completely unrelated but from a production stand point I think you should invest in a wireless microphone, it'll clean the audio up a lot

Otherwise great video


Sent from space through a satellite
 
Would this technique be what I would utilize for these defects in this picture?

For glass in this first window it's hard to tell but it looks like wiper scratches?

If so, I would get the CarPro Ceriglass and polish the glass starting by doing some testing and dialing in your technique on either,

  • A car that's not important to you.
  • The passenger side of the windshield
  • Or a side window.





What I see on the above glass is Road Film and trails from where water runs down in a uniform manner. You can probably get by with this using a glass polish for removing water spots. That said, the Ceriglass and the CarPro Rayon pads would remove this film too...


You're pictures by the way are freaking HUGE! Over 3000 pixels wide. Check out Easy Thumbnails and resize to 800 pixels wide. Our forum software displays a smaller size when people "read" the thread but when I "reply" they show up as full size and it makes it a paint in the rear to type out a reply. I post hundreds of pictures every week and I resize all of them to 800 pixels wide for a host of reason of which one is as a courtesy to everyone I interact with on the forum.

Just a friendly tip...


:cheers:
 
Completely unrelated but from a production stand point I think you should invest in a wireless microphone, it'll clean the audio up a lot

Otherwise great video


Sent from space through a satellite


Thanks....

I made that video by placing my iPhone in a tripod stand sitting on a 5-gallon bucket turned upside down on a rolling cart.


I've tried to find a way to hook a Bluetooth mic to my iPhone back when I made this video but at the time the technology didn't exist.

I now have a brand new 5s and possibly there's a way to do this?


:dunno:
 
Thanks....

I made that video by placing my iPhone in a tripod stand sitting on a 5-gallon bucket turned upside down on a rolling cart.


I've tried to find a way to hook a Bluetooth mic to my iPhone back when I made this video but at the time the technology didn't exist.

I now have a brand new 5s and possibly there's a way to do this?


:dunno:


Oh wow the quality looked better the an iPhone and I assumed it was shot on something bigger then just a phone, it's be interesting to see if you could hook up a mic through Bluetooth and get it to work while filming


Sent from space through a satellite
 
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