Cleaning the Windshield ???

[lenjen]

Does anyone have a good method of cleaning the Class A windshield without having to go back many times to remove the streaks? I have the ladder, Windex, Raine X, long and short squeegees, microfiber clothes and paper towels with no additives. Still the cleaning is a nightmare! Streaks! I finally give up, and have never been happy with the results.

[Winepress]

I use a commercial window cleaner that I bought at Home Depot. I dilute it with distilled water per label instructions. Clean with a sponge on a stick. Then I use a squeegee, a good one with soft rubber blade. Do this in the shade. In the sun, all bets are off.


Try and live up to your dogs opinion of you.

[Selah]

Four ought steal wool. Just make sure it is 0000 fine steal wool. It will not scratch the glass and leaves no residue.

[Wryly Blithe]

Streaks are a sign of something left behind - road tar, bug guts, crappy cleaner solutions... something. Forget the Windex, that stuff is the worst, and squeegees are really only good for quick touch-ups when you don't really care how it comes out.

I'm a real stickler about having a clean windshield, so I use any number of products depending on how dirty my windshield is to start with. If it's just bugs and dirt, I'll make a quick pass or two with some with 4-ought steel wool and then follow it up with a cleansing wipe-down with a damp microfiber cloth followed by a drying and polishing with a dry MF cloth.

If my windshield is grimy or greasy, I'll use Invisible Glass on it - with a microfiber towel, of course. It's never failed to clean anything off and leaves my glass sparkling.

BUT... the best advice is what to do BEFORE your windshield gets dirty or buggy: WAX IT! I use a waterless wash-n-wax on the whole rig, and it's brilliant for cleaning and protecting the glass as well. Instead of being stuck directly to the glass, bugs and dirt and grime are now only stuck to a layer of protective wax. It's not 100%, of course, but it makes a HUGE difference.

Hope this helps!

[Winepress]

Originally Posted by Wryly Blithe

Streaks are a sign of something left behind - road tar, bug guts, crappy cleaner solutions... something. Forget the Windex, that stuff is the worst, and squeegees are really only good for quick touch-ups when you don't really care how it comes out.

I'm a real stickler about having a clean windshield, so I use any number of products depending on how dirty my windshield is to start with. If it's just bugs and dirt, I'll make a quick pass or two with some with 4-ought steel wool and then follow it up with a cleansing wipe-down with a damp microfiber cloth followed by a drying and polishing with a dry MF cloth.

If my windshield is grimy or greasy, I'll use Invisible Glass on it - with a microfiber towel, of course. It's never failed to clean anything off and leaves my glass sparkling.

BUT... the best advice is what to do BEFORE your windshield gets dirty or buggy: WAX IT! I use a waterless wash-n-wax on the whole rig, and it's brilliant for cleaning and protecting the glass as well. Instead of being stuck directly to the glass, bugs and dirt and grime are now only stuck to a layer of protective wax. It's not 100%, of course, but it makes a HUGE difference.

Hope this helps!

What wash-n-wax do you use?
Thanks


Try and live up to your dogs opinion of you.

[lenjen]

Originally Posted by Wryly Blithe

If my windshield is grimy or greasy, I'll use Invisible Glass on it - with a microfiber towel, of course. It's never failed to clean anything off and leaves my glass sparkling.

BUT... the best advice is what to do BEFORE your windshield gets dirty or buggy: WAX IT! I use a waterless wash-n-wax on the whole rig, and it's brilliant for cleaning and protecting the glass as well. Instead of being stuck directly to the glass, bugs and dirt and grime are now only stuck to a layer of protective wax. It's not 100%, of course, but it makes a HUGE difference.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the replies...

I'm with you and hate a dirty windshield. I've never considered using wax on the WS because the hot-wax from the car wash causes a glare in the rain.

I do have and use the 0000 steel wool that take care of anything stuck on but not the streaks. I'll check into the Invisible Glass.

[bigben]

Best advice - is spray on Rainex 2 in 1. It is a window clean that leaves a Rainex finish on the windshield. As earlier noted - the streaks are IMO - residue left behind. The spray on Rainex cleaner makes the job of a clean windshield easier to get at.

[Benicia Tom]

I use a polish with my da polisher, this works like the steel wool mentioned in earlier thread, but so much easier and faster. Then I put a sealant on it, this works like rainex but wipes off much easier, the windshield sparkles.

[Stealth01]

OK, Sounds strange but here goes... Johnson Baby Shampoo (Baby Shampoo leaves no residue). I have an extension handle that takes two different heads, one is a mop and bug mat, the other will take micro fiber towels. Bucket of warm baby shampoo water and the mop/bug mat. Wet the upper windshield with mop, flip head over and scrub with the bug mat - removing the bugs, if really bad rewet the head often. Rewet/rinse the mop/bug mat and do lower portion of windshield (No, you do not rinse yet) Switch heads, dump the sudsy water and refill with fresh water. Soak a micro fiber towel (really wet) throw the towel on the "towel head" and wipe the upper windshield area, rinse towel, still very wet and rinse lower windshield. Now, rinse the towel and wring it out VERY DRY! Start on one side of windshield and wipe entire height of window, top to bottom. Work in vertical sections and rinse and wring out several times. You are done, can't remember the last time I pulled out the Windex and it's all done from the ground!!

[NMRVer]

1st - use soap and water to get rid of the big stuff
2nd - 0000 steel wool to remove the fine particles (super clean)
3rd - Rain-x to prevent sticking of future stuff.

my 2 cents

[britcon]

After a good scrub and wash with carwash soap, I use dryer sheets to remove streaks. Works well on runoff streaks from roof area.

[Mr_D]

I use Dry Wash N Guard and have for many years. No streaks and water won't stick now will you get water spots on the glass.
Disclaimer: I used to be a distributor/dealer but quit doing it years ago. However the product is still a great product.

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by NMRVer

1st - use soap and water to get rid of the big stuff
2nd - 0000 steel wool to remove the fine particles (super clean)
3rd - Rain-x to prevent sticking of future stuff.

my 2 cents

This.

[Ramets]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned micro fiber cloths. All I've been using for the past 5yrs. on the road is the cloths & water. I use one of those small scrubbing pads for pots & pans to get any bugs off.