Glass Cleaning 101
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08-06-2005 | 04:41 PM
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Glass Cleaning 101
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Glass Cleaning
Cleaning automotive glass is tricky, but well worth doing. Clean, clear glass looks beautiful next to clean, waxed paint. Plus, clear glass will give you optimum visibility when driving. That’s a safety feature you can’t afford to overlook. Just a few extra minutes will add the finishing touch to your vehicle and give you a clear view of the road ahead.
Glass Cleaners
Most glass cleaners contain ammonia, which is a good cleaner but it has some disadvantages. It releases fumes that should not be inhaled in enclosed areas, like the inside of your vehicle. Also, it can dry out plastic, rubber, vinyl, and leather. Overspray is not an option with an ammonia cleaner. Plus, you cannot use ammonia on tinted windows. Chances are, if a glass cleaner does not contain ammonia, it will say “ammonia-free” or “safe for tinted windows”. If the label doesn’t say one way or the other, assume the worst and find another cleaner. Avoid household glass cleaners, which almost all contain ammonia. Some examples of tint-safe cleaners are Stoner Invisible Glass, Mother’s Glass Cleaner, and Meguiar’s NXT Generation Glass Cleaner.
Here’s a tip for tinted windows: Use Plexus to polish and protect the tint. Apply it only to the inside of the glass where tint is visible. It will seal the tint material (Mylar) and keep it clean. Plexus is non-static, non-streaking, and it dries crystal clear.
Some people prefer to use plain water to clean their windows. While this is a very safe method, it may not be effective on stubborn spots, like bug splatter. However, a glass-cleaning microfiber towel, like the Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel, will provide a gentle scrubbing action to help remove contamination. Dampen this towel lightly and clean the glass. Then buff the glass dry using a dry microfiber towel. High quality microfiber does not produce lint and is extremely absorbent to prevent streaks.
Professional tip: Many detailers use newspaper to dry automotive glass because it will not produce lint. This is not a bad option, but be sure to wash the ink off your hands before touching other areas of the vehicle.
Clean by numbers
1. Detail your vehicle. Glass should be the last thing you do to avoid re-contaminating it during the detailing process.
2. Work out of the sun on dry windows. The sun can cause glass cleaner to evaporate too quickly and leave streaks.
3. Lightly dampen your microfiber towel with your cleaner of choice. Wipe down your windshield, and then immediately buff it with a dry microfiber towel, like the Miracle Towel. This will prevent streaks. Do the same on the outside of the back windshield.
4. When you clean your windows, be sure to roll them down to clean the top edge.
5. Whether you clean all your inside glass first, all the outside glass, or window by window is up to you. The advantage to cleaning one window at a time is that you’ll immediately see any streaks you left on the outside when you get in to clean the inside.
6. You can’t always get it right the first time. It may take a mist of glass cleaner to remove stubborn film and then another cleaning with plain water to remove any streaks created by the film. It all depends on exactly what is on your glass. Don’t be afraid to use more than one cleaner on the same window, if that’s what it takes.
7. When you clean the inside of the back windshield, it may be helpful to use the backside of your hand to hold the towel ag
Glass Cleaning
Cleaning automotive glass is tricky, but well worth doing. Clean, clear glass looks beautiful next to clean, waxed paint. Plus, clear glass will give you optimum visibility when driving. That’s a safety feature you can’t afford to overlook. Just a few extra minutes will add the finishing touch to your vehicle and give you a clear view of the road ahead.
Glass Cleaners
Most glass cleaners contain ammonia, which is a good cleaner but it has some disadvantages. It releases fumes that should not be inhaled in enclosed areas, like the inside of your vehicle. Also, it can dry out plastic, rubber, vinyl, and leather. Overspray is not an option with an ammonia cleaner. Plus, you cannot use ammonia on tinted windows. Chances are, if a glass cleaner does not contain ammonia, it will say “ammonia-free” or “safe for tinted windows”. If the label doesn’t say one way or the other, assume the worst and find another cleaner. Avoid household glass cleaners, which almost all contain ammonia. Some examples of tint-safe cleaners are Stoner Invisible Glass, Mother’s Glass Cleaner, and Meguiar’s NXT Generation Glass Cleaner.
Here’s a tip for tinted windows: Use Plexus to polish and protect the tint. Apply it only to the inside of the glass where tint is visible. It will seal the tint material (Mylar) and keep it clean. Plexus is non-static, non-streaking, and it dries crystal clear.
Some people prefer to use plain water to clean their windows. While this is a very safe method, it may not be effective on stubborn spots, like bug splatter. However, a glass-cleaning microfiber towel, like the Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel, will provide a gentle scrubbing action to help remove contamination. Dampen this towel lightly and clean the glass. Then buff the glass dry using a dry microfiber towel. High quality microfiber does not produce lint and is extremely absorbent to prevent streaks.
Professional tip: Many detailers use newspaper to dry automotive glass because it will not produce lint. This is not a bad option, but be sure to wash the ink off your hands before touching other areas of the vehicle.
Clean by numbers
1. Detail your vehicle. Glass should be the last thing you do to avoid re-contaminating it during the detailing process.
2. Work out of the sun on dry windows. The sun can cause glass cleaner to evaporate too quickly and leave streaks.
3. Lightly dampen your microfiber towel with your cleaner of choice. Wipe down your windshield, and then immediately buff it with a dry microfiber towel, like the Miracle Towel. This will prevent streaks. Do the same on the outside of the back windshield.
4. When you clean your windows, be sure to roll them down to clean the top edge.
5. Whether you clean all your inside glass first, all the outside glass, or window by window is up to you. The advantage to cleaning one window at a time is that you’ll immediately see any streaks you left on the outside when you get in to clean the inside.
6. You can’t always get it right the first time. It may take a mist of glass cleaner to remove stubborn film and then another cleaning with plain water to remove any streaks created by the film. It all depends on exactly what is on your glass. Don’t be afraid to use more than one cleaner on the same window, if that’s what it takes.
7. When you clean the inside of the back windshield, it may be helpful to use the backside of your hand to hold the towel ag
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