The Art of Cleaning Glass

[rlestra5]

Does anyone else find it very difficult to get their car glass the way they want it? I use Sprayway Glass Cleaner -- which is known to be a fantastic, ammonia-free glass cleaner for car windows -- along with a microfiber towel. And yet still when the sun hits my windows I can see smears (wipe marks/residue) where I've applied the cleaner.

I've been told to use less glass cleaner. I've also been told to use a separate microfiber towel to wipe away any residue when I'm finished the first time around. I've tried both, and the results are still far from perfect. I still notice a haze, as I've mentioned above, when bright light (the sun, street lamps) shine on my windows.

I'm a perfectionist with this kind of thing, and I really want to get it right, so I'd be curious to hear what might work once and for all.

[Tillmanator]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

I've never had a problem cleaning my glass. I've tried to get my hands on some of the NXT glass cleaner but ADS does not seem to have it and I can't find it anywhere so I have been using Eagle One glass cleaner.

I use cheap microfibers from AutoZone to get the dirty stuff off and then finish with a glass towel. It's like a silky thing... it doesn't have a nap on it like regular microfibers or terrys.

This seems to work great for me. My windows are a vision to behold.

Are you cleaning both the inside AND the outside? Are the windows so dirty in the first place that you need to do more passes with the micro and some cleaner?

I live right on the beach so my big ocean view windows get really dirty and salty and all that. When I do a cleaning for them I have to wash several times... sometimes as many as four... before I can do a final wipe with the glass towel and see no streaks.

Good luck!

[ken_ja]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

I'm using the NXT Glass Cleaner with supreme shine mf, it works pretty well but the mf leaves behind some small fibres that the sun seems to just loves highlighting on the morning drive to work. Any advice?

p.s. I follow the instructrions on the bottle, spray on, wipe with one side of mf, turn mf and wipe dry.

[roushstage2]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

Are you washing the Microfiber towels with any other type towel?
Microfiber towels are lint free (should be), but can definitely pick up loose fibers from other towels if they are washed together. All Microfiber towels should be washed separately from other types of towels.

Are the Microfiber towels "used" or are they still relatively new?
After they have been used and washed over and over, like anything else, they start to deteriorate and that could be causing the fibers to come loose while using them.

[ken_ja]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

Haven't had them for two months yet and they are washed by themselves. Could it be how I wash them and how often. They are washed daily due to the fact that they are the ones I use in the morning. I pre-rinse in warm soapy water, then leave them to soak in new soapy water for the day until i get home from work. Rinse them out and hang them out to dry. I use powdered detergent to wash them.

[EAT HEMI]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

I use powdered detergent to wash them.

Thats not typically recommended - for fear the powder doesn't dissolve.

I just use Woolite and rinse until the rinse water is clear.

[onawrxhigh]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

ken_ja,

I would switch from the powdered detergent to a liquid detergent. Sometimes not all of the powder will disolve in the water and that could be leave behind a soap residue. I also dedicated about 6 of my micro fiber towels for windows only and wash them seperate from other micro fiber towels.

Andrew

[BigLeegr]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

Some suggestions:
Rub with more pressure. If you are 'lightly buffing' the glass, you may not be removing the grease etc. but rather just smearing it a bit.
Rub more slowly. Give the cloth a chance to pick up the grime.
Rub/buff the glass thoroughly. If you leave anything behind, you are going to get streaks/haze. Make sure your last buffing is with a clean cloth, otherwise you'll just be pushing the grime around.
Try 2 or 3 different glass cleaners one after the other. It's possible that the cleaner you are using isn't totally effective on the film you have.

[RDVT4ME]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

One trick I learned from a professional detailer is that most people use too much product. Less is better.

[roushstage2]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

I agree with others- use liquid detergent. I always run an extra rinse cycle or two. Also, be aware of how much product is being used. A little is a lot on windows.

[ken_ja]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

Thanks guys.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

One trick I learned from a professional detailer is that most people use too much product. Less is better.

Yes, I learned that exact same thing! I now use much less product and follow up the initial wiping with a dry terry towel.

[Black Bart]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

Do you use the same towels that you use to remove QD or wax.

I use separate towels my glass towels never touch anything other than glass
I would soak them in APC and water mixed with 25% APC then wash them with liquid tide. Do a double rinse and dry on low heat.

When nearly dry finish drying with the air dry feature this will make then soft.

If the glass has grim use Bon-Ami and this will remove everything then follow with glass cleaner.
I use Bon-Ami about three times a year on my show car because it really cleans better than a normal glass cleaner can because of the mild abrasives but after using it just use glass cleaner should work well for a good time.

[Murr1525]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

I dont do anthing too speacial. I like the Target brand towels, and I have a few GE towels that I use for glass and other non-paint related jobs.

Just one spritz of Nxt Glass Cleaner and a wipe around (or half of the front/back glass) and that side is clean. Then some RainX on the outside.

I clay the outside every so often, and do use the UQD after regular washes.

[RaskyR1]

Re: The Art of Cleaning Glass

I use Huck Surgical towels; I always use one for the initial cleaning and another dry one to quickly follow up with before the cleaner is completely dry. Huck towels are lint free and they don't leave behind those tiny fibers on the glass like some MF do.