How To Properly Clean Windshield & Glasses?

[nanu.007]

Hi,
I clean my windshield and all the side mirrors myself, using 2 microfiber clothes with water or sometimes with rain x. Now I use I the mf cloth, the wet one, to clean with water/rainx and the other dry one to buff it. But no matter how much I buff, there are always stains left. I don't use paper as other people use as I think that I will end up damaging it. Can someone please share a tutorial video for noobs like me?

 

[CRACING]

Can you please give more details about those stains? Is it hard water spots, tar spots, tree sap or anything else?

Stains that cannot be removed with regular wash or glass cleaner are bonded strongly to the surface so you have to use car detailing clay bar to get rid of them. Cheap Chinese clay costs few hundreds and premium once for around 1500. Former can be found in Amazon India, Aliexpress and for latter check Autofresh, Detailedclean, Greenzcarcare, Ultimatedetailerz and etc. Incase clay also doesn't help then glass polishing is required and is done by professionals.

For cleaning hard water stains, there are cheap and easy methods (i.e using vinegar, baking soda, kerosene and even diesel) and I believe these will work but I haven't tried it personally especially on the windshield to advice anyone. If you wanna try it, search on google on "how to clean stains on glass" and make sure to wash the glass with strong shampoo once done otherwise the wiper blade may act weird.

 

[Nairrk]

During the last service on my car, I made a complaint that wiper blades making sound when on use, especially when it is moving downward. TAMO supplied me with a windshield washer fluid and after using that though the wiper sound has not gone fully but the windshield has become very clean.

Unfortunately, no brand name given in that bottle as seems it has made for Tata Motors but the manufacture name printed as ''ELVI Bardahi India Pvt Ltd, Maharastra. May be other brand windshield washer fluid can be available in the market which you may try..?

 

[350Z]

Now I use I the mf cloth, the wet one, to clean with water/rainx and the other dry one to buff it. But no matter how much I buff, there are always stains left.

I don’t use any particular car care products for mirrors and windows. Simply a combination of Colin and microfiber cloth works wonders. Give it a shot. It’ll be sufficient for regular stains.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[nanu.007]

Can you please give more details about those stains? Is it hard water spots, tar spots, tree sap or anything else?

Stains that cannot be removed with regular wash or glass cleaner are bonded strongly to the surface so you have to use car detailing clay bar to get rid of them. Cheap Chinese clay costs few hundreds and premium once for around 1500. Former can be found in Amazon India, Aliexpress and for latter check Autofresh, Detailedclean, Greenzcarcare, Ultimatedetailerz and etc. Incase clay also doesn't help then glass polishing is required and is done by professionals.

For cleaning hard water stains, there are cheap and easy methods (i.e using vinegar, baking soda, kerosene and even diesel) and I believe these will work but I haven't tried it personally especially on the windshield to advice anyone. If you wanna try it, search on google on "how to clean stains on glass" and make sure to wash the glass with strong shampoo once done otherwise the wiper blade may act weird.

During the last service on my car, I made a complaint that wiper blades making sound when on use, especially when it is moving downward. TAMO supplied me with a windshield washer fluid and after using that though the wiper sound has not gone fully but the windshield has become very clean.

Unfortunately, no brand name given in that bottle as seems it has made for Tata Motors but the manufacture name printed as ''ELVI Bardahi India Pvt Ltd, Maharastra. May be other brand windshield washer fluid can be available in the market which you may try..?

I don’t use any particular car care products for mirrors and windows. Simply a combination of Colin and microfiber cloth works wonders. Give it a shot. It’ll be sufficient for regular stains.

Drive Safe,
350Z

Thank you friends. It is something like this, but to some less extent
water spots left on car windshield - Google Search:
I use a simple water sprayer to spray water, clean it with a clean mf cloth, then use another clean mf cloth to buff it off. It becomes clean but later on, after completely drying these kinda spots are there which becomes an obstacle while driving. What can I do to avoid them?

Nair sir what is TAMO? In my car the during service then filled the windshield washer fluid, with some brand which as per them is good, they charged around 200 for the small hand sized bottle. Where can we buy a good one like that?

350Z sir unfortunately I am getting stains. What can I do to avoid them?

 

[Nairrk]

Nair sir what is TAMO?

TAMO means Tata Motors.
Hope the water you used to clean is not dirty. In case the water is dirty or light coloured (mud or clay coloured) then you will get dirty spots on the windshield once it is dried up.

(It happens here. We use well water and during summer the water level goes down and at that time water pumped out will get some sort of mud from the bottom of the well. When I use that kind of water to clean any glossy surface, then the dirty spots will appear once the water is fully dried up).

 

[nanu.007]

TAMO means Tata Motors.
Hope the water you used to clean is not dirty. In case the water is dirty or light coloured (mud or clay coloured) then you will get dirty spots on the windshield once it is dried up.

(It happens here. We use well water and during summer the water level goes down and at that time water pumped out will get some sort of mud from the bottom of the well. When I use that kind of water to clean any glossy surface, then the dirty spots will appear once the water is fully dried up).

Thanks. Sir why would I use dirty water to clean windhshield? It is totally clean water. I think either I am not buffing well or something. The condensation that is formed on the glass in winters, think of the spots that I am talking about the same.

 

[CRACING]

Thanks. Sir why would I use dirty water to clean windhshield? It is totally clean water. I think either I am not buffing well or something. The condensation that is formed on the glass in winters, think of the spots that I am talking about the same.

Dirty water means tap water or bore water. Even if it looks clean, it will have salt contents and once dried, it will appear as water spots. Use filtered water for cleaning windshield and other glasses. Microfibers should be rinsed thoroughly rinse otherwise soap residue will cause similar issues next time when you use it for drying or buffing. I use glass squeezer to dry the windshield and other glasses. It works better then drying with microfiber but the glass should free of dust particles. Make sure inner glass is also clean.

Incase you still see water spots, may be those are old and strongly bonded to the surface. Like I have said in my previous post, you need to try aggressive products. Start with mild vinegar on one spot, rinse it with damp cloth and buff off. If it goes away then follow suit.

 

[nanu.007]

Dirty water means tap water or bore water. Even if it looks clean, it will have salt contents and once dried, it will appear as water spots. Use filtered water for cleaning windshield and other glasses. Microfibers should be rinsed thoroughly rinse otherwise soap residue will cause similar issues next time when you use it for drying or buffing. I use glass squeezer to dry the windshield and other glasses. It works better then drying with microfiber but the glass should free of dust particles. Make sure inner glass is also clean.

Incase you still see water spots, may be those are old and strongly bonded to the surface. Like I have said in my previous post, you need to try aggressive products. Start with mild vinegar on one spot, rinse it with damp cloth and buff off. If it goes away then follow suit.

Sir check these two photos

http://imgur.com/a/CwH4oCG

There is this type of haziness. What should be done for this? Clean with wet mf wet with simple water, then dry with a dry mf, then use a newspaper. Will this method work? Can the newspaper cause scratches?

 

[CRACING]

Sir check these two photos

Is this after cleaning the glass? Looks horrible.

There is this type of haziness. What should be done for this? Clean with wet mf wet with simple water, then dry with a dry mf, then use a newspaper. Will this method work? Can the newspaper cause scratches?

It will only cause scratches if the glass is dirty but you can clean with shampoo and buff off or wipe with newspaper. If you still get haze then I guess there is something wrong with the glass. Go to detailing shop like 3m and get it checked.

 

[nanu.007]

Is this after cleaning the glass? Looks horrible.


It will only cause scratches if the glass is dirty but you can clean with shampoo and buff off or wipe with newspaper. If you still get haze then I guess there is something wrong with the glass. Go to detailing shop like 3m and get it checked.

Plus the foggy weather here has made it look more bad.
I will try with newspaper. The only thing stopping me was whether it will cause scratches or not. Is this method fine> Clean with wet mf wet with simple water, then dry with a dry mf, then use a newspaper?

 

[CRACING]

Plus the foggy weather here has made it look more bad.

Oh okay.

I will try with newspaper. The only thing stopping me was whether it will cause scratches or not. Is this method fine> Clean with wet mf wet with simple water, then dry with a dry mf, then use a newspaper?

Too dirty glass - Wash with shampoo and MF -> Rinse -> buff with dry MF or wipe off with glass squeeze
Medium dirty glass - Spray glass cleaner -> buff with dry MF or Spray glass cleaner on wet MF -> wipe the glass -> buff with dry MF or wipe off with glass squeeze
Light dirty glass -> Clean with wet MF -> buff with dry MF

When using glass squeeze, the glass should be wet and free of dust.

After cleaning with dry mf or glass squeeze, the glass should be crystal clean. You can use newspaper but its not advisable for regular cleaning.

 

[nanu.007]

Oh okay.


Too dirty glass - Wash with shampoo and MF -> Rinse -> buff with dry MF or wipe off with glass squeeze
Medium dirty glass - Spray glass cleaner -> buff with dry MF or Spray glass cleaner on wet MF -> wipe the glass -> buff with dry MF or wipe off with glass squeeze
Light dirty glass -> Clean with wet MF -> buff with dry MF

When using glass squeeze, the glass should be wet and free of dust.

After cleaning with dry mf or glass squeeze, the glass should be crystal clean. You can use newspaper but its not advisable for regular cleaning.

Thanks.
Instead of this
Medium dirty glass - Spray glass cleaner -> buff with dry MF or Spray glass cleaner on wet MF -> wipe the glass -> buff with dry MF or wipe off with glass squeeze
I was doing this
Spray Formula 1 glass cleaner ->wipe with water wet mf then buff with dry MF but I got the results as shown above. Should I just follow the bold part?
Newspaper cleaning after all above steps have been followed? If it doesn't cause scratches then why isn't it advisable for regular cleaning? Had to ask, just curious.

 

[CRACING]

Thanks.
Instead of this
Medium dirty glass - Spray glass cleaner -> buff with dry MF or Spray glass cleaner on wet MF -> wipe the glass -> buff with dry MF or wipe off with glass squeeze
I was doing this
Spray Formula 1 glass cleaner ->wipe with water wet mf then buff with dry MF but I got the results as shown above. Should I just follow the bold part?
Newspaper cleaning after all above steps have been followed? If it doesn't cause scratches then why isn't it advisable for regular cleaning? Had to ask, just curious.

May be Formula 1 glass cleaner is causing haze? Try using other product or just a clean water and check the glass once its dry.

Using newspaper isn't advisable because we cannot be 100% sure that it will not cause scratches and car glasses these days aren't hard as old car's. Infact newspaper will cause minor swirls each time you use but you won't notice it in the beginning but after an year or so there will be swirls all over the glass. Whereas mf will absorb dust particles and the synthetic fiber is least abrasive.

Anyway, give it a try and see if it helps.

 

[Nairrk]

I have just seen below YouTube wherein you can see some demonstration about how to remove severe water spot on the windshield. Not sure, whether this is your problem, but still just go through the video: