Windshield cleaning/protection advice!

[AZpolisher15]

Hey crew. I recently tried out the McKee's High Performance glass restorer and followed it up with Aquapel. The results blew me away. I took a road trip last week. The windshield was COVERED in bug splatter from 4 hours of night time driving. I mean totally covered. I forgot to wash the windshield after my arrival at my destination and the bugs BAKED in 90° heat and direct sunlight for 4 days.

I went to wipe them off before departure and lamented the task. I hit the glass with some run of the mill glass cleaner and to my surprise... the bugs wiped off effortlessly! I've used each product independently before but never back to back. It must have been the deep cleaning with the glass restorer that allowed a really good bonding of the Aquapel. The results with the bug splatter was nothing short of remarkable.

If you deal with bugs and summer heat... try this combo!

[Eldorado2k]

Sounds interesting... Just 1 question, 1 of the reviews says that the Aquapel doesn’t leave the glass slick but instead “sqeaky clean”. How would you describe the surface of the glass after treating it? It’s not slick?

[AZpolisher15]

I wouldn't necessarily say the glass is "slick", such as paint would be after application of a glassy sealant. But I wouldn't say it's sticky or tacky feeling either. I would best describe it as "smooth". The water behavior in rain is superb. I've used Aquapel for years now, and it's incomparable to RainX. Night and day. I always wash/clay the glass, then IPA wipe, then apply the Aquapel. But this time, I added the glass restorer step and I really think that contributed to a "heavier" coat of Aquapel adhering to the glass.

I've read some poorer reviews of Aquapel, but I've had nothing but good luck with it for years. I love the water beading behavior. It's rarely necessary to use my wipers in rain. Everything is just so clear. And longevity is literally months, pushing a year, if you follow my routine. I suspect some folks just give the glass a quick windex, apply the sealant, and end up disappointed. With just a little extra work, the results are commendable.

Independently of the above, I was impressed with the McKees glass restorer. For comparison, I now much prefer it to DG Nu-glass, which I'd used previously (and I'm a big fan of DG products).