I think I stumbled on the perfect way to clean glass.

[Don M]

My wife's Explorer is not exactly the most well cared for car. It's old & very rusty and (IMO) not very detail-worthy. I'm not going to chance washing or waxing it and risking getting rust flakes in my towels and pads.

But my wife asked me to clean her windows, so yesterday in the morning while it was still cool and the humidity was low, I went for it. They were really bad, so I decided to use a three-step approach. First I used 50/50 IPA and moderately sprayed it on the glass. Step 2, I took a WET microfiber cloth and wiped/scrubbed the glass. Step 3, I used paper towels to dry and buff the still wet glass. When I was finished with the outside & inside, I sat in the car to do the rear view mirror. That's when I noticed the door windows looked like they were down! They were THAT clean!

Then on the exterior glass. I misted T.W. Hybrid Solutions Spray Coating on and buffed it in, then using the same process, used a heavily dampened mf, I lightly wiped the glass, and immediately dried it off. The exterior glass is now extremely slick and the windows are all perfectly clear, no streaks or smears.

To make sure this wasn't a fluke, I did the same to my Camaro's windows, but this time I used T.W. Dash & Glass Cleaner instead of the IPA, and a WW microfiber cloth as the drying towel instead of paper towels on the Camaro, but otherwise the steps were exactly the same.

So It appears (to me) that it didn't matter what glass cleaning product I used, that as long as I followed the 3 steps, the windows came out perfect.

Just some food for thought.

[Mike Phillips]

How does that old saying go?


More is better!


:dblthumb2:

[Jayfro]

Thanks for the tip...I’ve been having the worst time lately cleaning my glass, I’ll be trying your method tonight or this weekend!

Thanks again
Jay


Sent from my iPhone using AGOnline

[Mike Phillips]

I don' mean to take away from your thread but to simply offer another idea as far as it relates to cleaning glass...


While it might not seem like a big deal, the photography work for this write-up was the KEY. We all know what sun glare is and how it blinds us while we're driving. BUT capturing the glare is the tricky part.


Below is my article on this topic and the thing I teach in the article is....

Sometimes you need to start with a mechanical polish to clean glass BEFORE using liquid glass cleaners.

The chemicals and solvents in most glass cleaners work great for light cleaning. But sometimes you will have a FILM on the inside of glass, just like you get ROAD FILM staining on the outside glass and a liquid glass cleaner simply cannot cut through this film and remove it.

So you START with a polish and THEN finish out with a glass cleaner. And THIS approach works every time.



Remove the glare from where you stare (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/106566-remove-glare-where-you-stare.html)


Capturing glare with a camera
I've taken thousands of pictures in my car detailing life documenting defects an all types of surfaces but when I went to take pictures of the glare caused by a film that has built-up on the inside of my truck I found it to be a little tricky. It was tricky to capture both the glare and film before and also after. But I think when you look at the pictures below you'll agree, somehow I did it.


The challenge of timing
First you have to get the pictures either early in the morning as the sun is coming up or late in the afternoon as the sun is setting. After looking at the glare at both times of the day I decided it would be better to capture early morning pictures.



Here's a shot looking out the driver's side of my truck's windshield...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3280/Glare_001.jpg







Griot's Fine Glass Polish

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3280/Glare_002.jpg


The driver's side has been polished but I've left the passenger side alone

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3280/Glare_008.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3280/Glare_009.jpg




Sun Glare and the Multiplier Effect

It's the FILM on the inside of your car's glass that multiplies the GLARE created from sun rays hitting the windshield that blinds you while you're driving.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3280/Glare_012.jpg




Finishing the job...

Today I finished hand polishing the entire inside glass...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3280/Glare_014.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3280/Glare_015.jpg



Now that's a clear view!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3280/Glare_019.jpg



I miss that truck - kind of - I never liked the fuel-injection small block. Didn't want to do all the work required to remove the small block and install an old school carburetor fuel system and a Big Block - so I sold her.

:(

[Don M]

I remember reading that article, it's what got me started thinking about multiple steps for cleaning glass.

[Mike Phillips]

Another example,


Bucket List Buff - 1968 Shelby Mustang GT350 - Detailed by Mike Phillips (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions-/123801-bucket-list-buff-1968-shelby-mustang-gt350-original-paint-mike-phillips.html)



I've been asked to restore the original paint on 2 very rare and valuable Shelby Mustangs. Here's pictures of the 1968 Shelby Mustang GT350


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3874/1968_Shelby_GT_350_001.JPG

Next up - glass polishing- both the inside and outside of the glass.

Do this BEFORE cleaning seats and door panels.


Click here to view the original image of 1024x768px.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190803/dba5098fb93160caa621c50e0743a37e.jpg


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190803/76e77bb7ea8fcb25c0e6e22ff654fc61.jpg


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190803/7f972e1677f65dfe8f1f4c7dde671f4d.jpg


Click here to view the original image of 1024x768px.






Polish the outside by hand or machine first - then the inside of the windshield by hand.


Click here to view the original image of 1024x768px.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190803/4309795e7deb3bdf76268c8e74c1457d.jpg


Click here to view the original image of 1024x768px.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190803/8461ee024f5d9dd3eca96b4c7c4673ac.jpg


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190803/f3f284d50bf422d90cbd2d4cd464f9aa.jpg




Final results after a complete inside and outside detail

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/attachments/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions-/67637d1566149327-bucket-list-buff-1968-shelby-mustang-gt350-detailed-mike-phillips-img_3577-jpg


For really bad interior glass - start with a polish. The use a glass cleaner AND - LOTS of towels


:)

[DUBL0WS6]

The old secret was to use newspaper to clean windows.

[DMiglio]

The old secret was to use newspaper to clean windows.

Funny you mention that, Mike just went to task on debunking that myth, to some degree..

Here’s the myth thread

What are some common myths and misconceptions about car detailing? (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/127019-what-some-common-myths-misconceptions-about-car-detailing.html)

And here’s one more specific to the newspaper and glass theory

Contest - Find my Newspaper to clean glass theory on MOL - win a prize (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/127144-contest-find-my-newspaper-clean-glass-theory-mol-win-prize.html)

[Mike Phillips]

The old secret was to use newspaper to clean windows.


We covered the newspaper topic on our "Detailing Myths & Misconceptions" thread and "yes" it does work for when you're cleaning glass with a liquid glass cleaner.

You might get some ink on your hands but that's what gloves are for. :D



:xyxthumbs:

[Kamakaz1961]

Way cool! Thanks for the technique info!
KEEP ON ROCKING!

[Larry A]

When I worked for a Toyoto dealer we used a similar processes. WE would spray glass cleaner on the glass and scrub with a water sprite chamois and then wipe with a paper towel made for glass cleaning. Never have any streakes