Best pad to polish windshield?

**ejaf** · 09-19-2023, 08:54 PM

Hi all, quick question.
What type of pads do you use on your RO polishers to polish glass.
Not looking to remove scratches or pock marks; just water marks, wiper streaks, etc.
Reason I ask is I tried an orange foam pad with 3D One, and noticed, after cleaning it with glass cleaner, that it didn't do a great job. I then took the 3D One and put it on a terry cloth towel, rubbed a 2x2 area, and the results were much better.

TIA... Eric

**opie** · 09-19-2023, 09:38 PM

Rayon pad, with ceriglass glass polish. Dont expect much improvement unless using a rotary. You basically need to grind the glass to remove defects.

Check out some of mike phillips videos on the topic.

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**Danube** · 09-19-2023, 10:24 PM

Orange pad with 3D One is enough for what you want to achieve.

**ejaf** · 09-19-2023, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by opie

Rayon pad, with ceriglass glass polish. Dont expect much improvement unless using a rotary. You basically need to grind the glass to remove defects.

Check out some of mike phillips videos on the topic.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

Watched them all already.
Don't need cerium oxide based polish.
I just need to get water spots off. The glass doesn't need correcting at all (I actually think some of the spots are from the plastic they cover new cars with in transit, the car is about 1 month old).

**ejaf** · 09-19-2023, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by Danube

Orange pad with 3D One is enough for what you want to achieve.

Weird... I would have thought that as well. Maybe I rushed it.

Will try again. Thanks!

**The Guz** · 09-20-2023, 12:48 AM

Microfiber or a foam cutting pad with a compound.

**Coatingsarecrack** · 09-20-2023, 01:51 AM

Griots glass polis my is great for this. Has Cirium oxide but not much. I use 3” rayon pads cuz I have them and 1-2 passes looks good as new.

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**Eldorado2k** · 09-20-2023, 03:22 AM

Try Mckee’s Glass Restoring Polish. Works better than ordinary compound. I either apply it by hand with a microfiber applicator or on a polishing pad with a polisher. Microfiber pad if the glass is extremely rough.

**opie** · 09-20-2023, 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by ejaf

Watched them all already.
Don't need cerium oxide based polish.
I just need to get water spots off. The glass doesn't need correcting at all (I actually think some of the spots are from the plastic they cover new cars with in transit, the car is about 1 month old).

Gotcha, my mistake i had misread your post on what you were trying to remove.

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**ejaf** · 09-20-2023, 06:37 AM

Thanks all for the feedback!

Can't justify buying a dedicated polish for this; I could mix a concoction with certain oxide powder I have lying around from another project, and have reason pads from that project, but I think it may be overkill.

I "may" be able to justify getting a couple of cutting pads, if you know what I mean (just a lowly weekend warrior here).

I couldn't do any damage using thwe rayon pads with something like 3D one, or even no7 rubbing compound, if I needed to be more aggressive, correct?

Not sure if these photos help, but this is what I am dealing with. Took photos right after using windshield cleaner, before it had a chance to evaporate: