Proper Glass Cleaning Tips & Tricks

[Nick McKees37]

Proper Glass Cleaning Tips & Tricks

After spending all weekend cleaning, polishing, and waxing your show car, you pull it out of the garage for the final inspection. The paint, wheels, tires, and chrome trim all look fantastic. But wait, what's that smudge on the windshield? How did you miss something so obvious? After weeks of research on how to properly polish your car with a dual action polisher, proper techniques for washing and drying, interior care and so on, you completely forgot to research how to properly clean your glass. Oops!

Before you jump ahead and read any further, you need to familiarize yourself with a tool that's going to change the way you look at glass care. It's called the glass towel. No, it's not just any regular old microfiber towel, and it's much more than a wadded up old newspaper. This towel was designed for one thing and for one thing only, and that's to provide streak free glass when used in conjunction with a high quality glass cleaner. No ifs ands or buts about it, the answer you've been looking for is here. It's called the Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel.

What makes the Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel different than any other towel is the waffle weave design that features over 220,000 micro fibers per square inch. This enables the towel to have excellent cleaning ability while still being super soft and absorbent. While other lesser towels leave behind lint and particles, the Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel not only cleans the glass to a streak free shine, but it also picks up what other towels leave behind. This towel does not lint or shed and can be washed and reused.

The Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel is available in a 16"x27" size that is large enough to fold several times to maintain a clean side after each use. You can easily clean all the glass on several vehicles before the towel becomes saturated with glass cleaner and no longer leaves a streak-free finish. I personally like to fold it down to a comfortable, easy to hold manageable size.

Now that you're familiar with the proper tool to use for glass cleaning, what about the glass cleaner itself? Glass cleaners are available in two different forms: aerosol and pump spray. They both have a loyal following and it really comes down to a matter of personal preference. I personally prefer an aerosol based glass cleaner because from experience, they tend to have more cleaning ability. Although with proper technique and the right towel for the job, both will work well.

I've tried just about every glass cleaner available and the one I've settled on is manufactured by Diamondite. The Diamondite line of car care is composed of products designed specifically for automotive glass and plastic care. They have a product for literally every square inch of glass and plastic on or in your vehicle. Although they have several different glass cleaners to choose from, the one that I've found works best is called Perfect Vision. Perfect Vision is an aerosol based glass cleaner that contains no ammonia and is safe for automotive tint. It's my go-to glass cleaner because it has excellent cleaning ability and doesn't leave a nasty haze behind. The name of the product is no coincidence, because when used properly with a high quality glass towel, it will provide perfect vision.

Before cleaning any type of glass, ensure the surface is cool to the touch. If you attempt to clean warm or hot glass, you're more likely to get streaks or a haze.

If the glass is cool to the touch, you're good to go.

Diamondite Perfect Vision Glass Cleaner sprays in a thick foam that quickly breaks up road film, bug splatter, and any type of haze left behind by other glass cleaners.

I've found that dividing the windshield into two sections makes a manageable size area to clean. That way you can comfortably clean one side at a time without leaning on the fender or hood of the car.

When cleaning exterior class, I like to wipe the microfiber glass towel up and down, not side to side. There might not be some scientific explanation for why this works, but from personal experience it's the technique that I've found most effective. It's also a good idea to move the towel at a medium speed across the surface. You don't want to wipe too fast, but you also don't want to wipe too slow. Find a speed that you're comfortable with, that gives you great results, and stick with it.

Check out how nasty and dirty the towel is after cleaning just one side of the windshield.

Most people stop there and move on to the next section or piece of glass. To ensure there are no streaks, flip the towel to a clean, dry side and lightly buff the section you just cleaned.

After you've cleaned half the windshield, inspect your towel for bug guts or debris. Before you go on to the next section of glass, flip the towel again to a clean, dry side.

Spray the cleaner.

Again, using the glass towel, wipe in an up and down motion, not side to side.

After you flip the towel to a clean, dry side and buff the remaining portion of the windshield, stand back and admire your work!

Hopefully this article will make glass cleaning more clear to some of you. I think the biggest mistake that most people make when cleaning glass is their choice of towel (or lack thereof), along with trying to clean glass that is warm or hot to the touch. If you have a glass cleaner that you think works well, but would like to improve upon your results, I would highly recommend a Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel. I keep a few in my car at all times and can't imagine cleaning glass without them.

Diamondite Perfect Vision Glass Cleaner

Cobra Waffle Weave Microfiber Glass Towel

[Jenn1270]

What is the difference between the glass waffle weave and the other cobra waffle weaves offered?

[BillyJack]

Gettin' kind of elaborate with these tutorials, Nick.
Do we have another up and coming Speed Channel Star?

Just kidding, Nick. Nice work. If you're looking for Show Car results, there's a "better way" for almost every aspect of the detailing process.

Bill

[tw33k2514]

I use 2 waffle weaves myself. Usual works great.

[Bobby B.]

The Diamondite Glass Cleaner works great. I use it all of the time on my glass. Good job Nick

[TLMitchell]

When cleaning exterior class, I like to wipe the microfiber glass towel up and down, not side to side.

I wipe up/down on exterior as well....then side-to-side on the interior. If you do get streaks that need buffed out you can tell where they are.

I've been using thin 16x16 WWs on glass for years. Wish AG carried the smaller ones, I find them easier to use on glass, especially getting into the corners.

TL

[kimtyson]

Wish AG carried the smaller ones, I find them easier to use on glass, especially getting into the corners.

Got scissors?

[FussMan]

Nick, seriously--->"I've found that dividing the windshield into two sections makes a manageable size area to clean. That way you can comfortably clean one side at a time without leaning on the fender or hood of the car".

I feel so stupid now... I've been laying across the hood doing the windshield as one big section.

thanks for the tip!


Fussman

[southbeach]

Here the key.....you can use any towel, just make sure it is wash with other window towel only.....

[skipper1]

The waffle weave glass towel is another one of those, "how can that be" products. I picked up a couple of them on a BOGO, they look and feel like the regular waffle weave towels, but they do magic. I use Meguiar's glass cleaner.

Nick, good tip on cleaning your glass when it's cool. Makes a huge difference.