Etched windshield polishing time frame

[Calendyr]

Hey guys,

just had an email this morning requesting a quote for an etched windshield.

I have not seen the windshield but the guy says it's etched and it makes it difficult to see at night. I will assume for now that it's water etching until I can see it.

I have never done etched glass polishing. I have Ceriglass polish and CarPro glass pads. I am wondering how long something like this would take to do?

Any advice regarding the process? I was thinking of do these steps:

1. Cleaning the glass
2. Using super fine steel wool
3. Using NanoSkin medium grade sponge
4. Using Ceriglass polish on Glass Pad
5. Cleaning the glass

[roguerobot]

I spent 8 hrs with Ceriglass and Glass pad to remove bad wiper trails from a windshield on my Acura. You have to work in small areas, applying water to keep it lubed. In the end, I didn't remove 100% of the scratches, but it was visibly clearer, and you can only see scratches with the light at the right angle. It is disappointingly slow work, but it does work. The key is misting with water to keep the polish from drying out.

[GSKR]

Just break the glass,and buy a new one or run it through insurance ,there is no way I'm spending 8 hrs on a glass with marginal results and two car washes later back to square one.

[roguerobot]

Just break the glass,and buy a new one or run it through insurance ,there is no way I'm spending 8 hrs on a glass with marginal results and two car washes later back to square one.

I thought of that halfway thru, but by this time I had already spent a good $$ on supplies to get this done. And, I don't have comprehensive on this car, as its the 'third car' that my kids drive, so this work was cheaper than $250 replacement cost for the windshield.

I doubt a car wash is going to scratch the glass like that. Its miles better now, just not perfect. Perfect is possible, but I was done.

[GSKR]

Gotcha understand.

[octane]

I would
1. water spot remover
2. clay the glass
3. Ceriglass polish on glass pad
4. seal it

if it's not fixed by all this, he should just get a new windshield!

[jrs1418]

Tbh, we have some nasty hard water here in HI, and ive barely seen glass that is actually etched in the way paint etches. The only time i seen a windsheild etch, it was from an acid like chemical and i couldnt remove it. 100's of other windshields just had either hard water spots or mineral film from the wipers smearing water and it drying flat versus in a water bead.

Id try a dedicated waterspot remover first before trying to cut glass with ceriglass and rayon pads, nuglass works well for me. Otherwise, like others are saying, correcting glass takes fooorrrreeeevvveerrrrrrrr