Griot's Garage Glass Sealant vs. Florida Rain

[Nick McKees37]

Summer is almost here and in Florida, that means lots of rain. Although Florida is known as the "sunshine state", we generally get rained on at least once a day from the month of April through September. The rain takes its toll on more than just our yards, which can usually go two months without being cut during the winter time. During the winter months, I might go a month - maybe two - between car washes. During the summer, it becomes a priority every Sunday. That is, if I can beat the rain.

We never overlook which wax, sealant or coating we use to protect and beautify our paint, but the glass on our vehicle is often treated as the red-headed stepchild. Why? Because it's glass! Polished and sealed glass doesn't enhance the appearance of our cars, shiny paint does! But just like it's important to have some tread on your tires during the rainy season in Florida, polishing and sealing your glass makes driving in the rain safer. Safety and car care? Who would've thought? Griot's Garage, that's who.

Glass Sealant, the newest product from Griot's Garage, was designed to seal glass and provide improved visibility in wet weather. Glass Sealant is a dedicated glass sealant that locks out moisture by creating a hydrophobic surface so virtually nothing can stick to your vehicle's glass - including rain.

Before applying Glass Sealant you want to ensure that you're glass is squeaky clean. Clay if needed using a clay bar designed for glass, such as Diamondite Glasswork Cleansing Clay. If the surface is free of any bonded contaminants, you can go straight to cleaning, which is what I did, using Diamondite Perfect Vision Glass Cleaner along with a Cobra Waffle Weave Glass Towel.

To really make sure the surface was 100% clean and free of any previously applied rain repellents, I used Griot's Garage Paint Prep after cleaning. Paint Prep safely removes any previously applied waxes, sealants or rain repellents. Your glass should be surgically clean before applying any type of glass sealant or rain repellent. You don't apply your treasured Pinnacle Souveran to dirty paint, do you? I didn't think so.

Note: After using Paint Prep I cleaned the glass once again to ensure no residue was left behind.

Another helpful bit of information when working on glass: Make sure that sun is behind a cloud! You never want to clean or seal glass that is hot to the touch.

To apply Glass Sealant I used a Lake Country CCS Gold Jewelling Applicator. These super soft applicators are thick and easy to hold, making them ideal for any tasks that require hands on application.

To put Glass Sealant to ultimate test, I put down a tape line so only half of my windshield would be treated. This way I can test the durability and effectivness of product.

After putting down a tape line I applied a liberal amount of Glass Sealant to the applicator and started working it in.

Can you see why the Lake Country CCS Gold Jewelling Applicator was the obvious choice for this particular job? Although super soft, it's dense enough to provide superior control when working by hand. Plus, it's manufactured by Lake Country so you know it's going to last.

Here you can get an idea of how thick I applied Glass Sealant. I didn't apply it thin, but I didn't goop it on either. Griot's Garage recommends applying two coats to ensure even coverage, which is exactly what I did.

After about five minutes of being applied, Glass Sealant had dried to a light haze and was ready to be removed. What surprised me the most about this product was how effortlessly it wiped off the glass.

This morning, about 14 hours after being applied, this is what the windshield looked like with the morning dew. You can clearly see a difference between the treated and untreated half of the windshield.

Overall I was surprised at how easy to use Griot's Garage Glass Sealant proved to be. Stay tuned as I'll be providing updates on the durability over the course of the next month with pictures and possibly a video.

Griot's Garage Glass Sealant

[rider9195]

Nice review Nick. I am interested in the durability of this product.

[BobbyG]

Looks like a great product Nick, thanks for the review!!

[WRAPT C5Z06]

What did you clean the glass with after paint prep? IIRC, paint prep must be rinsed off?

[ScottB]

several clients wanted this at Detailfest 2012 ... I know Griots offered a bottle or two and waiting on review against Aquapel.

[Nick McKees37]

What did you clean the glass with after paint prep? IIRC, paint prep must be rinsed off?

A very thorough cleaning with Diamondite Perfect Vision Glass Cleaner. I used very little Paint Prep so a rinse wasn't needed.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

A very thorough cleaning with Diamondite Perfect Vision Glass Cleaner. I used very little Paint Prep so a rinse wasn't needed.

[HellDemon]

Definitely looking to see how well this stuff allows rain to bead off at highway speeds, along with durability. At something like $8 for 8oz its unbelievably inexpensive, and am definitely interested in picking one up if it performs well after I use up all my wolf's

[cwilliams4296]

Nick how is this holding up? I just ordered some!

[BillyJack]

Subscribed.
I'm a long time Rain-X fan who's switched to Aquapel, thanks to AGO reviews. I hate using wipers, so I'm curious to see how the GG stuff sheds water. I wouldn't expect it to last as long as Aquapel, but I wouldn't mind re-applying it from time to time if it sheds water better.

Bill