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Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean - 

 

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 Post subject: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:02 pm 
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Location: Gladstone
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I don't believe it but i have to ask how the hell do you clean your windows when no matter what you do they always finish up looking as though the water has dried on the exterior of the glass after you washed the car, with no attempt being made to even so much as shammy them dry.

- I've tried scraping a section with a new window scraper/razor blade

- I've tried various cleaning solutions

- I've tried hand polishing the glass with cutting polish to the point that i worked up a huge sweat applying all the muscle i had and still no improvement.

My front windscreen has been replaced and when i clean it you almost have to look twice at night when you looking out of it to see that it's even there it's so bloody clean, but all the rest of the glass on my DF has these ingrained water marks on the surface.

Can anyone help me with a do it yourself fix; or even for that matter, a professional fix option?

Thanking you in advance...

John

Last edited by LTD_DF on Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:07 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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the same problem has been driving me insane with my last 3 cars ive owned, ive tryed different polishes and class cleaners, cant seem to get rid of it,

 

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:19 pm 
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Tried an alcohol? They usually evaporate with no residue...

Metho gives the similar effect too I find (guessing it is an alcohol)...

If you have a leaky heater core and set the air con to window with heat then the inhibitor from the water seems to vaporise and stick to the glass and forever fog it up... Quite a nightmare...

Our car wash has one of those things on the wall you put 2 dollars in and they give out smelly trees and chamois and that type of thing and one of them gives out a glass cleaner which is a lint free cloth soaked in alcohol... Usually I find them pretty good too...

Cheers,
Tim

 

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:47 pm 
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what your finding is water etching, i beleive its from either salt water, hard minerals or acids and crap in the rain.
i had it bad on the rear window of my old ea and no matter how much i cleaned or hand polished the glass it wouldnt go away..
windscreen/glass places can polish the glass up and remove a fine layer from the glass with a cutting compound..
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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:15 pm 
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Ah I was talking about the inside of the glass... Never had any issues with the outside of mine... Only thing I do with that is if you get a build up of road silt etc that gets hard to remove I use the 3000psi pressure washer at work and at 90 degrees C the glass comes out spotless... But if it is etched on the outside this wouldn't help...

 

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Performance: Complete AUII VCT Wiring & Power Train, Pacey Headers, 2.5" Exhaust, Exedy Clutch, DBA Rotors
Visuals: FG XR Wheel, XR Front, 17's, BA 5 Spd Shifter, BA Ghia Window Switches, NL Cluster
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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:57 pm 
Parts Gopher
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QLD, Australia

I thank you all for your input.

I'll get me backside into some of my local windscreen replacement mob's and see if they can help me.

I'll let you know the outcome and cost too.

This could take me 2-3 weeks though on account of my hectic work/travel requirements. But I'm definately wanting to fix the problem, so be sure to check back for the results.
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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 11:15 pm 
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Well the glass will get rock chips, etc over time, particularly our models being 12+ years old.

IIRC I got the idea from Aurora 98 - use Meguiars quick clay on the glass. The spray and clay bar get the rubbish off the glass surface.
One good thing I've noticed is water beads and runs off better.

 

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:04 pm 
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QLD, Australia

Hear Ye, Hear Ye,

I have found a fix for the removal of those gastly looking water etching marks in your car windows. The image below illustrates just how bad my widows were before i started out trying to fix the problem.

Attachment:
File comment: Watcher Etched Glass = Before
IMG_0086.jpg
IMG_0086.jpg [ 189.32 KiB | Viewed 212 times ]


I went to my local Novus Windscreen Repairer and he put me onto "Novus 3 Heavy Scratch Remover" which is apparently meant for perspex but works equally well on glass.

Attachment:
File comment: Novus 3 Heavy Scratch Remover
IMG_0108.jpg
IMG_0108.jpg [ 188.37 KiB | Viewed 187 times ]


The heavy scratch remover cost me $20.00 but i had to buy a buffer with a foam pad to get good results apparently..... So off i go to Supercheap to buy what i needed....

Attachment:
File comment: Buffer from Supercheap Auto with speed regulator
IMG_0106.jpg
IMG_0106.jpg [ 175.93 KiB | Viewed 211 times ]


The buffer came at a cost of $69.00 but it only came with a woolen pad, so i had to fork out another $30.00 for a foam one that screwed straight on to the unit itself.

As i attempted poloshing the glass i have to admit it took me about an hour before i mastered the quickest and easiest means of getting the best results.

************ please read my next post on this topic for more info ***************
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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:46 pm 
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Location: Gladstone
QLD, Australia

To save you all the same pain... Apply the Heavy Scratch Remover liberally to one window at a time directly from the bottle. Then hit it hard with the buffer in a motion that enables you to apply the scratch remover to 100% of the window's surface whilst applying a fair amount of pressure and repeat if necessary.

IMPORTANT: Be careful not to burn the rubber edges surrounding the windows like i did in one instance. Luckily for me its a section i can easily replace with another from a wreck.

Attachment:
File comment: Polishing in progress
IMG_0090.jpg
IMG_0090.jpg [ 237.85 KiB | Viewed 213 times ]


In many instances i had to repeat the process two or even three times to get all the water etching off, but this was mainly attributed to my being careful when buffing the edges of the glass, so as to avoid damageing/burning/melting the rubber at the windows edges. but it can be done. Just take a look at the results in the images that follow.

Attachment:
File comment: Finished polishing as the sun set. Now to clean the polish from all the rubbers and the rest of the polish splatter from the paintwork all over the car.
IMG_0089.jpg
IMG_0089.jpg [ 126.5 KiB | Viewed 213 times ]


*********** please see my next post ************

Last edited by LTD_DF on Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:57 pm 
Parts Gopher
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QLD, Australia

Come that evening i washed the polish off the car in the moon light; which was a first ever for me.

The next morning i cleaned the glass with good old windex and take a look at my new windows :D

Attachment:
File comment: No water eching marks what so ever...
IMG_0094.jpg
IMG_0094.jpg [ 187.32 KiB | Viewed 199 times ]


Note the damage i cased to the edge strip rubber at the bottom of the glass rubber on the next photo. Be careful you don't do it aswell... it didn't take much to do it...

Attachment:
File comment: Drivers door glass gleaming with reflection.
IMG_0095.jpg
IMG_0095.jpg [ 245.41 KiB | Viewed 194 times ]


Attachment:
File comment: Rear windscreen with the sky's reflection in it. I'm just so glad the water etching has finally disapeared.
IMG_0096.jpg
IMG_0096.jpg [ 105.22 KiB | Viewed 218 times ]


Attachment:
File comment: All clean all impressive 1995 DF LTD
IMG_0103.jpg
IMG_0103.jpg [ 325.28 KiB | Viewed 236 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:10 pm 
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A mate of mine used to detail and said they used smokers toothpaste! I'll be trying this soon so I'll let you know how it goes.

 

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:12 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Sweet. Now to chase some down :D

 

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:14 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Pretty good stuff

 

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 8:24 am 
Getting Side Ways
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heres a few tips for anyone else. Mask up the rubbers with a quality tape, and apply the polish to the pad, not the window.

 

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 Post subject: Re: Help Needed - I cannot get my windows perfectly clean -
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:05 pm 
Parts Gopher
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Yeah i've gotta admit i wish i thought of masking up the rubbers first. It would have saved me allot of time and i wouldn't have to replace the rubber on the drivers door like it do now.
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