It's been slow around here lately, so I figured I'd try and give you detailers a mystery to solve.

First off I use Prima Clarity or Stoners Invisible Glass and Glass Towels from Detailers Paradise and Show Car Detailing, so I know the products are solid.

Which means it must be...technique.

I wash my windows after every car wash. However I have been noticing what I think is lint on the clean glass. And only appears after I clean the windows with window cleaning products. So it does not appear during the wash. It happens with both brands of towels and products as well. I wash my microfibers like they should be washed and follow all the recommended instructions, so I don't think that is the problem.

I have tried using more or less pressure, wiping longer or less. I just keep noticing this dang stuff. As for what it actually looks like it's hard to describe. I can only see it in certain bright lights, and it almost looks like a film, but I can put my finger on it and move the little guys around. I'm still not entirely sure what it is though and I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Never thought I'd have this much trouble cleaning my windows but it drives me nuts. As anyone else ever experienced the same problem? What are your techniques for cleaning the windows?

Oh and the film/tiny lint things appears on both sides of my windows, which are tinted( in case this matters).

Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Nick

 

use paper towels

 

Paper towels wont leave tiny scratches on tint?

 

if you're using stoners then it shouldn't be any worse than an MF

 

The film that I always got was on the outside so it has nothing to do with the tint. The best way to clean windows is with a squeegee. What liquid cleaner you use isn't nearly as important as how quickly it dries and how much there is to dry. A squeegee leaves the window practically dry immediately so there is virtually no liquid to dry and leave a film or streaks. Even the bucket of filthy water at the gas station works well when you squeegee it off. I wash the car and then do the outside windows with a squeegee prior to drying the car.

 

I have the exact same problem, and I've yet to find a solution. Paper towels probably would work. I've heard of people actually using newspaper to clean their car windows. Apparently, it's the best for getting rid of streaks, but I don't trust it to not scratch my windows.

 

Thanks for the quick replies.

Streaking is not the problem, I get no streaks at all. It's the micro-lint, as I'm now calling it, that is the problem.

A squeegee is a good idea! I'll have to try that out.

 

I bought some of the MF towels made for window cleaning. They worked great for a while but started leaving lint. I only wash MF towels by themselves so the lint is definitely coming from the towels. I tried 3 different brand towels before giving up on MF for the windows. The tiny fibers were very reflective so quite annoying. I switched to these towels from Griots and they work great. No lint and no streaking. I've used them for over 4 years now with no issues.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...ortby=ourPicks

 

squeegee works perfect for the exterior, but it's a little harder to use it on the interior. Only using a squeegee on a window after spraying on some product won't get it completely clean. The reason the gas station ones work is because the other side will actually take off the dirt and grime while the squeegee side will dry it with no streaks or lint. A squeegee will work perfect for when you wash your car completely though.

 

One trick I learned was to use plain old newspaper and a quality glass cleaner for lint free windows.

 

Only thing I can think of is the towels you are using aren't that really good.

What I do is soak a towel with the glass cleaner to the point where it's damp. Wipe window with damp towel then go over with a dry microfiber towel.

 

Thanks for all the tips, I think I'll be picking up a squeegee and also those Griots Towels look nice as well.

My towels are very nice, which is why I didn't think they would be causing the problem, especially because they are not very old, a year at the most. But I guess that is they problem after all.

I still don't think I can bring my self to using newspaper!

 

I use the glass towels directly from Prima along with Clarity. I don't have an issues with streaks and no lint either. It really ended up being the solution I was searching for.

 

BUMPITY BUMP! Has always worked great for me

 

did you wash your MF towels when you got them?

 

use dish detergent. add a few drops in a small bucket of water. use a sponge or microfiber cloth, damp it with the soapy liquid. wipe the windows and dry with a clean microfiber cloth. works great even on smoke stains. use it also on the rear view mirror and the speedo glass.