Looking for advise from the detailing experts out there...

I would like my windshield to look smoother & more transparent.. When the sunlight (or head lights) hit those little pits (no bigger than a pin point) in the outside surface of the windshield it looks like it has many points of light. Kind of distracting, to look through...

Is there a glass product that can fill in or smooth over these small pits??

I know for the large stone pits/cracks there is a filler product - I am hoping that is not my only solution.

I did try searching for this... but all I found were the cracked windshield threads..

Thanks for your help...

 

Hey Blair,

There really isn't a solution to improving the clarity of glass as far as I know. Glass is surprisingly very hard, so trying to buff it with a polishing compound isn't going to smooth it down and get rid of all the pits.

You can of course, clean it, and claybar it, and do things to remove any foreign matter, and even the resins that are injected into the cracked glass aren't optically perfect--that is you still see the crack lines from different angles, it just won't spread anymore.

Your best bet is to keep it as clean as possible, inside and out, and hope it cracks so you can order a new one---which will remain clear for about a month!

Richard

 

When cleaning the any glass I like to use newspaper and Windex. It leaves a much cleaner surface than any paper towel or pre-moistened towel that I have tried. It really seems to reduce the glare and reflection from the glass, important in the spring and fall with the lower sun angles during commuting times.

 

I agree with Bilbo that clean glass increases visability, especially when the sun is low in the sky. The biggest culprit is window haze from off-gassing of plastic resins... it really fogs up the inside of your windows, especially when the car is new.

I wouldn't use Windex as the amonia isn't good for plastics (overspray on the dash) or window tinting. There are a lot of good window cleaners out there without amonia. Stoners Invisible Glass is good.

When cleaning windows, lint is the enemy. This is why newspaper has been popular for years. Now, you can get much better results by splurging for a $5 microfiber cloth at your local auto supply store that is made for cleaning glass... they usually have a much tighter nap than the ones for polishing your paintwork.

Now back to the original topic: Filling in pits and making glass look better.

If you have big pits, you might want to try one of the do-it-yourself chip repair kits... It won't be perfect, but it might be better. I also claybar (as mentioned above) my glass every few months and break out the glass polish at least once a year... twice if I'm spending a lot of time in the car. Claybar and polish will remove the contaminants that are ON the glass and the polish just might round off some of the reflectve edges on your chips... reducing the impact of the chip's appearance.

I looked for a long time for glass polish and finally found some made by Rain X. It can be worked by hand, but I've got a Porter Cable polisher, so I pop on the most abrasive foam pad I have (the orange one from autopia) and buff away.

 

I'm having trouble finding glass polish at my local autoparts super stores.....RainX Polish has been discontinued....any suggestions for an easily found polish or can Softscrub or Bon Ami be used????

 

I have always used Bon Ami on the glass. Gets rid of the oils and "stuff" on the windshield. Never had a problem with it being too harsh even on this glass. I apply it to a wet towel, and wet glass, and it cleans the glass very well. I follow that up with Rain X, which you have to really rub to buff it off, and I'm done.

 

Griots Garage sells both a fine and regular glass polish. I have used the fine and it works well for cleaning contaminants from glass:

http://www.griotsgarage.com/search.j...t=glass+polish

Again, at times I feel like a pimp for Griots, but I'm just a customer who has been very satisfied with their products.

A_Sr.

 

I heard good things about glass polish..

All those small specks you see when the sun strikes are not small rock chips and polish can remove them.

 

ElonCooper.......Bon Ami hasn't caused any very minor scratches on your windshield?? I called the complany, and they said do not use on car windshields, but I think it was CYOA so they don't get in trouble..I was afraid to use it and get lil scratches....anyone else use this product?

 

Use Bon Ami, I have used it for years, and suprisingly, it's what BMW recommends.

Steve


Bulletin Number: 61 02 94 (3990)
Noisy Wipers, Poor Cleaning: Group 61 Electrical

Woodcliff Lake, NJ
May 1994
Product Engineering

SUBJECT:
Windshield Wipers Are Noisy Or Do Not Clean Properly

MODELS:
All

Situation:
Windshield wiper blades may start to make noise, or fail to clean the windshield properly, even though the blades are not worn and are properly adjusted.

This can be caused by contaminants on the glass, such as oily road deposits or wax residues from car washes. These contaminants can cause the blades to chatter across the glass or fail to wipe cleanly.

Correction:
Common contaminants that are not removed by conventional glass cleaner can be cleaned with Bon Ami(R), a household cleaning product.

The cleaner should be applied on a wet cloth or sponge and the windshield must be thoroughly and evenly scrubbed. Wipe off residue with a clean,dry cloth before the product dries on the glass.

Warranty Status:
Information only.

 

Agranger ( the detailing Guru ) is 100% right on this.
Newspapers are fantastic.. been using them for years, but a cheap mf cloth does the job better
Also! - i used Windex for ages and ages.. but found it still streaked abit much, and is especially noticeable in the sun.. PLUS the ammonia issue. Stoners invisible glass seems to do the trick.

I also use RainX ( tho i have read this isnt good for the wipers ) which may help 'fill' those pits etc u mentioned'

 

I should have mentioned after I use the Bon Ami I spray it off with a hose, as I do this before washing the car. Good info from mielnicki, you wouldn't want the stuff to dry and then wipe it. I probably do this 2 or 3 times a year only.

 

Autopia has 2 glass polishes here: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/glass---plastic.html
I have no experiece with either of these two products.

I have a bunch of Sonus products and they are all solid products. I think that Autoglym rebrands their products for Porsche, BMW and MINI, so it can't be that bad either.

I've never tried it either, but Zaino makes a glass polish too. I love the rest of their stuff, so if I had to choose one right now, I'd probably try the Zaino product. If I was already stocked up with Zaino stuff and needed other products from Autopia, I'd probably order one of the thers, just to save the shipping cost... http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/...ory_Code=Zaino

 

Newspaper is very lint free. But some inks can become live when it gets wet. Get the newspaper wet first and see if the ink comes off on you hands or a white surface first.

I use a glass micro fiber to buff the window after cleaning with a regular micro fibre.

 

Newsprint as a window cleaner work better than a papter towel (on an old window) because the black ink "fills" the micro sized pits and absorbs the light rather than reflect it, making the glass appear more clear for a while. Of couse the ink washes off quickly. Best to replace your windshield every 3-4 years if visibility is impaired. :impatient

 

This is the same thing that I had heard many years ago and found to be true. The black ink definitely reduces the glare.

 

I've used Griot's fine glass polish with much success. Of course, clean the windshield thoroughly before and after using the polish. It gets all the chemicals and road grime off the windshield and really puts you in a "new" position again providing your windshield isn't too bad off. Something new I'd like to add that hasn't been stated here is using "Rejex" on your windshield after it's spotless. Fills the pits and leaves a surface impervious to the elements. Sheds water very well also.

 

I have started using Stoners, but was a little concerned when the can said not to use on plastics. We were using it on the MINI and my wife's Wrangler but stopped that since the windows are plastic. It does make for some clean looking glass though.

 

I use rain-x and a microfiber towel made for polishing glass. The towels are available from autogeek. It works great.

 

Cayman77 - Can you provide a link or more detail on where to find this "Rejex" you mentioned?? Thanks..

 

I would recommend just "googling" it for the possibility of a local supplier. It's mae by a company that goes by corrosionx.com. Great stuff, developed for aircraft to repel bugs and such. No affiliation, just a very satisfied user. As an aside, it's an awsome 'wax' that I also use on my vehicles. Goes on and off super easily and lasts a long time.