Please share your tips for streak free windows

R

Richard Grasa

New member
I would like to get some tips from everyone for getting windows completely streak free. This is the one thing that drives me and my assistant absolutely nuts! We use Meg's D120 Glass Cleaner. Our process is spray the window, wipe with one MF, then follow up with another dry MF and keep wiping until completely dry. This works great most of the time, but alot of the time we are spending too much time chasing streaks as we see them at different angles while working on other parts of the car or when we pull the car out of the shop when it's done.



We've tried quite a few different glass cleaners and D120 has been the absolute best we've tried and considering the cost effectiveness, I don't really want to switch cleaners. I'm mostly looking for things like what's your process, what type of MF or other towel do you use, etc.



Thanks!
 
I use a method similar to yours on fairly clean cars. On cars with dirty windows, I use a squeegee for the first pass, then another pass with MF.
 
Glass Cleaning



One of the most often asked questions from both professional and enthusiast detailer’s is

“How do I clean glass properly without leaving streaks”? (Second is leather cleaning and care)



Drying / buffing glass



Once the glass surface has been cleaned use a waffle weave micro fibre towel to final clean and polish the glass, when they are wet they’re very soft and super absorbent, and glide easily over the surface, the ‘pockets’ in the weave ‘hold’ any dirt or surface debris unlike some other super absorbing products that trap dirt between the towel and paint surface with the potential to cause serious scratches (never use it when it’s dry as it can potentially scratch) That goes for whatever you use for drying, including cotton towels. To use ensure that the towel is really wet and then wring it out thoroughly before using.



Non-Lint Surgical Glass Cleaning Towels



Use Dr Joe dedicated Lint-Free 100% Cotton Blue Huck Surgical Towels, that have a tight cotton herringbone weave and a thread count of 170 per square inch, which is ideal for hard surfaces like glass as they have more ‘grip’ than micro fibre towels and helps to break up the surface debris.



Fold the towel in half and then half again. Mist the glass surface with 1:2 solution of distilled white vinegar and water solution in a spray bottle or Stoners Invisible Glass™ Trigger Spray Bottle. Use one towel for product application and one for removal / buffing. Once glass surfaces are clean and dry protect it with a sealant





External Glass



Windshield - Concentrate on the areas outside the arc of the wiper arms as this where the most difficult to remove contaminates will be. Then clean the outside edges, and then the centre of the glass. If you're getting water spots that stay on your surface; you have too much moisture in your cloth. Wash with liquid soap, but do not use fabric softeners, hand or machine wash cloths alone or with lint-free clothing.



Wash to remove any dirt or road grime, and then use detailer’s clay to remove road debris, brake dust, tar, etc. I would not advocate the use of synthetic steel or brass wool on glass surfaces; the reasons being are that no matter how fine of a grit (even #00000) you use you are actually micro scratching the surface of the glass allowing more spaces for dirt to build and settle where normal washing will not remove it, even though the glass looks super smooth to the naked eye. Grades of steel wool are similar to grit in finishing papers; the finest steel wool is grade #0000 steel wool or 1000 grit Steel wool (including #0000 synthetic) and razor blades can scratch glass. Be cognizant that mainly due to the shedding of the steel fibres, which will embed in the plastic, rubber trim and possibly cause other types of damage.(See also Bronze synthetic wool (Marine Stores)



A better way to clean glass would be to use a Hi-Tech Body Sponge™ this innovative rubber polymer product safely and easily removes water spots, tree sap, rail dust, bugs and other bonded surface contaminants from the surface of automotive glass, mouldings and, may be used with any kind of lubricant and being an abrasive it will also produce a shine. With rubber side down, gently rub Body Sponge on glass using diluted car wash soap as a lubricant



Windows - lower the window approximately 1 inch to allow access to the top part of the glass. This part should be cleaned and dried first. Spray with glass cleaner and buff dry. Now roll the window back up, and clean the remainder of the window. Pay attention to the corners of the windows, as this is where you will get most smears and streaks.



Once external glass surfaces have been cleaned apply an acrylic polymer as a rain repellent / protectant (Klasse All-In-One) or a Silane nano-technology polymers coating (G|Techniq G2 Residue Remover and then apply G|Techniq G1 Clear Vision Smart Glass) and then (G|Techniq G4 Nano Glass Polish to help keep glass clear and cleaner for longer



Drying Pattern



Use a different drying pattern for interior / exterior glass surfaces (i.e. horizontal for interior and vertical for exterior) utilizing this technique you can easily determine the location of any streaking.





Autopia Detailing Wiki - "Glass Cleaning Process" - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/138241-glass-cleaning-process.html#post1468969
 
The thread that Bill D linked :xyxthumbs



I usually do the intial passes with either cotton towels or a MF made for glass, then follow up with the Griot's Window wipes.



Note that different windows can call for different glass cleaners, depending on what you're cleaning off. My usual fave isn't always the best choice.
 
TOGWT said:
Glass Cleaning



One of the most often asked questions from both professional and enthusiast detailer’s is

“How do I clean glass properly without leaving streaks”? (Second is leather cleaning and care)



Drying / buffing glass



Once the glass surface has been cleaned use a waffle weave micro fibre towel to final clean and polish the glass, when they are wet they’re very soft and super absorbent, and glide easily over the surface, the ‘pockets’ in the weave ‘hold’ any dirt or surface debris unlike some other super absorbing products that trap dirt between the towel and paint surface with the potential to cause serious scratches (never use it when it’s dry as it can potentially scratch) That goes for whatever you use for drying, including cotton towels. To use ensure that the towel is really wet and then wring it out thoroughly before using.



Non-Lint Surgical Glass Cleaning Towels



Use Dr Joe dedicated Lint-Free 100% Cotton Blue Huck Surgical Towels, that have a tight cotton herringbone weave and a thread count of 170 per square inch, which is ideal for hard surfaces like glass as they have more ‘grip’ than micro fibre towels and helps to break up the surface debris.



Fold the towel in half and then half again. Mist the glass surface with 1:2 solution of distilled white vinegar and water solution in a spray bottle or Stoners Invisible Glass™ Trigger Spray Bottle. Use one towel for product application and one for removal / buffing. Once glass surfaces are clean and dry protect it with a sealant





External Glass



Windshield - Concentrate on the areas outside the arc of the wiper arms as this where the most difficult to remove contaminates will be. Then clean the outside edges, and then the centre of the glass. If you're getting water spots that stay on your surface; you have too much moisture in your cloth. Wash with liquid soap, but do not use fabric softeners, hand or machine wash cloths alone or with lint-free clothing.



Wash to remove any dirt or road grime, and then use detailer’s clay to remove road debris, brake dust, tar, etc. I would not advocate the use of synthetic steel or brass wool on glass surfaces; the reasons being are that no matter how fine of a grit (even #00000) you use you are actually micro scratching the surface of the glass allowing more spaces for dirt to build and settle where normal washing will not remove it, even though the glass looks super smooth to the naked eye. Grades of steel wool are similar to grit in finishing papers; the finest steel wool is grade #0000 steel wool or 1000 grit Steel wool (including #0000 synthetic) and razor blades can scratch glass. Be cognizant that mainly due to the shedding of the steel fibres, which will embed in the plastic, rubber trim and possibly cause other types of damage.(See also Bronze synthetic wool (Marine Stores)



A better way to clean glass would be to use a Hi-Tech Body Sponge™ this innovative rubber polymer product safely and easily removes water spots, tree sap, rail dust, bugs and other bonded surface contaminants from the surface of automotive glass, mouldings and, may be used with any kind of lubricant and being an abrasive it will also produce a shine. With rubber side down, gently rub Body Sponge on glass using diluted car wash soap as a lubricant



Windows - lower the window approximately 1 inch to allow access to the top part of the glass. This part should be cleaned and dried first. Spray with glass cleaner and buff dry. Now roll the window back up, and clean the remainder of the window. Pay attention to the corners of the windows, as this is where you will get most smears and streaks. Once external glass surfaces have been cleaned apply an acrylic polymer as a rain repellent / protectant (Klasse All-In-One) or a Silane nano-technology polymers coating (G|Techniq G3 Clear Vision Glass Coat and then apply G|Techniq G1 Clear Vision Smart Glass) to help keep glass clear and cleaner for longer





Drying Pattern



Use a different drying pattern for interior / exterior glass surfaces (i.e. horizontal for interior and vertical for exterior) utilizing this technique you can easily determine the location of any streaking.





Autopia Detailing Wiki - "Glass Cleaning Process" - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/138241-glass-cleaning-process.html#post1468969
Click to expand...





Jon since I have noticed lately a penchant for using a reference for where the content was gleaned, where would the source of the tip to utilize Stoners in the spray bottle as opposed to the aerosol can?..................and why?. Should be interesting to hear this.................waiting with anticipation you plagerizing hump.



You just cannot help yourself can you "Old man" (Spoken in a oxford accent for effect).
 
D120 is also my favorite. I would add that if you have any streaking to re-clean the glass with clean short nap microfibers. If that fails, try spraying D156 on a microfiber and applying the polymer to the glass. This buffs streak free and is awesomely slippery so dust and dirt release instantly in the future. Doesn't harm tints.
 
Auto Concierge said:
Jon since I have noticed lately a penchant for using a reference for where the content was gleaned, where would the source of the tip to utilize Stoners in the spray bottle as opposed to the aerosol can?..................and why?. Should be interesting to hear this.................waiting with anticipation you plagerizing hump.



You just cannot help yourself can you "Old man" (Spoken in a oxford accent for effect).
Click to expand...





Since "Jon without a H" will not elaborate on why I banged him yet again well I will............................. here it is gents.



I had a converation with Bing aka Richie as to why he used Stoners with the sprayer top as opposed to the aerosol can as the formula is the same for both.......but he noticed the glass had a issues with some streaking when the aerosol Invisible glass was used then we both follow with distilled water and waffle weave towel for streak free glass, now a while back a identical thread was posted on DB and I said the same thing in my reply at the time.



Now is this "Ground breaking stuff" no, nor am I the only one probably along with Richie who noticed this as it is due to the propellants in the aerosol we factored possibly which caused the streaking(Also ambient temps as well/humidity etc...) my issue with "Sean Tiller" is the "I will comment on everything with ten paragraphs when one will do 100 dollar worded information as I know all things posts" when the info was gleaned from OTHER people knowledge and posted by moi!!!.



If I learn something from someone else I ALWAYS give credit where credit is due, where in Jon's case he taking other peoples knowledge and making it his own(Giant thread on DB where Flash aka Trouble and I exposed this "With the quickness") funny on Jon's blog in the testamonials he has Flash and Todd Helme on there lauding praises which I find extremely ironic, now obviously Jon is a smart articulate guy who has put out some great info but sometimes lays eggs when the info he puts out is just "Cut n paste" stuff as you can tell he did not do the particular technique himself or he would know that tidbit of info does not work in the real world.



Now some of you are probably rolling your eyes with "Bob Willis at it again" why does he care...................etc.............. well I care because the info is not the truth and he is telling it like it ain't and in my mind this is wrong and always will be end stop. You have so much "Tom Foolery" on the internet these days as anyone can say what they want and most of the time nobody checks them or vets what they say, and if you say something and claim it as your own when it's not(Like Andy Pancroft in Houston for example) know this if I find it...........................your getting the foot to a** from me.
 
Dan said:
I use a method similar to yours on fairly clean cars. On cars with dirty windows, I use a squeegee for the first pass, then another pass with MF.
Click to expand...



I do this as well when the glass is very dirty, but i also get a very mild dawn mixture with a pad similar to a scotch pad and then squeegee.

http://www.windowtint.com/images/P/CRW_0041_RT16-01.jpg



Then I follow up with a window cleaner like the meguiars detailer line glass cleaner and a waffle weave window towel.



*disclaimer* i am in no way affiliated with the place i got the picture from. I just use something similar and needed a reference.
 
GTechniq G3 and G1 are not applied together. They are two different glass protectants.



[quote name='TOGWT'] Once external glass surfaces have been cleaned apply an acrylic polymer as a rain repellent / protectant (Klasse All-In-One) or a Silane nano-technology polymers coating (G|Techniq G3 Clear Vision Glass Coat and then apply G|Techniq G1 Clear Vision Smart Glass) to help keep glass clear and cleaner for longer
 
I use a good glass cleaner and wipe off with wadded up newspaper. The ink in the paper helps polish the glass and eliminate streaking. Comics pages work great!



Mike
 
I've been using the Dr Joes Lint-Free 100% Cotton Blue Huck Surgical Towels for years on windows, but didn't know it--bought mine at a Pepboys and they do a fantastic job bkz of the hard weave in the cloth--much better than MF. Never cared much for Stoners, but get great results with Surf City Garage Clearly Better Glass Cleaner. First wipe produces a slight haze that removes easily with the second towel -- remove the haze, remove the streaks. You can get it now at some Walmarts.
 
pwaug said:
I've been using the Dr Joes Lint-Free 100% Cotton Blue Huck Surgical Towels for years on windows, but didn't know it--bought mine at a Pepboys and they do a fantastic job ...
Click to expand...



See how experiences can differ! You just never know how things will turn out until you try it yourself.



I got some of those when buying some cheapie bulk MFs from them. My other huck towels were sent to me by another member here..."hey, these things are *GREAT*, you gotta try 'em!"...unfortunately neither of those worked well for me at all :nixweiss
 
I have a ton of those blue huck surgical towels and they are good for many things, but for me, cleaning glass isn't one of them. Once wet, they leave too much moisture behind and if I try to buff glass dry with them they leave streaks galore. Different strokes!
 
1) Make sure the glass cleaner is diluted properly.

2) Use a Waffle Weave MF towel for initial pass with the glass cleaner, follow with a thick nap 100% cotton terry towel for the final wipe.

3) Make sure to fold towels in fourths and wear gloves while cleaning windows.

4) Make certain all towels are cleaned and maintained properly, always do a double rinse when you wash them.



Some interior window may require more than one cleaning pass.
 
Erik Mejia- I do my towel progression the opposite way, I usually use cotton first. Otherwise I'm more likely to get cotton lint on the glass. Guess a lot of that would depend on the cotton towel though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top