Glass Cleaner?

mountainsoft

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Does anyone have recommendations for a good glass cleaner for automotive windshields and windows?

We have traditionally used Windex but that stuff is horrible. It's streaky and leaves a film that is hard to remove. I inherited a spray can of some glass cleaner from my mom, but I can't recall now what it was called. It worked better than Windex, but it left a film behind too.

I've used soap and water, lacquer thinner, and denatured alcohol but there's always a film I can't remove. I've tried razor blades, newspaper, aluminum foil, and a variety of other hacks that still didn't get rid of the film. It's not so bad during the day, but at night the film is horrible with headlights. If it rains the water is extremely streaky and nearly impossible to see through even with brand new wipers. I have had this problem since I bought the car eight years ago and haven't been able to resolve it. None of our other vehicles have ever had this problem.

Any suggestions?
 
We switched from Windex to Invisible Glass many years ago and still think it's the greatest.

For the outside of a car windshield, a periodic Rain-X treatment works very well.
 
I used to use dampened newspaper, but dropped print news years ago. Been pretty happy with Sprayway, available at Walmart. Rough clean with paper towels, polish with microfiber.
 
Chemical Guys CLD30016 Streak Free Glass & Window Cleaner is what I've been using the last couple of years.
 
I threw out all the Windex and now use Invisible Glass. Windex used to be ok but they must have changed the formulation and now it's garbage. Invisible glass works great. For automotive use, get the one specifically designed for automobiles which is safe for window tints.
 
I've been using Zep glass cleaner, works great for me. I bought a gallon jug of their concentrate (the company makes lots of commercial cleaners, not just glass cleaner) from Home Depot about 25 years ago and I'm just now using the last of it. I guess I'll have to buy another gallon soon.

A guy who makes signs for businesses, including signs painted on glass, told me to NEVER use Windex because it has petroleum products in it, which in turn attracts dirt, and also prevents the paint from sticking to glass. And if you read the fine print on a bottle, it says right on it "contains petroleum products". True or no, I did find that using Zep the glass stayed cleaner longer.
 
ISO alcohol cleans crud off using a rag, dries quick, and leaves no residue.
I have not tried it on my windows though.
 
I clean mine with Windex (or equivalent), followed by a home made mix of equal parts vinegar/Iso-propyl alcohol/water. I use rags for Windex step, but paper towels for home made mix.
 
We mix our own glass cleaner, about 1 part iso alcohol (the 91% kind) to 10 parts water. That's what I use to clean mirrors and windows. (None of our windows are tinted, though). I did just recently buy some Windex because we had some graphite from a stepladder hinge fall on our white carpet. I tried vaccuming and wiping with just water but neither thing removed it. Two shots of Windex did the job, though 🤷‍♀️
 
Invisible Glass user here. Better than Windex IMO.
 
Tesla Showroom uses Meguiar’s Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner so that’s what we use on our car.
 
It’s hard to do on a windshield but to clean the mirrors in my house, I clean them with anything (Windex). Then, I take a microfiber cloth with just a very fine mist of water on the rag and basically polish the mirror. Works great, but like I said, doing that on the inside of a windshield would be difficult.
 
Many inside windshield films are from degassing of the plastics in the dashboard. These are very sticky. So for me it is always a 2 step process. Acholhol/bit of water or lighter fluid (excellent cleaner of oils) is a good first pass, and done with a toss away rag. That sets the stage for VERY SMALL AMOUNT of Zep or vingear/water and wiped by microfiber larger rag (I use dry sponge with microfiber wrap around it). IMHO, Zep cleaners (bath, window, industrial degreaser etc.) are very effective and cost effective.
 
On my windows and mirrors in the house I use pure white vinegar or 10% ammonia and water sprayed on the glass and wiped clean with newspaper. Newspaper can leave white marks but they are easily wiped off.
 
We switched from Windex to Invisible Glass many years ago and still think it's the greatest.

For the outside of a car windshield, a periodic Rain-X treatment works very well.
This. I would use invisible glass 1st. Then Rain-X on exterior. Might try Vinegar. Also fresh microfiber cloths. I am convinced that modern wiper blade material (silicone?) creates a film on windshields. Ater 6 months they look ok but they are worn out. .
 
This. I would use invisible glass 1st. Then Rain-X on exterior. Might try Vinegar. Also fresh microfiber cloths. I am convinced that modern wiper blade material (silicone?) creates a film on windshields. Ater 6 months they look ok but they are worn out. .
I suspect the Rain-X is more of a factor than the wiper blade material. Rain-X is great at first but I’ve found it less than desirable after a short while. I usually get wiper chatter and the Rain-X is basically its own maintenance issue. I find my best results with just getting OEM wiper blades and changing them out annually.
 
Nope, cause I don’t use Rain-X often or at all in some cases. Which type of Rain-X have you noticed has this issue? They have the treatment but also the cleaner+treatment in a spray bottle.
 
Nope, cause I don’t use Rain-X often or at all in some cases. Which type of Rain-X have you noticed has this issue? They have the treatment but also the cleaner+treatment in a spray bottle.
Been a while since I used it but it would have just been the treatment.
 
I suspect the Rain-X is more of a factor than the wiper blade material. Rain-X is great at first but I’ve found it less than desirable after a short while. I usually get wiper chatter and the Rain-X is basically its own maintenance issue. I find my best results with just getting OEM wiper blades and changing them out annually.
Rejex (Amazon) works way better than Rain-X, IMO. Also good on the headlights as it is a UV protectant. (2 applications)
 
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