Windshield clean up

[LI Roadster]

I went for what will probably be my last drive of the season last night, and it got me to thinking about my windshield. It is cloudy and has wiper blade marks, all the windex in the world couldn't make it look like new.


I am wondering if anyone has experience with a window polish kit, like the one linked from Eastwood?

http://www.eastwood.com/glass-polishing-kit-pro.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[notoptoy]

I'd be interested to see how this works out. Eastwood is very reputable and would probably accept a return if it didn't work as advertised, I think it would be worth a shot - sure is cheaper than a new windshield!

[tjp]

I've used that kit from Eastwoon on both of my Roadster as well as my 96 Chevy S10. Unless I am not using it correctly, I didn't really see much improvement. It makes such a mess that it is very close to not being worth trying it again next spring. The 1600 looked like it was prepped for new paint I had to tape down so much newpaper to keep the polish of the car. YMMV

Tim
Dairyland Datsuns

[Gregs672000]

Ya, I tried a windshield polishing kit from somewhere... had a stout buffing wheel, some kind of compound and I don't recall what else... hours of work and it made little improvement. Then again, my old windshield probably was original and extremely pitted. But it takes a lot to cut or polish glass. And as noted above, it was a messy process. I think you could improve scratches a little, but don't expect a huge change. I finally bit the bullet and got some new glass a few years back, and x-ed off another thing on the project list. Then again, Eastwood makes good products, so if there is some kind of guarantee you got nothing to lose by trying.

[datsunrides]

I used a eastwood kit with poor results. Way too much work IMO. The buffing wheel with the rhodite does a fair job of "cleaning" the glass, and will remove light scratches with a lot of work (and mess). I found the sanding disc thingies only put more scratches in the glass to remove. I would not use this again unless I could not get replacement or at least better glass or if I had a lot of time to burn (along with windex and paper towels!).

Mark

[dbrick]

My experience has been if you can feel the scratch with your fingernail, it will not buff out with a DIY kit, and it's a "maybe" for a pro. I had a kit, tried it, and as Mark said, I ended up a very clean windshield that still was covered in scratches.
Mine's so bad it's difficult to drive at night from the headlight glare, so time for a new one

[LI Roadster]

thanks for the feedback.

[iamangelfriend]

Polishing of anything is a several step process of making finer and finer scratches that reflect more and more light... until you get a mirror finish. If you just have road grime and stuff you want to clean... believe it or not fine steel wool does a GREAT job. It WILL NOT scratch your glass (it's the same hardness as glass) but it cleans well enough to almost eliminate the need for windshield wipers... in that water beads up nicely! Light scratches you can feel may be able to be taken out with simple polishing kits... tripoli, rouge, etc. Check into lapidary supplies. They polish rocks with that stuff and glass is often softer than rocks! Just be careful with the rough polish stage... no reason to create more work for yourself.

[mraitch]

Toothpaste

[Solex68]

Toothpaste

That works on plastic headlamps but does it help on glass Peter?
Curious since my glass is so pitted.
Greg

[twistin]

Steel wool for cleaning glass x2
Newspaper is the best for the final clean with glass cleaner.
Any heavy buffing will only distort the vision IF you manage to remove any scratch's.

[Thomcraft]

Steel wool for cleaning glass x2
Newspaper is the best for the final clean with glass cleaner.
Any heavy buffing will only distort the vision IF you manage to remove any scratch's.

This is true, I spent 17 yrs in the autoglass business. Buffing deep enough to remove scratches and pits will create distortions in the glass.

[notoptoy]

Great info,
What grade of steel wool? Do you use it with water, a cleaner, dry, or with a lubricant of some sort?
Thanks for the details in advance.

[greydog]

I've had really good luck using a single edge razor blade. As long as you're not careless it will remove most anything that's dry on the windshield.
Dan

[Solex68]

I've had really good luck using a single edge razor blade. As long as you're not careless it will remove most anything that's dry on the windshield.
Dan

I am not sure of the others but my issue is pitting and if it can be removed or lessoned to some extant.