Lets talk about Glass cleaning...

I have been fumbling around for a while now with this in my shop. I am really impressed with Meg's glass cleaner diluted with DI water. What I have not found a simple solution is the method of cleaning. I have tried waffle weave glass towels, and they work fantastic on the first window or two. What are your methods? How do you check your work? How do ensure the windows, quite possibly the simplest part of our work yet the easiest let down, are simply perfect?

Just to be clear I am not looking for a what glass product to use. Thank you.

 

I do exactly what you do, also use the Meg's Glass Concentrate diluted with DI water.

 

Im using Detailer brand megs D120 ... dilute 10:1 ... smell just nice, no streaking ...

 

Yes, same here. Its the towels that I am having issue with.

 

That's what I'm using. I'm not a big fan of grape, but the D120 diluted as you mentioned is GREAT!

 

I use Zep glass cleaner which is a great product as well as being very economical as it can be cut 32:1. I use it with a textured mf and one of those blue glass-specific mf's. The 2nd mf is the key...they come out perfectly...like these here.

 

I will have to see what Ken has in stock for glass towels. Has any here tried SV Crystal?

 

I use ONR it works just fine for me.

 

No water spots? Are you using a water filter?

 

Rich, I haven't tried it at the proper dilution, but I did go check the Zep stuff out at Home Depot. It smells awful. Does it smell that awful once it's all mixed up, or does it get better?

Anyway, to the original question, I've started saving my "retired" drying towels, cutting them into 4ths, and using them on windows. I've only tried them twice, but so far, I'm pretty happy with the results. The glass-specific towels are another good one, but like Rich, I've started going back after it with a second towel. That seems to help.

I hate windows. Really. I hate them.

 

There are two things that will pretty much guarantee streak free windows. 1. Use an alcohol based, not ammonia based, window cleaner. 2. Use two, not one, waffle weave towel. Start with one towel for wiping and flip over to buff the glass and as it becomes damp, use the second towel for buffing. If your buffing towel is damp, you'll never get streak free windows.

 

Thats the way I do it and agree, you will never have streaks with this method.

 

I for one do not use MFs to clean glass, one reason I never have seen the need to. I have a few glass MFs and just more of a paint for me to wash those by them-self and I always clean my glass so to use glass MFs just does not work as I do not like to run the wash just for two towels. I have always used paper towels, thick shop like paper towels or blank news print paper that you used when you were in elementary school. Never had issues with streaking or not cleaning properly, I use Megs Detailers Glass Cleaner.

 

I have 12 mf glass towels and when they all get dirty, I wash all at once.

 

Karl..you got my curiosity fired up so I limped downstairs to give it a wiff...you're right, the concentrate smells terrible. BUT, believe it or not, the diluted product actually has a nice smell to it. Talk about changing shit to perfume...A+ for that maneuver.

 

ha, yeah I could do that but it would bother me having dirty MFs around.

 

I have 5 or 6 Uber glass mf's. I use them in combination with either Lusso Glass Polish at full strength (works awesome, btw. Don't let the 8 oz bottle fool you. I've cleaned probably 10 vehicles' glass with it, interior and exterior, and I still have over half the bottle left) or Sprayway.

I don't use 2 towels at the same time, but I do trade out as soon as it starts to streak. I have used all 6 of them on one vehicle before (larger SUV).

For washing, I just fill a small bucket with APC solution, let them soak for a few, then rinse them out. My glass mf's never get too dirty.

 

The Zep glass cleaner is awesome. That with a waffle weave type towel is all I use for cleaning glass.

 

yep (What he said ^^), sure fire way to clean windows!

I use mainstays waffle weave towel for window cleaning thanks to your advice Pat and I LOVE THEM!!

 

Thanks guys, really helpful. I hate windows.