I was reading the thread about underappreciated products and several guys were mentioning glass products. I hardly ever use a product to clean glass anymore unless it's a really dirty windshield from a smoker or something, and then I use Zep Pro glass cleaner that is about $10/gal at Home Depot and can be cut 32:1!! Anyway, here is a review I did for a product that will absolutely change the way you clean glass. I have been using these now since I did the review (same cloths) and continue to think they're amazing (October 2012). Without further adieu... The thing I dislike the most about detailing is doing glass. You think you have the glass just fine, until you pull out into that late day or early morning sun....and then it shows...that awful haze. I have tried so many different products and different glass-specific mf's over the last few years. I recently came across a recommendation for a product called a KD cloth that is available for sale in Canada. I'm not sure of their shipping rates to the US, but they currently offer free shipping to Canada. The cloth can be described as a no-nap kind of mf. It almost reminds me of the Carpro suede mf. Here is a picture of the front of the package it arrives in as well as the back: Here is the company website: http://www.kdcloth.com/ The cloth is 16" X 17". Here is a picture of it laying on a car: Here it is next to a standard mf for comparison: You can see how thin it is. So, what's so great about this fancy glass cleaning cloth? Well, for one, you don't use chemicals with it, only water. You get it wet and wring it out (I try to wring it fairly dry) and then wipe the area to clean it. That's it! Done! It dries without streaking (yes, it does) and leaves no film behind and cleans the glass very well. I don't like the out-gassing you get on the windshield from the plastic inside the car and bought this specifically to test it against that. I actually used the KD cloth on half of the inside of my windshield a few days ago. The next morning in the early morning sun I was very impressed at the difference. Tonight I finally got a chance in the late day sun to photograph the windshield to show the results. The KD cloth cut the haze and left streak-free glass. I have used it so far on my glasses and on my iphone, where it performed very well on both. I have tried it on a mirror too also with great results. The only thing it disappointed me with was cleaning my laptop screen....but..that's not glass! And this is a glass cleaning cloth, so not exactly a fair test! You just wash it with no softener and air dry. Just like you would your regular mf's. No difference there. They are pricey at $7. for a single, but you can buy them in larger numbers and get a better price. I have honestly never used a glass cleaning towel that has performed this well. Ever. Canadians can get the KD cloth version and US residents are better to get them via CarPro US (Corey).
Thanks for the review. I might have to grab one of these to see how well they fair. It gets tedious using 3 different glass mf's just to get glass streak free.
By looking at the picture of the "towel", I'm skeptical because it looks like a heavy duty paper towel. But it's hard to argue with your results there. How is this compared to newspaper? I've tried microfiber and glass towels but keep going back to newspaper because it always leaves it streak free and I can just throw it away afterwards.
Please let me know how it works for you. I continue to love mine. In Canada, I can get a similar one at Home Depot (but not at the one in Detroit-seems like Canadian only HD's), by Shinex I believe. They come in a 12 pack for $15 I believe. They are thinner than the CarPro/KD ones, but, they seem to do the same job. I actually include one in every detail I do as a way of saying "Thanks". BTW, I wasn't aware of the Shinex ones when I did this review initially. I hear ya man, that's why the opening line of my review is how much I dislike (or USED TO) doing glass. You should see how they work on glass-top stoves too!! I like using hot water to loosen them up, then wring out well and then I "snap" them a few times for good measure. I've been using them for months and are still cleaning like a champ and holding up well. I have heard of newspaper, but have never actually tried it. These are so simple and work so well plus they are reusable time and time again. I've been using them for months!
bought a KD cloth and I have to say I am amazed. I've tried several different glass cleaners and combinations of different paper towels and different microfiber towels all with disappointing results. I thought there was something off with our two newer cars as no matter what I did I'd end up with streaks. I'd wipe and rewipe the windows and just move where the streaks were. Did a quick wipe down of the inside of the windshield late in the evening on the one car. Figured I'd have had to missed a lot and wasn't expecting much but the next day there were no streaks, the glass was nice and clean. Went over the inside and outside on the other car after that and the windows look better than they've looked in the year and a half we've had the car. Whenever I parked I'd think I'd left a window down it was so clean. This thing actually works and is even idiot proof
Richy, Any chance I might get you photograph this cloth with a light shining through it from the backside? The reason is that I'm trying to discern whether another one I've seen is like the KD Cloth. If not, that's okay as I know it takes time to do all of this. Thanks.
From the KD Cloth website: How do I wash the KD Cloth? Wash separately from towels or items that leave lint. Wash in warm to hot water. Use any laundry soap that does not contain bleach or fabric softener additives. Hang to dry. Cloths can also be hand washed with laundry or dish soaps that do not contain skin softeners (these may plug the microfibers). The cloths must be rinsed well of soap or some residue will remain on surfaces after you clean. Periodical boiling of the cloths helps open the micro fibres as wide as possible to release built up laundry soaps and to lighten some stains. This also sterilizes the cloth. Simply boil cloth in a pot of water on top of the stove for 5 minutes. We also recommend (after personal experience) to set the timer as one can become distracted and forget about the cloths and boil the pot dry. Dump the water and cloths into the sink and rinse with cooler water if you want to use them immediately. If not, hang to dry.
I love the kd cloth. Got it after reading richy's review and am glad I did. Does great with the windows at home.
