Interior Windshield cleaning technique - Pls Share

The temps were up this weekend so I had a change to wash the car, broke out the vacuum in the driveway and clean all the interior without being crammed in my garage.

As I was finishing up, I used my microfiber towel and Adams Glass Cleaner to clean the inside of the windshield. (love the Adams GC) To no surprise, in the sun glare I see the spots that I missed and its drives me up a wall. What do you guys use to clean the window to ensure no streaking or missed spots. In my M3 its tough and awkward to get into a good position to use full "wiping" motions without taking my rear view mirror with my elbow. LOL. I recall seeing a device to clean the windshield at PepBoys. Any of you use it? Recommend it? Any other suggestions?

Thnx

 

I use that device either stoner makes or the one available @ bed bath and beyond. I put a short extension on it , and clean the windows from outside of the car, BUT watch scratching the steering wheel ( I did on my old car doh!)

You can just lay a mf towel over the device if the mf that comes with the kit is dirty.

 

eShine Canada: Glass Master Pro Glass and Surface Cleaner

I use something like that but one I picked up at a local auto store for 10 bucks.

 

Thanks guys. My wife is constantly at BBB, so Ill have her pick one up.

 

following up by wiping down your windows with a dry waffle weave towel has been working really well for me too. it seems to catch all those pesky little streaks you missed.

 

Joe, the tool I use is no longer available on the bed bath and beyond website. It was called the glass wizard. The nice thing about this (glass wizard), the one posted above by Boosted MK6 and the Stoners glass model is that you can add an extension pole to it because it is threaded @ the end.


EDIT: it lookes as if the Glass Wizard is no longer sold many places.

The one posted above by Boostedmk6 (and the stoners model) comes with a threaded handle that you can add an extension poll to it if you want to.

 

Nice tool to get into the edges. Not a big fan of the bonnets provided or buying more. If you get one of these, slap on your own towels and they hold relatively well.

 

Some Stoners and a box of these is a great combo Pop-up Glass Cleaning Wipes

 

That's what I do too. Seems to help the best. Plus ever since I switched from Stoner's to CG Window Clean I have had zero streaking no matter what kind of cloth I am using to clean my windows.

 

i use adams too and i find that if i use 2 towels and make sure the down they are both clean and dry it leaves zero streaks or hazing...the down side is that i run through about 4 towels per car

 

Here's what I do.


I use thick cotton towels with a lot of bite to them, 2 towels per car should do it depending on size. Spray the window, not the towel. Wipe with one towel until cleaner "flashes" then use quick light wipes to make sure it flashes away, make sure you get all of the cracks and seams. Follow up with other clean towel, making sure you hit all the same spots. I sort of do it how I used to color as a little kid, hit the border then "color in" the rest of the window. Use the same towel for follow up and same for initial clean.

I generally have spot free windows even before I bring out the LED for a quick check.

 

Do you use terry towels, or the blue huck towels/surgical towels?

 

I hate cleaning the interior windows. I have tried so many different methods. One thing, and I'm sure that you are already doing this is make sure you don't clean the windows in direct sunlight.

 

I use Chemical guys factory seal on the interior and exterior windows. I spray the towel with distilled h20, squirt a little factory seal on, and apply. The factory seal hazes and dries fast, I go over it with a seperate clean mf... and my windows are crystal clean and protected.

 

Just white cotton towels that you'd find at a Pep Boys or something. Not like a bath towel, they are a bit rougher and are in the car section.

 

As Kyle said, the whole trick to doing windows is two towels. One for wiping and one for buffing. Without a dry buffing towel, you won't be able to get streak free windows as a damp towel will only push the dirt around the glass and not pick it up. Using two towels will pretty much guarantee streak free glass, regardless of the cleaner used. I use straight water for most of the year. Another trick is if it's cool out, let the car run and get the air inside the car warm. A damp towel + cold air = condensation.

 

I don't use any tools to do the windshield. If your water (or cleaning solvent) is clean and you didn't miss anything when cleaning, you shouldn't have streaks or missed spots. Just work logically and in sections.

I use plain water and a green Sonus Der Wunder microfibre towel for cleaning my windows, glass surfaces, and mirrors (automotive and household). If you haven't tried a tight weave microfibre towel for glass cleaning, I highly recommend it. Do not use plush or waffle-weave microfibre, paper towels, cotton cloths, or newspapers for glass cleaning - any tight weave microfibre cloth is substantially better.

The very tight weave of the green version of this towel makes it fantastic for glass cleaning - it grabs the dirt with minimal effort using only plain water. Try it for yourself on a dirty bathroom mirror - it works faster than using a glass cleaner on a cotton cloth or paper towel.

For tough grime (ie. oil-based), I use Stoner's Invisible Glass in the aerosol can. Spray on the window first, wipe away with one side of the towel. Spray again, then wipe away with a clean side of the towel. Repeat with as many towels as needed.

Note that with the green Der Wunder towel, the weave is very tight and not suitable for dry buffing. You can feel how it grabs your hand when it's dry. It may cause fine scratches if you dry buff with it, so maybe lightly dampen it with water if you need to do a final buff, or just use Stoner's Invisible Glass as your final buff, since it will evaporate cleanly.

 

Very true. That's the reason why I now use Waffle Weave towels when glass cleaning.

 

I have to disagree with you here. I have been using WW towels on my clients cars for years without issue. Clean windows are clean windows regardless of the medium used.

 

Clean windows are clean windows, but the medium used to get there, combined with the cleaning liquid used, affects how easily you get to that point.

The original poster was asking about difficult spots and streaking. The tight-weaved microfibre has noticeably more "grab" than plush and waffle-weave microfibre, and in my experience, the tight-weave cleans much more effectively and quickly than the other types. I have all of the different types and have tried them all myself. You can feel the enhanced "grab" difference in the green tight-weave microfibre compared to the other weaves of microfibre.

However, if your windows aren't that dirty and/or if you use a cleaning agent that isn't water, then I agree that a waffle-weave, plush, or even a quality cotton towel would be just fine.