Glass Cleaning Facts & Tips
Clean automotive glass is possible with the right products and techniques!
Clean glass not only looks better, it helps you drive better. We’ll tell you how to clean glass, even finicky automotive glass, with clear results. Clean, clear glass looks beautiful next to clean, waxed paint, and it improves your visibility while driving. Just a few extra minutes detailing your windows will add a sparkling touch to your vehicle’s finish and just might save your life!
The Facts About Glass Cleaners
Many glass cleaners contain ammonia, which is a great grease cutter, but has some significant disadvantages when it comes to cars.
- Ammonia can release dangerous fumes that should not be inhaled, especially in enclosed areas like the inside of your vehicle.
- Chemically, ammonia acts to dry out plastic, rubber, vinyl, and leather.
- Most significantly, in sunnier climates, car owners often customize with additional non-factory tinting. Ammonia based cleaners cannot be used on tinted windows. If your current cleaner does not state “ammonia-free” or “safe for tinted windows” you should find another cleaner.
- Many glass cleaners contain ammonia, which is a great grease cutter but has some significant disadvantages when it comes to cars.
Some people prefer to use plain water to clean their windows. While this is a very safe method, water is not enough of a solvent to cut the protein base of stubborn spots, like bug remains. However, a glass-cleaning microfiber towel will provide a gentle scrubbing action to help remove contamination. Dampen this towel lightly and clean the glass. Then, flip the towel to a dry side and buff to remove every last streak. High quality microfiber is micro-engineered to eliminate lint and is extraordinarily absorbent to prevent streaking.
Auto Glass Cleaning By Numbers
- Detail your vehicle. Glass should be the last thing you do to avoid re-contaminating it during the detailing process.
- Work out of the sun on dry windows. The sun can cause glass cleaner to evaporate too quickly and leave residues.
- Spend some extra time on your windshield because you look through it more than the rest of the windows. Lightly dampen your microfiber towel with your cleaner of choice. We highly recommend Detailer’s Pro Series Krystal Vision Glass Cleaner for its non-streaking, film-zapping performance. Wipe up and down and then side to side using long strokes. Flip the towel to a dry side to remove any remaining wetness from the windshield. Do the same on the back window.
- Be sure to roll down your windows about half way so you can clean the top edges of the glass.
- Whether you clean all of your inside or outside glass first, or if you favor the window-by-window approach, that is your preference.
- You can’t always get it right the first time. It may take a mist of glass cleaner to remove stubborn film and then another cleaning with plain water to remove any streaks created by the film. It all depends on exactly what is on your glass. Don’t be afraid to use more than one cleaner on the same window, if that’s what it takes.
- When you clean the inside of the back window, it may be helpful to use the backside of your hand to hold the towel against the lower edge of the glass. This technique will allow you to reach the bottom of the glass with greater ease. This is the perfect application of the Glass Master Pro Glass and Surface Cleaner. It can reach any spot on your windows easily and wipe it away!
