Windshield Wiper Mark Removal

[Arved]

What I've tried so far:

1. Wash soap (Meguiar's NXT wash)
2. 90% Isopropyl Alcohol w/Microfibre towel
3. Stoner's Invisible Glass w/(new) Microfibre towel
4. Zaino clay bar with NXT wash as lubricant

If the glass is dry, I don't see any marks anymore, so I think I've improved things quite a bit. However, mist the windshield with water, and the wiper tracks stick out like a sore thumb.

I can't seem to find much else to do via the search engine here. Next step seems to be Porter Cable with a glass polish. Or is there something else I should try first? If it matters, I've been using Bosch Microedge wiper blades, so if it's residue from the wiper blades themselves, that might be a clue how to remove (different solvent than the Alcohol?) I've avoided Windex and TSP due to the harshness they'd have on the paint surrounding the windshield.

Can I get some options, hopefully with some ranking from least aggressive to most aggressive? I've seen some discussion of PCing the windshield, but I can't find enough information to rank them.

This board's been so great, I've been able to lurk for months without posting, finding my answers burried like hidden treasure. This time, though, I need more help.

aTdHvAaNnKcSe,

- Arved

[zimmerDN]

I am a newbie but i have a few ideas that might work.

1. Vinegar diluted with water.
2. Glass polish? Brasso? Be really careful as you might scratch the glass permanently

[truzoom]

Is it bad? I've always noticed that on most cars there is a pattern on the windshield of where the wiper blades travel, but its only noticable when wet. I would try 50/50 water:vinegar before going to a polish.

[tpg13]

Bon Ami or Bar Keepers friend cleanser. Dosen't scratch so don't worry about it. I use it all the time. Cleans anything that's on there and leaves it nice and shiny.

[joebags]

Belive it or not I use Turtle Wax Bug & Tar remover, just rub it on - works like a champ.

[GunCulture]

Anyone ever try toothpaste?
I was advised to use that on a scratched watch face once.

[Arved]

Well, I tried White Vinegar this morning. No change. I'll try the Bon-Ami or Barkeeper's freind stuff next, but my expectations are waning.

Joe - I tried Turtle Wax Bug and Tar (B&T) remover many years ago. I think, at the time, it was one of the first citrus based B&T removers around. It was no match for Florida's Love Bugs, however. They've probably reformulated and improved it, but you know the saying, "Fool me once..." I'm not inclined to give it another try. As a B&T remover, starting with a good coat of wax to begin with, then taking the buggers off with Quick Detailer and Clay Bar, followed up with rewaxing is only a little more work than a B&T solvent (which I think strips the wax anyway).

Buddy at the office who's the most serious detail snob I know (besides you guys) shamed me for using dirty wipers in the first place, then suggested I use the glass polish kit from Eastwood. I talked to him a bit more, telling him that I only notice the wiper marks when there's moisture on the window (dew or mist), and he suggested using Castrol SuperClean AccuVision (Rain-X alternative).

Thanks,
- Arved

[Arved]

Bon Ami or Bar Keepers friend cleanser. Dosen't scratch so don't worry about it. I use it all the time. Cleans anything that's on there and leaves it nice and shiny.

I had to do a little searching, but I hit paydirt and found a store that had both products. Well, sort of. They had Bon Ami cleanser, and Bar Keeper's Friend (BKF). I picked up the Bon Ami because, reading the label, BKF had an abrasive, and I didn't see any mention of abrasives in Bon Ami.

Reading the forums a little deeper, though, looking for tips and tricks on how to use the Bon Ami cleanser, I learn there are really several Bon Ami products, including a glass cleaner (which I haven't found, so I'll probably need to mail order if this is the product I need to get). I also learn that the Bon Ami cleanser actually does have an abrasive, and that it's slightly harder than glass, so it will scratch and/or polish the windshield. If it's a fine enough abrasive, it could be a polish, but if not, it's going to scratch up my windshield.

Is this the stuff (Bon Ami cleanser) really the stuff I want to use, or am I only going to make a bad situation worse?

What's the abrasive in BKF like?

Thanks,
- Arved

[ZJ JIM 96]

I used BKF trying to get out some water spots on tinted rear windows. I wasn't overly impressed with the results, but it didn't do any harm. And I was pretty vigorous with it. If I were you, I'd try a small corner area first to test it on your windshield--maybe a top corner where the upper tint will show micro-scratches better.

[tom p.]

This board's been so great, I've been able to lurk for months without posting, finding my answers burried like hidden treasure. This time, though, I need more help.

aTdHvAaNnKcSe,

- Arved

Look, if the marks are from wear, you're not going to "clean" the marks off. Glass has become more like plastic over the years as the mfrs make attempts to reduce vehicle weight. Glass gets sandblasted and the wipers do create a distinct wear region where they travel. In some cases, the only option would be replacement if you decide it's severe enough. This sandblasting and wear seems to be a nuisance for some people, especially at night and in the rain.

I have had some success using 1Z's Glas Polish and the Porter Cable + polishing pad. It did improve the condition on a hi mileage car but, by no means, did it disappear entirely.

YMMV

[joebags]

Joe - I tried Turtle Wax Bug and Tar (B&T) remover many years ago. I think, at the time, it was one of the first citrus based B&T removers around. It was no match for Florida's Love Bugs, however. They've probably reformulated and improved it, but you know the saying, "Fool me once..." I'm not inclined to give it another try. As a B&T remover, starting with a good coat of wax to begin with, then taking the buggers off with Quick Detailer and Clay Bar, followed up with rewaxing is only a little more work than a B&T solvent (which I think strips the wax anyway).

Thanks,
- Arved

Arved, it looks like you are really trying to get this cleaned so let me tell you that the Bug & Tar Remover WORKS for cleaning off the grime. It will only probably cost about $3 in a local store so for the $3 and about ten minutes of your time I say TRY IT. You really have nothing to lose, so try it and then let me know what you think. Its easier then what you have been trying to do so far (mail order & researching time).

Just try it.

[Arved]

Look, if the marks are from wear, you're not going to "clean" the marks off. Glass has become more like plastic over the years as the mfrs make attempts to reduce vehicle weight. Glass gets sandblasted and the wipers do create a distinct wear region where they travel. In some cases, the only option would be replacement if you decide it's severe enough. This sandblasting and wear seems to be a nuisance for some people, especially at night and in the rain

That's kind of what I was afraid of, but I wasn't sure of, due to how the pattern changes and is heavy at the ends of the wiper stroke. However, I wanted to exhaust all possibilities of a non-abrasive solution before I took polisher in hand and did something I might be sorry for later. Like the glare and starbursts I've noticed in some machine-polished windshields I've seen.

I have had some success using 1Z's Glas Polish and the Porter Cable + polishing pad. It did improve the condition on a hi mileage car but, by no means, did it disappear entirely.

From my first post, I was open to the idea of using a polish. As with everything else, though, I want to use the least aggressive means possible. I haven't seen any comparisons of how all the various glass polishes rate in terms of abrasiveness. How does 1Zs Glas Polish compare to other glass polishes, such as AutoGlym's?

Thanks,