Streak Free Windows???

[Addicted2Bling]

I`m going to say this is the part where I have no control over. I mean, it seems like the harder I try the worse I make them. Is there anything I can do to make my windows at least better looking? I was wiping down a rear window the other day and it was like looking into a smudge factory, it was horrible, I could not believe all the spots I missed. I need some serious help here... In case you`re wondering I`m using water and microfiber towels... Thanks guys

[Mr. Clean]

Maybe I misunderstood your process, but I would try a glass cleaner instead of just water. Also I prefer using the "huck" towel aka surgical towels for glass cleaning. Use multiple towels and get a good rinse on your towels (multiple rinses if necessary and I use vinegar in at least one of the rinse cycles) to remove soap residues. Using a little less detergent than recommended can also help to reduce soap residues.

[DJsDetails]

Stoner`s Invisible Glass - use just enough to glide over every section of the glass, not enough and your MF will kind of skip or stick to the glass once it gets to a dry area (kind of a finesse thing). Use too much and you`ll streak/waste product. With an ultra clean MF, use one side to wipe clean, other side to buff. Use opposite cleaning paths on either side of the glass from one another. For example, I use vertical passes on the interior, horizontal on the exterior. This makes it easier to locate streaks inside or out. Key points I seem to pass onto my helpers is to never use too much, only enough to get the job done. Too much product inevitably leads to streaks

[GearHead_1]

Use opposite cleaning paths on either side of the glass from one another. For example, I use vertical passes on the interior, horizontal on the exterior. This makes it easier to locate streaks inside or out.

That is great advice. Here and I thought I had heard it all. Thanks.

[Big Leegr]

As mentioned, you may need some chemical assistance to loosen the smudges. Some people go over the glass with a degreaser then do a vinegar rinse to try getting rid of as much residue as possible. (a cleaner that works on dirt may not work well on greasy spots. You need to know what you are trying to remove and use the appropriate accoutrements.)
Go slowly for the first pass so as to let the cloth "grab" the residue. If you go too fast, you`ll likely smear more.
Make sure you buff thoroughly. Often a window will look good right after being cleaned, but a day or so later it shows streaks. This is often due to having some cleaner left on the glass. The cleaner attracts dirt/film to it (as it is intended to do) and thus re-dirties the window quickly. This is sometimes called a surfactant residue.
Also, make sure you aren`t working in a humid environment. If you are working in a wash bay, try to do the glass outside, or at least have some good ventilation. A quick fix can be to turn on the car defrosters as you work.

As a last ditch attempt, use a squeegee. You may get a couple of lines, but it will be less encompassing than smears all over from a cloth.

[Larry A]

When you are done cleaning the window, go over again with a fresh dry mf towel or terry towel.

[rfinkle2]

if you have a wax that you are certain has a quick cure time and does not streak, you might give that a try.

i`ve used ez-creme glaze, cg factory seal, ultima paint prep plus etc. , all with good success.

[Mr. Clean]

.... Too much product inevitably leads to streaks

Interesting observation. Maybe something unique to IG? Or perhaps in a very humid area? I can say I`ve never experienced this phenomenon even when using IG. I pretty well saturate exterior glass sometimes in order to clear up any water spotting. I see streaking on interior glass from off-gassing from interior materials and smokers. Exterior glass from soap residues and road grime that wasn`t adequately removed during the wash process. Also your towels can be a contributor if they are not clean and free from residue.

Really problematic glass can be hit with 5% white vinegar (can even be diluted a little further if desired) as Big Leegr mentioned. The smell is a little tough, but it dissipates quickly. I`ve also used a 50/50 IPA dilution.

[YellarStang99]

I use Stoner`s IG on my windows and it seems to do ok. I had also read on these forums somewhere a while ago about using newspaper in place of rags/towels & I can say that it seems to work for me. I haven`t really noticed any downside to using it. I buy the paper for the coupons and have plenty of it left for whatever other uses I can find for it.

The only other thing I could say is avoid trying to wipe hot glass which down here in FL can be a bother, but the heat makes smearing worse imo.

[Addicted2Bling]

Stoner`s Invisible Glass

Well if I am going to buy a glass cleaner I need it to take ciggarette infested stains out of windows, and not have any ammonia in it so I can clean tinted windows too. Now does this stoner or whatever do that?

As a last ditch attempt, use a squeegee.

On the inside of a car???

if you have a wax that you are certain has a quick cure time and does not streak, you might give that a try.

This is a good idea because wax acts like rain-x on windows. I`ve even thought about using the same MF towel that I use to buff the wax off a car with on the windows to see how it acts.

So does anyone on here use a squeegee? And what about that newspaper thing, whats the deal with that? Seems like a weird way to clean windows to me...

[Big Leegr]

I don`t mean a gas station squeegee, but a "professional" squeegee-one that doesn`t have a scrubber on one side, just the rubber blade. It will fit between most dashes and windshields.
Biggest downside to this is that you will get drips on the dash. This can be addressed by placing a towel across the dash before starting.

As an aside, Mothers Showtime QD works very well on glass. Plus you get the added bonus of a cinnamon scent for a bit.

[paintjobpro22]

If you read the bottle of stoners it says that it is safe for tinted windows, but only when used properly..but it doesn`t go into detail of what their proper technique is. I used to use it but i`ve found on my repeat jobs that it leaves a thick film after a couple of weeks...so i`ve since switched to the rain x gig. It seems to be more water-based compared to the stoners, which requires less buffing.
On interior glass cleaning, especially on windshields, I always use a horizontal pass.. simply because if i miss a spot, it would be harder to notice because our eyes move horizontally, not vertically, when we`re driving.. just something i thought i`d share..

[Big Leegr]

.. In case you`re wondering I`m using water and microfiber towels...

Should have asked before: what type of MF are you using? "Regular?" Waffle Weave? Velvet Smooth? I prefer Poorboy`s Velvet Smooth cloths, but WW work well too.

Also, are you using cloths that are dedicated to glass? If you are just grabbing any cloth or are washing all your cloths together, you will have a residue in the cloth that can transfer to the window.

[Mr. Gloss]

Dirty, grime covered glass usually requires about 3 cleanings.

According to Stoner:

First applications will remove the majority of grime but trace residues of solubilized dirt may remain. A second or third application with a clean cloth may be needed to loosen and absorb these trace deposits.

[GothamAuto]

1/1 Denatured Alcohol and distilled water.