Stoners....Invisible Glass??

Beemerboy

Beemerboy

Just One More Coat
This weekend I worked on a couple of cars. When I delivered the car back on Saturday, the owner took it to a local lot to sell. He called me back that evening to say thanks, the car really looked great on the lot, but said that I had missed a few places.

He said that the glass had some smears on the windows...no big deal to him I apologized for it and that was it.

I had read on another forum that someone thought that Stoners left a hazing effect on the on windows...that you didn't see initially, but with in a few hours or so that it would appear...I know that when I delervered that car back the glass was streak free and clean.

On my own cars I have seen this effect, drives me crazy of course.

So the question is for those that are using Stoners do you see this?

My method is two towels one to wipe the glass down the other to buff.

Thanks:D
 
I always find cleaning windows a pain its tough because for me I find the window best to clean when its cold and in the shade, yet its hard to tell the results until you pull it out into the sun.

I don't think its stoners persay, but maybe any glass cleaner if not all of the residue is picked up. I tend to notice it more so on customers cars who spray armor all on the dash so liberaly and it evaporates and goes on to the windshield as a film. My process is like yours spray on wipe with a towel and buff off, however I have found that the towels I wipe with and buff with need to be replaced during the process often, as to not smear the dirt around.

I sometimes use a grout type sponge that is damp not soaking wet with the car wash I am using, I wipe it down with that and then buff off.
 
I wonder if a pre-wipe down might be in order with something like alcohol to get the bulk of the junk off the car, then use the Stoners
 
Beemerboy said:
I wonder if a pre-wipe down might be in order with something like alcohol to get the bulk of the junk off the car, then use the Stoners
Click to expand...

My experience has been a "post wipe down" with just water works better. Glass cleaner to get the heavy dirt and then wipe with a clean wet micro and dry with a WW. Seems to remove anything the cleaner leaves behind. As an aside, you might want to give Hope's Perfect Glass cleaner a try. They sell it at Lowes and a few other places, and it works pretty well although I don't know how it compares to IG price wise.
 
I hope this doesn't sound like a dumb question, but has anyone ever used Isoprobyl Alcohol to clean windows with? I did it on an old truck of mine and it got them cleaner than anything (including Stoner's) else I had ever tried. Will it hurt windows with or without aftermarket tint on them?

Thanks,
Matt
 
Crush said:
I hope this doesn't sound like a dumb question, but has anyone ever used Isoprobyl Alcohol to clean windows with? I did it on an old truck of mine and it got them cleaner than anything (including Stoner's) else I had ever tried. Will it hurt windows with or without aftermarket tint on them?

Thanks,
Matt
Click to expand...

Yes I have used it and it works great. I have switched from Stoners to Sprayway and a product unfortunately not readily available to most, unless you are in the glass industry. Sprayway is my go to.

To answer Dave's question, yes I have noticed a bit of hazing nothing too bad, but required me to got over them again.

"J"
 
A few random thoughts...

Stoners seems to work well on certain window stuff and not on others but I had some stuff on my windshield that I have been trying to remove. I think it makes sense to have several different kinds since nothing seems best at everything.

I actually did an experiment on a windshield comparing Stoners and Surf City. When you sprayed on Stoners but did not wipe, the Stoners pulled away from sections where the wipers rubbed (it separated off the "stuff" I was trying to get off the windshield). When I sprayed Surf City, the entire surface stayed wet and never was affected by what was on the surface. But neither seemed to remove it Stoners has some affinity (or opposite) for greasy stuff.

The true test for me now is a rubbing fairly hard with a MF towel. If it grabs, the window is not clean despite the fact it looks very clean. Does anyone do this or is this an invalid test.

My brother-in-law had called a local windshield place to get a recommendation to remove something that got on his windshield and the recommended a product called A-MAZ. He had tried everything and it seemed by Cerama-Bryte (the stuff to clean smooth tops) worked best but took a lot of elbow grease. He tried a-maz and it worked and ended up getting me some too.

I tried on the my original windshield test and it seemed to do the trick. Stoners does not do what it did before over certain spots and the MF slides smoothly in the treated area like the side glass. I do not know if this works the same on stuff on glass on the interior of cars. The container says A-MAZ is some petroleum distillates and a very fine polish.

Here is one unproven theory on streaking later: Stoners will evaporate pretty quickly when wiped to a thin layer but I am not sure it is all removed. That is, people like it because it does not streak but it may just have left a very thin layer there that can attract moisture or dirt later (humidity changes, etc).

So, I have been going to the extra step to be sure to wipe it completely dry despite the fact it seems clean. It is sorta like a car that you towel dry but you really need to come behind a really good wipe down it one more time since there something still there if the water just evaporates and not 100% removed.. The water needs to be removed not just allowed to evaporated so it looks like it is not there.
 
Bunky said:
A few random thoughts...

Stoners seems to work well on certain window stuff and not on others but I had some stuff on my windshield that I have been trying to remove. I think it makes sense to have several different kinds since nothing seems best at everything.

Here is one unproven theory on streaking later: Stoners will evaporate pretty quickly when wiped to a thin layer but I am not sure it is all removed. That is, people like it because it does not streak but it may just have left a very thin layer there that can attract moisture or dirt later (humidity changes, etc).

So, I have been going to the extra step to be sure to wipe it completely dry despite the fact it seems clean. It is sorta like a car that you towel dry but you really need to come behind a really good wipe down it one more time since there something still there if the water just evaporates and not 100% removed.. The water needs to be removed not just allowed to evaporated so it looks like it is not there.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was trying to say. I think that sometimes the glass cleaner leaves "something" behind, and I've been able to remove it with just water (wet MF) and then dry with a WW. My glass stays cleaner longer and doesn't streak. I would guess that alcohol would do the same thing.
 
Crush said:
Just to be clear..aftermarket tinted windows are a go with straight 91% alcohol?
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I have never had aftermarket tint, but I think I would ask that question of a reputable tint shop. The shop that did the tint on the car you are working on would be a good choice.
 
I have noticed the hazing with stoners also. I use a damp chamois to give a once over and dry with a MF. Works for me.
 
jaybs02 said:
Yes I have used it and it works great. I have switched from Stoners to Sprayway and a product unfortunately not readily available to most, unless you are in the glass industry. Sprayway is my go to.

To answer Dave's question, yes I have noticed a bit of hazing nothing too bad, but required me to got over them again.

"J"
Click to expand...

I thnk I saw Sprayway in a Sam's Club the other day.
 
After cleaning with a microfibre and Stoner's, I use a towel to buff that I got from Scott P and SMP sometime ago that is similar to what folks use for their eye glasses. It always seems to remove any film that may be left on the glass.
 
One thing that I don't believe I saw mentioned is how beneficial it can be to use dedicated towels for cleaning windows.
I seem to have much less problem if I don't use a MF that may have been used for wax or QD at another time.
 
CharlesW said:
One thing that I don't believe I saw mentioned is how beneficial it can be to use dedicated towels for cleaning windows.
I seem to have much less problem if I don't use a MF that may have been used for wax or QD at another time.
Click to expand...
Good point I use a glass towel designed for window use and have not had a problem with Stoner's.
 
Stoners Invisible Glass sucks! I do not use it anymore because of the smears. I use RightLook.com Glass Concentrate 5:1. It works pretty well.
 
I DON'T DO WINDOWS!!! Dang I wish i could say that.

Windows are tuff and take the fun out of detailing for me personally but what i have found is that you cannot wash your window towels with your other towels and I buff them with a separate towel when done. Outside up and down. Inside side ways so that i can tell which side has the smears.
 
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