The best solution regarding the GLASS ATTACK!?

A

Aaron Ray Smith

detail-a-holic
Hi everyone :)

I have been doing a lot of experimenting and reading lately, but can't seem to find a real substantiated consensus or veteran-backed agreement on what "home-brew" glass cleaning solution is best?

I have heard everything from using hot water with a small amount of Dawn and a squeegee, to a mixtures of white vinegar and ammonoia...

I am always left unimpressed with and refuse to buy those over-priced aeresol cans by Sprayway and Zep etc, since using ingredients mentioned above will allow me to wash HUNDREDS of cars with a few dollars depending on solution strength - opposed to spending $4 per bottle!

Thank you SO MUCH for your insight and help :)
 
Wow, it's been a while Aaron. I don't do the home brew glass cleaner so I don't have a real recommendation. I've also hard that white vinegar and water works.
 
GearHead_1 said:
Wow, it's been a while Aaron. I don't do the home brew glass cleaner so I don't have a real recommendation. I've also hard that white vinegar and water works.
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Ha - yeah... :( I used to be on here daily, but then my front end was RE-ruined by a Toyota at a stoplight who didn't see me, and put his truck into reverse to change lanes; I was stuck there with a car behind me, and had to take it. As everyone knows... after a car is damaged like that, the zest for detailing it fades quickly as the pride in your car is swiftly carried away. His insurance paid for it, but as life goes... the check was applied towards other necessitated costs.

Anyways, I wanted to thank you for your response! I have tried water and ammonia, but never the white vinegar... I wonder what the proper part-ratio would be for the solution? I really like using a squeegee, I've been doing that exclusively lately, only using a microfiber for the corners or any smears left behind. Thanks again :)
 
I will often use a homemade brew for the household windows, mixing in a 3 gallon bucket wiping with a sponge and drying w/an Ettore brass squeegee on the larger panes and blue Scott's shop towels and huck towels for edges and smaller panes.

My brew is based loosely on:

1 part each water/vingegar/IPA/a few drops of a dishwashing liquid soap.

I would not mix vinegar and ammonia as I believe that they would negate each other resulting in a completely ineffective solution.

On the commercial side, have you considered some of the concentrated products from Zep, Meguiar's etc? A gallon of product dilutes to 10-11 gallons which is far more cost effective and is pretty quick and dirty.
 
Mr. Clean said:
I will often use a homemade brew for the household windows, mixing in a 3 gallon bucket wiping with a sponge and drying w/an Ettore brass squeegee on the larger panes and blue Scott's shop towels and huck towels for edges and smaller panes.

My brew is based loosely on:

1 part each water/vingegar/IPA/a few drops of a dishwashing liquid soap.

I would not mix vinegar and ammonia as I believe that they would negate each other resulting in a completely ineffective solution.

On the commercial side, have you considered some of the concentrated products from Zep, Meguiar's etc? A gallon of product dilutes to 10-11 gallons which is far more cost effective and is pretty quick and dirty.
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Thanks a lot! In stead of buying the solution from Meg's or Zep like you also suggested, I did buy a Squeegee solution once, and really liked it... but I just believe there is a lot to be said for making your own solution. I just like having the control over the mixture and knowing I will like the results, without having to fuss with returns or wasting money on something that I don't love.

I really like the sound of your recommended mixture though! Why did you suggest using Vinegar over Ammonia? Thanks :)
 
Aaron Ray Smith said:
Thanks a lot! In stead of buying the solution from Meg's or Zep like you also suggested, I did buy a Squeegee solution once, and really liked it... but I just believe there is a lot to be said for making your own solution. I just like having the control over the mixture and knowing I will like the results, without having to fuss with returns or wasting money on something that I don't love.

I really like the sound of your recommended mixture though! Why did you suggest using Vinegar over Ammonia? Thanks :)
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Control freak, eh? :D

Both products are effective, but vinegar is quite a bit less offensive to the olfactory nerves. :) Also, I always have a couple of gallons of vinegar around as I use it in most (probably every) load of laundry, and keep a spray bottle of 50/50 water/vinegar for occasionally wiping down countertops. Ammonia just doesn't seem to be quite so versatile of a product.
 
Mr. Clean said:
Control freak, eh? :D

Both products are effective, but vinegar is quite a bit less offensive to the olfactory nerves. :) Also, I always have a couple of gallons of vinegar around as I use it in most (probably every) load of laundry, and keep a spray bottle of 50/50 water/vinegar for occasionally wiping down countertops. Ammonia just doesn't seem to be quite so versatile of a product.
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Control Freak.... wait.... who, ME!? ;)

Hey, I hope you know how much I appreciate you responding with that info... that seals the deal for me. I have been using Ammonia for a couple weeks, but now that you bring up the points about it frying the hairs inside of my nose (lol) and also Vinegar being more readily available - I AM MAKING THE SWITCH!!!

Oh, you brought up laundry, that REALLY interests me. I am always doing laundry, twice a day - how much should I use, and do I throw it in the container for the actual liquid detergent, or the compartment for bleach? I was always scared of ammonia bleaching my clothes, even though I don't even know if that's true.

BIG TIME THANKS on the household use suggestion! We buy the gallons of Lysol 4-in-1 from Sam's Club, and always dilute and use that - but Vinegar will be less $$ :)
 
Vinegar for laundry is simple, put it in the rinse water only - not the wash cycle where it would work against your soap. I fill my softener dispenser w/vinegar or you can add anywhere from a 1/4 to a full cup by hand at the beginning of the rinse cycle. Vinegar's benefit in the laundry is to help release the soap residue(s) from the clothing/linens. By doing so it results in softer "touch" to the fabric and eliminates the need for fabric softener (IMO). For clarification the vinegar I refer to is the 5% whte vinegar. If your household includes diaper wearing infants vinegar will assist in breaking down the ammonia.

We seem to experience a seasonal invasion of ants (I believe they are sugar or pi$$ ants [and old country reference]). Wiping down the kitchen counters with the 50/50 vinegar/water solutions seems to help eliminate the ant's scent trails and reduces/eliminates the problem rather quickly w/o the need to use pesticides.
 
If you are looking for an inexpensive glass cleaner, mix one ounce of PB APC with a gallon of water and wa-la you've got a decent glass cleaner.

For me I use Sprayway glass cleaner and bang for the buck its as cheap as it gets. How much GC are you going threw that the cost would be an effect anyway?
 
Beemerboy said:
If you are looking for an inexpensive glass cleaner, mix one ounce of PB APC with a gallon of water and wa-la you've got a decent glass cleaner.

For me I use Sprayway glass cleaner and bang for the buck its as cheap as it gets. How much GC are you going threw that the cost would be an effect anyway?
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I have been using Sprayway for a long time, since it is at Walmart and I don't have to go to a specialty store or order online. The only reason why cost would be a factor, is because aside from cars I also some commercial cleaning (construction, renovations), and I'm always looking for ways to improve my product costs which keeps my bottom line healthy :)
 
Beemerboy said:
If you are looking for an inexpensive glass cleaner, mix one ounce of PB APC with a gallon of water and wa-la you've got a decent glass cleaner.

For me I use Sprayway glass cleaner and bang for the buck its as cheap as it gets. How much GC are you going threw that the cost would be an effect anyway?
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I tried a mix of PB APC and water on the advice of another member quite some time back.
I wasn't at all happy with the results.
I think I tried a few other dilution ratios that were suggested and still wasn't happy.
To each his own, but an APC/water mix wasn't the answer for me for cleaning windows.
 
gallons of windshield washer fluid from the quickie mart works just as good as anything else I have tried, and I have tried a lot of different stuff. I have never found anything that I can really say I was impressed with. I always have to wash and then buff off the streaks with even the supposed best products.
 
Mr. Clean said:
For clarification the vinegar I refer to is the 5% whte vinegar.
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If a person were wanting a stronger solution, the pickling vinegar is a little stronger. Just in case anyone wanted to know something like this.

(I find it on "clearance" after the pickling season. I think it works better in front loading washers since (mine at least) has a pretty small softener dispenser. More potent, less needed, I figure.)

As to glass cleaning, I like alcohol. :cheers: No... wait... I mean Isopropyl/rubbing alcohol. It seems to clean well and evaporates quickly enough that you don't need to keep buffing. flipping your cloth. I use it especially in the fall, as with this I don't get the fog/frost that seems to accompany poorly cleaned windows through the winter. :bigups
Also, in case you were the type that likes scents, there are some "flavored" alcohols around-orange, mint etc. Alcohol also tends to mix well as a carrier for scents (not surprising since alcohol is a main ingredient in many perfumes).
 
Big Leegr said:
If a person were wanting a stronger solution, the pickling vinegar is a little stronger. Just in case anyone wanted to know something like this.

(I find it on "clearance" after the pickling season. I think it works better in front loading washers since (mine at least) has a pretty small softener dispenser. More potent, less needed, I figure.)

...
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I think pickling vinegar is 8%, but for some odd reason it is fairly hard to source here. You can sometimes find 10% and even 20% much easier at some of the farm stores and organic gardening shops. Lowe's even carries 20% in their "organic" section. I use that stuff along with a bit of soap and orange oil (di-limonene) mixed with water as a herbicide. Caution When using the 20% be very (double underscore) careful. Use in a very well ventilated area and don't get it on you. It is H-O-T stuff!!!
 
Aaron Ray Smith said:
I have been using Sprayway for a long time, since it is at Walmart and I don't have to go to a specialty store or order online. The only reason why cost would be a factor, is because aside from cars I also some commercial cleaning (construction, renovations), and I'm always looking for ways to improve my product costs which keeps my bottom line healthy :)
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I see then I would have a look at a Janitor supply in your area and see if they have cleaner concentrate by the gallon
 
CharlesW said:
I tried a mix of PB APC and water on the advice of another member quite some time back.
I wasn't at all happy with the results.
I think I tried a few other dilution ratios that were suggested and still wasn't happy.
To each his own, but an APC/water mix wasn't the answer for me for cleaning windows.
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+1 :bigups I agree and if it gets where I can't afford a couple bucks a year for glass cleaner then I can't afford to own a car.

When you look at the operating cost of a vehicle the cost for cleaning it is not even on the radar screen.

Cut back 1 six pack per year and use the money to buy glass cleaner or smoke 1 cigarette per day less to offset the expense.

On another forum I was reading about this guy that had bought a new car and was using oil from a store like Big Lots, He was bragging about how cheap it was.

I sure view it different my Corvette holds 10 quarts and the oil I use cost me $10.95 per quart add a $12.00 filter and you have nearly a $125.00 oil change.
3 bucks for glass cleaner will not even pay for half a quart of oil.
I guess the old say applies to this.

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS
 
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