Any smokers?

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PowerHaus930

New member
I am new to detailing and I was wondering if anyone here smokes in their car? How do you keep the windows clean? I recently cleaned my windows with vinegar/water solution and I thought they came out pretty good until it was cold one night and my windows fogged up showing all the streaks left behind :wall. I always wind down all of my windows when I smoke to keep the car from stinking. A few days after I washed my windows I started seeing these vertical streaks/smears from the windows going up and down frequently. Every car I have had gets those streaks eventually no matter how good I clean the windows. Has anyone else seen this? Could that be from the smoke or possibly the vinegar/water mix? Would it help if I cleaned the small weatherstrip at the bottom of the window? What is a good OTC product to get windows streak-free? I really hate these streaks so any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
I can't give you advice based on smoking, but for tough window film...



OTC: Invisible Glass

Not so OTC: Meguiar's Detailer Line
 
I use Optimum No Rinse at QD strength and 530 gram 16 x 16 microfiber towels to clean glass in my customer's cars. Works fine even in smokers cars.



Best advice though, stop smoking! If it is leaving a film like that on your glass from you exhaling the smoke, imagine what drawing it into your lungs is doing. Oh yeah, rolling the windows down isn't keeping the car from stinking inside. ;)
 
aside from the fore mentioned 3d 50:1 glass cleaner. can't decide if i like the megs d120 or the 3d 50:1 better, but i do like both better than stoners ig.
 
I would try 90% iso-propyl alcohol (IPA) found at most drug stores initally wipe the windows with, THEN try using Megs Detailer Line D120 Glass cleaner OR Sprayway Foam Glass Cleaner in a can, found at Sam's Club, to clean your glass.



I prefer a cotton cloth over microfiber, like a non-linting surgical "Huck" cloth found at medical supply companies/distributors (great advice from Barry Theal), but I STILL use Bounty paper towels for the initial cleaning of glass, folded over, not bunched together like so many detailing "hacks" do, to remove that dirty layer first.
 
With really bad windows, I wash them with the wash pad and ONR like I do the outside before using my normal glass cleaning method.
 
Scottwax said:
Best advice though, stop smoking! If it is leaving a film like that on your glass from you exhaling the smoke, imagine what drawing it into your lungs is doing.
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:werd:



I watched smoking kill two of my grandparents in the form of lung cancer, and I know that it contributed heavily to the heart attack that killed my dad the day after his 50th birthday. If that's not enough proof that smoking is a really bad health decision, I don't know what is.
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
:werd:



I watched smoking kill two of my grandparents in the form of lung cancer, and I know that it contributed heavily to the heart attack that killed my dad the day after his 50th birthday. If that's not enough proof that smoking is a really bad health decision, I don't know what is.
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so its fair to say your a non smoker.



but don't you still have to deal with peoples cars that are smokers?
 
wascallyrabbit said:
so its fair to say your a non smoker.



but don't you still have to deal with peoples cars that are smokers?
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Yeah, but that wasn't the point.



As far as cleaning methods, what I have used has already been mentioned, except that I've also been known to use a steamer.
 
As a former smoker myself, I don't know how you could possibly be a detailer and still smoke in your own car. I couldn't even fathom it...I'd either smoke before or after I exited the vehicle. Even then I hated that my clothes would stink up the interior. That out of the way...



The buildup is likely tar and other smoke byproducts. What do you use on tar and exhaust staining on the exterior of cars?
 
Here in Masachusetts, the average price of a pack of cigarettes is $7.

A pack a day smoker spends $49 a week, or $2,548 a year on something that can end up killing you.



Think of how many detailing toys and supplies you can buy with that!



PS: I charge more for interior detaiing if the client is a smoker.
 
DaGonz said:
Here in Masachusetts, the average price of a pack of cigarettes is $7.

A pack a day smoker spends $49 a week, or $2,548 a year on something that can end up killing you.



Think of how many detailing toys and supplies you can buy with that!



PS: I charge more for interior detaiing if the client is a smoker.
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Agree on all. I can't believe what people are willing to pay for a pack of smokes these days.
 
Wow I didn't expect this kind of response. I would like to say that I am aware of the health risks and cost associated with smoking. Trust me I would love to quit smoking and I have tried multiple times and multipile different ways in the past. Stopping smoking has been said to be more difficult then quitting heroin. The next option that I am looking into is hypnosis and hopefully I will be trying that out soon.

Anyways I purchased some IG on Saturday and luckily it was nice enough yesterday for me to wash and wax the car so I tried it out on the glass and for it to be streak-free IO had to buff the glass which was a little challenging on the windsheild because of the angle and it seemed like the my microfiber cloth was sticking to the windsheild. How does everyone else buff the glass? Should I have to buff the glass or am I doing this completely wrong? I think I will try the alcohol after I clean with the IG and see how that works. Thanks again
 
After trying numerous window cleaners I've been using Surf City Garage's "Clearly Better Glass Cleaner." Back when I was smoking (7 years ago now) it even took the smoke goo off the windows with no streaking. With your first few wipes with your first cloth it forms a slight haze on the glass and you simply wipe the haze off with your second cloth and there are no streaks. It's a little pricey at $5.97 per bottle, but you can now get it a Walmart. Larger bottles are available from Surf City.
 
PowerHaus930 said:
Wow I didn't expect this kind of response. I would like to say that I am aware of the health risks and cost associated with smoking. Trust me I would love to quit smoking and I have tried multiple times and multipile different ways in the past. Stopping smoking has been said to be more difficult then quitting heroin. The next option that I am looking into is hypnosis and hopefully I will be trying that out soon.
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quitting is all in the mind. the mind is a powerful tool, if its set on quitting you will be successful.
 
wascallyrabbit said:
quitting is all in the mind. the mind is a powerful tool, if its set on quitting you will be successful.
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This. You only fail if you don't actually want to quit. You've got to get the same attitude towards it we have. That's how I overcame. Grew to hate the idea of smoking and just quit cold turkey. Been 7 years now and loving it.
 


• Make up and aqueous solution Optimum Opti™ - Clean concentrate diluted ith1:3 with distilled water in a spray bottle

• Spray liberally on inside glass surfaces and wipe clean with an OPT Foam Wash Mitt or a plush microfiber towel. Fold and use a new section of the towel as needed.

• Clean the headliner

• Apply DrivePur Smok (see “Allergen, Odour and Germ removal Systems” - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/137621-allergen-germ-removal-systems.html#post1459219 to eliminate smoke odours
 
I generally keep my interiors pretty clean, not needing anything more than an ONR damp rag to clean it. I like to mix up ONR at regular wash strength (using either DI or distilled water), throw an MF in the bucket, then wring it out quite well. The interior glass gets done first, then the remainder of the interior. An ONR saturated MF does a pretty darn good job at removing the film produced by the out-gassing plastic in your car (I would imagine it would work well for smoke film, too, although I've never tried it). Follow up with a glass cleaner of your choice.



So yeah, as Scottwax and TOGWT said, wash the glass first, then follow up with a glass cleaner.
 
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