Really nasty windows!

I

imported_seres

New member
:wavey Hi all! I'm new to this forum & to detailing, and must say I'm learning a lot from all of you - even though I am a girl!:eek:



Are there any other girls in this forum? Well, that's not my question ---



We just bought a '84 Volvo 240 Turbo Wagon to restore, and the windows are just plain nasty! It's almost as if they've been sprayed with oil or wax!



Would really appreciate recommendations for a good glass cleaner, etc. to get this job done!



Thanks!
 
Welcome to the forum. There are other females on this forum, articwhite, compulady, and Camarogirl to name a few.



A good glass cleaner may get the window clean of loose dirty and bugs, but stuck on grease/oil will need something stronger.



Try a bug and tar remover, a glass polish, lighter fluid, or a clay bar automotive kind.)



My questions, How old are you and do you detail the car?



Jason
 
Hi Shannon,



What I like to use on the exterior glass is #000 steel wool and a liquid glass polish. Don't worry; the steel wool is so fine and soft that it won't hurt the glass but is tough enough to remove the crud. The polish and the steel wool work great together. I currently use Autoglym's Glass Polish. I know that Griot's Garage sells a similar product.



After this step you can clean the windows in a more traditional manner. Personally, I use a microfiber towel and Stoners Invisible Glass. I'm a real stickler when it comes to clean windows and have experimented with various products and techniques for years. The microfiber/Stoners combo is the best I've ever used. Some folks use the time-honored method of crumpled newspaper with their favorite glass cleaner. Newsprint is fine if you don't have a microfiber towel handy.



I do highly recommend you use a glass cleaner made for automotive applications. Cleaners for the home like Windex simply do not do the job adequately.



Hope this helps. And welcome to Autopia.:)
 
Someone had recommended this to me early on, when i asked what to do to remove some tar/paint/dirt from the windshield..



put some WD-40 on a cotton ball to remove the debris..

but since you say the windows are oily, make a mixture of 50/50 Isopropyl Alcohol and Vinegar, and wipe the entire glass with that.. that will remove all of the oily residue and film that is on there.. then try to get some BarKeepers friend, and polish the glass with that, and finally, follow up with some of the 50/50 mixture you have.
 
Thanks for the suggestions! I'll try some of these and let y'all know how it goes! I'm a stickler for sparkling clean windows, also - streaks drive me crazy! (Discovering that I might be a perfectionist!)



In answer to Paul's questions -- getting ready to be 37 in less than 2 weeks :eek: (but 25 at heart!) and yes, I do detail my car (the 850) myself - with a little help from hubby.



The 240 is kind of a beater right now, but I have faith that we'll get it looking good. Interior is nice, but exterior is pitiful!



I must say that up until a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea how to take care of a car properly - although it's a lot of work, it's actually much easier when you know the right stuff to use - and it actually works!! Such a pleasure to drive a shiny, clean-looking & clean-smelling car.
 
Welcome to the forum.



If possible take some pictures of the car, then you can post them here but also see have far you have come when the car is perfect and shinny.



Have you washed the glass with shampoo, if so what was still left on the glass?



BTW, 37 is a good age and Jason should know better than to ask a ladies age ;)
 
Jason, I'd definitely rather tell my age than my weight! :D



We did wash the windows with shampoo first - then used window cleaner -- they didn't look that bad, but once we started rubbing, it was like the grease or whatever it is started appearing! It almost looked the way rain-x looks when you first start polishing - kind of thick & streaky & it felt greasy.



I'll take some pics - my digi-cam is not so great, but hopefully you'll be able to tell.



The car will have to be repainted as the paint is pretty damaged in areas. It's really kind of strange - looks as if it were in a sand-storm or something! We've been trying to figure out what happened to it.



Large project, but I think we'll enjoy tackling it!



I'll also try to do some of my 850 -- I'm working on claying, polishing, etc. but seem to only have time to do a part of it per day! I've got one side & the hood done so I can do some before/after's still.



Thanks for the help guys!
 
The best glass cleaner I have found is one you can make yourself. 50% water, 25% white vinegar, 25% Denatured Alcohol. The Denatured Alcohol is the key, don't use rubbing alcohol because it will tend to leave streaks.:xyxthumbs
 
What about ammonia? I've read on some sites to use it, and some say never use it. It seems to leave the glass sparkling...



I've used it on the car windows & house windows. What is the general opinion on this?
 
You could try an easy method on a small area first: Dawn in hot water using one of those nylon scrubbies used to scrub Teflon cookware. I've gotten some pretty horrendous windows clean with just that. Don't put in so much Dawn that you see suds, because then it's hard to rinse off.



Funny, I traded in an 84 Volvo wagon a few years ago and the poor thing looked like hell. I know that is a lot of glass to clean, too! :sosad
 
It is a lot of glass to clean!!



I haven't used a glass polish before -- it this hard to use? Do you have to have a buffer or can it be done by hand? (Haven't got a polisher yet)
 
Can you recommend a good glass polish? And what to expect result-wise from it? I mean, will it be dramatic, or not?



Glad to hear that this is fairly easy by hand -- I'm doing all my work by hand so far! Long, hard, tiring work, but I must say my arms are starting to look really great, though! ;)



And the results on the car aren't so bad either. I hope to post some pics when our good digi-cam gets back from repair.
 
Well I am going to pick up some Zaino Z-12 Glass polish this week.



I remember someone using eastwood's glass polish ( www.eastwood.com ) a while ago. I think it was jazzyjack, who has left, but I hope he's still lurking. there was a drill involved though. don't know how this would work by hand.



If you get a glass polish such as Z-12 (can't think of any more off the top of my head, I think Rain-X makes one, Eagle One made one) be sure to stretch out your arms because you'll be in for a workout. It will involve some moderature pressure of rubbing the glass polish in, letting it haze, then buffing it out.



Review of Z-12 to come, you can also clay the glass.



Jason
 
If you live anywhere near a Jaguar dealership, they sell a good cleaning paste. It is not a pure polish like Eastwood sell but is a deep cleaner for glass.



Steven
 
I use Rain-X, prob not the best but it really works. Just think of it as the grease cutter and a strong cleaner, I would still give the windsheild a quick pass with a good cleaner but you can expect your windows to look alot better than they do now. Sorry I can't be more specific but you will be happy with the results and you will not regret spending the money.



Jason, this is how I used the polish on my windsheild, it was not all that dirty like this volvo seems



1.) wet windsheild

2.) rub polish in circles with light to medium pressure

3.) let haze

4.) grab a hose and blast it off the windsheild with as much pressure the nozzle could put out



I did everything really sloppy and it only took me 10 minutes but when you spray the residue off and you see how the water comes off the glass you'll know for sure it is alot cleaner than it used to be. All you'll need to from there is let it dry, pass over the inside and outside with a cleaner and enjoy the new view.
 
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