matthewlawe Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Is especially dangerous to drive when there is moisture in the air and whendriving into the sun. I also have a lot of this mineral build up on the backglass and it is hard to see thru at night with rain.I've tried two glass polishers from AutoZone(I forget which two) withvirtually no affect. I tried vinegar and rubbed that in with newspaper(an old windows cleaning process) with some clearing but it still needs more.Any successful products or technique would be most appreciated. The clear looking rivlets on the windshield and before using the wipers are the areas of the mineral build up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 That has to be more than just a normal buildup from washing the car. You must have driven behind a truck leaking something. If its on the glass it's probably on the paint too.Vinegar would have been my first choice for mineral deposits. Acetone or Lacquer thinner will remove just about anything without hurting the glass but it will certainly damage the paint if it gets on it and all plastic parts it touches as well. I'm not recommending it. I'm just telling you about it. I would just test in a small area on the side somewhere to see if it works before going over the part of the glass you normally look through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewlawe Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 Thanks Ronnie,This has been a build up over the last 10 years while here in wet Florida. I did nothave this build up(perhaps some but not a problem when I had the Reatta in So.California) and have noticed it getting worse over these last few years. It is notafftecting my paint- I had the Reatta painted three years ago. I do my own washingand always dry it off when I do so. I would attribute it to all the rain and moisture inFlorida. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Like Ronnie said, vinegar will remove the mineral deposits. You could also try a clay bar. Mothers, Clay magic, Meguiars all have them. It's a special type of clay designed to remove deposits on paint. Works great on glass. I just used one to remove overspray on one of my windows. You just spray the surface with a lubricant like quick detailer and rub the surface with the clay. In your case, a vinegar solution would suffice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hinspect Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Could it be wax buildup? Looks similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richard D Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 I have not tried this, so go easy. You might try a small amount of soft scrub in an area away from paint then hose it off real well. Use plenty of water and don't press too hard, I am not sure how much harder the glass is than the abrasive in soft scrub. I live in S. Florida too and have had no trouble with minerals on the glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Double M Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Waxy build up? Try Pledge or Endust. Seriously. Also try a nice simple old school hard wax like Simoniz and a little elbow grease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olbuickman Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Matthew, There is a product that is sold by a company down in Florida. It is called DP high performance glass cleaner. Use this with a dual action polisher and it should clear up mildly etched water and deposit spots. The company is called Autogeek.net they are great to work with. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WEB 38 Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Try Bon Ami I have have used it since 1957 on windshields with great results and it hasnt scratched yet. Make a paste with water and scrub. It will come clean as new. Bill WEB 38 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Every time I hear Bon Ami I think of Don Knotts in the Movie "Ghost and Mr. Chicken" when they talked about trying to clean the keys of a pipe organ after the wife was murdered. "They even used Bon Ami" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewlawe Posted November 12, 2010 Author Share Posted November 12, 2010 Alright then, gentlemen---Thanks for all the ideas and product suggestions.I hope to start on them in the next few days andwill let you all know the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Trivia time:The Bon Ami logo and slogan; A chick with the phrase "hasn't scratched yet" refers to the age of the chick. Chickens get food by scratching at the dirt. They don't do it when they are young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wws944 Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I've seen Bon Ami recommended in some GM owners manuals - but not in the Reattas. Note that the back of the Bon Ami can cautions against using it on glass and mirrors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike_s Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 There are 2 Bonami cleaners, "Powder cleaner" not for glass, and "Cleaning powder" which can be used on "some" glass, currently not recommed for auto glass. Bon Ami 1886 Formula Cleaning Powder - 12 oz - 6 pack"Not to be confused with the mainstream and widely distributed Bon Ami Powder Cleanser, Bon Ami still makes its 1886 formula, originally sold in a bar, but now in powder form. The easy-to-shake can contains gentle feldspar abrasive for polishing and soap for cleaning all hard surfaces. Use to defog windows and mirrors. This is the only Bon Ami powder that is recommended for use on glass. Because car makers now use some non-glass materials, Bon Ami no longer recommends the use of Cleaning Powder on auto glass. NASA even used Cleaning Powder to clean the windows on Skylab. Many allergists recommend original Bon Ami because the natural ingredients contain no detergent, bleach, perfume, or dye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewlawe Posted November 19, 2010 Author Share Posted November 19, 2010 (edited) I again thank you all for your input. Simply put, I tried the the old method of vinegar. My next doorneighbor suggested soaking a shop towel in vinegar and lettingit set a few minutes. And, after researching the Autogeek.comwebsite recommended by olbuickman I used a microfiber clothto dry the area and rubbing hard. There was what appeared to besome residual calicum/lime build up so I finished it off using adry clean microfiber cloth. My back glass is clear while the windshield will require another application. However, the buildupwas removed sufficiently so I now do not have the dangerouscondition that I had previously. Success!I did try a regular cloth but found the microfiber cloth to be moreeffective with less elbow grease.The Autogeek.net website is chock full of very good information.Highly recommended. Edited November 20, 2010 by matthewlawe (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olbuickman Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Matthew, that site Autogeek in Florida is www.autogeek.net Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewlawe Posted November 20, 2010 Author Share Posted November 20, 2010 Opps. I've edited my post. And thanks for the website referral.Regardsmatthewlawe89 White/Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewlawe Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 I was soaking the shower heads in CLR when I thought this justmay work on my Reatta windows especially the windshield. It does. Most of the mineral buildup was on the windshield andthe top portion of the backglass with some deposits on the door windows. I've not seen clear shiny windows in manyyears. Presoaking the glass did not seem to help as it did with thevinegar. Microfiber cloths are a must and with some limitedelbow grease the deposits disappear. A residual milky hazeremained until a couple or more applications of Windex with clean microfiber cloths finished the job. I am very pleasedwith the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mc_Reatta Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 The trick here is the use of a mild acid to dissolve the deposits which are called "salts" if you remember your high school chemistry. Whether you prefer CLR or Lime Away, vinegar, or a citric acid, they all will dissolve these salts.The best window cleaner is vinegar 1/4 cup, alcohol 1/4 cup, Cornstarch 1 tablespoon, and a drop or two of detergent mixed in 2 cups of water.You should use newsprint to remove and polish the glass once you get the salts dissolved so they won't scratch anything.Something with the chemicals the paper is treated with works wonders. If this doesn't get them clean, you probably need to get a razor blade and start scraping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I had a something similar on my new truck..... appeared to be from a label that had been placed on the inside of the windshield. Only appeared on cool mornings. I tried one of the label remover types.... "goo gone" and there are others and it worked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewlawe Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 I've tried all of the above suggestions with just limited results. A few days ago I stumbled upon a YouTube demonstration of using fine(000) steel wool to remove the very stubborn build up. I spent 10 minutes on the windshield using the fine(000) steel wool and was able to completely remove all traces of build up. On a clear cold and wet morning I drove East into the sun and not a trace of build up hampered my view. Problem solved. The windshield is as smooth to the touch as the day it was installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 I see this is an old post..... I have used the steel wool but apparently forgot about it when I answered the post 4 years ago. also have a tube of "windshield cleaning compound" made by Pylon Mfg in Deerfield Beach Fl.... it is in a 3.5 oz tube and called STRIP IT. I just checked the Pylon web page and their main product is windshield wipers .....I did not see a link to the STRIP IT product on their site. Checked Ebay and there is a 3.5 tube there for $14.95 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry yarnell Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 (edited) Not sure 000 steel wool is the PREFERED steel wool. I've been told (and use) 0000... and used with a lubricate such as Varsol. Edited November 3, 2017 by harry yarnell (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 11 hours ago, matthewlawe said: A few days ago I stumbled upon a YouTube demonstration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewlawe Posted November 7, 2017 Author Share Posted November 7, 2017 My error- I used 0000 fine steel wool alone without any additional products. No need to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cleaning+windshield Many, many choices and methods... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonlabree Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 Look at this one. http://cat.sv.us.criteo.com/delivery/ck.php?cppv=1&cpp=4mNV3HwzSFErbXhsYzU0TTBiNHhhanNkR2Y2SW1GcVBiYkpoWFdyNVhKMTdwU2h1UFloNVBRaHZWdWlSekVEMkk2QzFFQWU3alQ1cVpsQWI5MXUybkN6UjRlNi9DM1RFTDhlK3NpKzhnN2lNRHU2YjFEKzdpYnVpQWhqeHBlZjRGb0xtMUZybzN1VHlhbmR3Wm1vOWtWVk5meEhDMUUwV28zTEVLSXpSLzBuZlo5UWJCdUgvNHhtMXhGczhwN2ZFTVpXMnpIVS82aitoZlhlVjFVLzVRQWJKOG1USnB2RER2WmZLRGZYSE1sMUR6UThrRVRNd3pFUDVkVXhEWlo3ZnpDR3c5d1BPcUVjckZEbjZmdUMybWJCbG1JVDNBZXNsamtVME04TW4yVEd3WEt5MGRrM1YwckRidDdhZEVjZlpLcndFV3w%3D&maxdest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jegs.com%2Fi%2FDerale%2F259%2F25709%2F10002%2F-1%3Futm_source%3Dcriteo%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_campaign%3Dretargeting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89RedDarkGrey Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 Jon- This question (link you posted above) really needs to be moved over to THIS THREAD because this thread here is about cleaning glass. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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