Removing film of grease from windscreen

Removing film of grease from windscreen

Author
Discussion

jamei303

Original Poster:

3,028 posts

163 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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I've got a brand new car and it's got a film of gunk on the windscreen. The wipers make a smear and water beads off it.

I've tried Autoglym glass cutter polish and also hot soapy water but neither has shifted it. Any other ideas?

I've got new wipers on order as they seem irredeemably begreased too.

Edited by jamei303 on Monday 25th September 11:08

President Merkin

4,297 posts

26 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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Try a solvent. Isopropyl alcohol or brake cleaner on a small area.

fozzymandeus

1,057 posts

153 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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Nitric acid. Wear gloves.

More seriously IPA should do it, but be careful as it can take off paint.

Edited by fozzymandeus on Monday 25th September 11:00

Ninja59

3,691 posts

119 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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Personally, take this the right way, it sounds like it has a windscreen coating on it as opposed grease, mainly due to the fact it is beading and smearing can apply to ones nearing the end and needing reapplication (or some siloxane products that are spray and rinse off).

Gtechniq G4 might be a good starting point to strip whatever is on the screen.

Conscript

1,378 posts

128 months

Monday 25th September 2023
quotequote all
Yup...this stuff: https://soft99store.co.uk/en/home/34-glaco-glass-c...

I had exactly the same issue as you recently, a coating on the screen which helped it bead water, and it generally looked clean...but every time I drove into a low sun, my screen went nearly opaque due to the way the light caught it. Tried shifting it with IPA, AG Glass Polish and even claying the screen...nothing would touch it.

I then tried the Glaco glass compound. It comes out like a polish and you can use the applicator to scrub it into the glass quite hard. It worked first time and left me with a screen completely stripped of whatever compound was on there. You could tell because when rinsing if, the water had stopped beading off.

Thoroughly pleased. I've also now applied their Glaco Ultra rain repellent, but it hasn't left the same film effect which whatever as on there previously left.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYzFnjPQWXw&ab...

smithyithy

7,463 posts

125 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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What's the windscreen excess on your insurance policy vs how much you're going to spend on detailing products trying to clean it? hehe

Pica-Pica

14,450 posts

91 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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White vinegar? (Careful of surrounding areas).

C5_Steve

4,806 posts

110 months

Monday 25th September 2023
quotequote all
Conscript said:
Yup...this stuff: https://soft99store.co.uk/en/home/34-glaco-glass-c...

I had exactly the same issue as you recently, a coating on the screen which helped it bead water, and it generally looked clean...but every time I drove into a low sun, my screen went nearly opaque due to the way the light caught it. Tried shifting it with IPA, AG Glass Polish and even claying the screen...nothing would touch it.

I then tried the Glaco glass compound. It comes out like a polish and you can use the applicator to scrub it into the glass quite hard. It worked first time and left me with a screen completely stripped of whatever compound was on there. You could tell because when rinsing if, the water had stopped beading off.

Thoroughly pleased. I've also now applied their Glaco Ultra rain repellent, but it hasn't left the same film effect which whatever as on there previously left.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYzFnjPQWXw&ab...
Another vote for this, I did exactly the same and it's perfect.

witko999

662 posts

215 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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Thinners or white spirit will likely be quicker and cheaper than any other potions.

Mind the paint if you use thinners.

normalbloke

7,704 posts

226 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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witko999 said:
Thinners or white spirit will likely be quicker and cheaper than any other potions.

Mind the paint if you use thinners.
Methylated spirit not white spirit. White spirit leaves an oily residue. Meths is also paint safe and dirt cheap too. Do your wipers too, or bin them.


Edited by normalbloke on Monday 25th September 12:00

Super Sonic

7,218 posts

61 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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fozzymandeus said:
Nitric acid. Wear gloves.

More seriously IPA should do it, but be careful as it can take off paint.

Edited by fozzymandeus on Monday 25th September 11:00
Indian Pale Ale?

WPA

10,100 posts

121 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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normalbloke said:
witko999 said:
Thinners or white spirit will likely be quicker and cheaper than any other potions.

Mind the paint if you use thinners.
Methylated spirit not white spirit. White spirit leaves an oily residue. Meths is also paint safe and dirt cheap too. Do your wipers too, or bin them.


Edited by normalbloke on Monday 25th September 12:00
Agreed, meths should do the trick.

alexmonkey

87 posts

72 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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Petrol. Excellent solvent and readily available in a range of flammabilities biggrin

Watcher of the skies

660 posts

44 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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Super Sonic said:
fozzymandeus said:
Nitric acid. Wear gloves.

More seriously IPA should do it, but be careful as it can take off paint.

Edited by fozzymandeus on Monday 25th September 11:00
Indian Pale Ale?
India Pale Ale. This is PH, pedantry counts.
I wouldn't waste IPA on it. Fosters or Carling should do the trick.

gweaver

911 posts

165 months

Monday 25th September 2023
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C5_Steve said:
Conscript said:
Yup...this stuff: https://soft99store.co.uk/en/home/34-glaco-glass-c...

..

I then tried the Glaco glass compound. It comes out like a polish and you can use the applicator to scrub it into the glass quite hard. It worked first time and left me with a screen completely stripped of whatever compound was on there. You could tell because when rinsing if, the water had stopped beading off.

..
Another vote for this, I did exactly the same and it's perfect.
Another vote from me. It's very convenient because the it has the integral applicator.

I think CarPro Ceriglass is more aggressive than Glaco Compound, but you need buy the Ceriglass kit with the applicator block or get a separate rayon pad and mount it on a puck or machine polisher.

Glassman

23,109 posts

222 months

Tuesday 26th September 2023
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If it's a brand new car, speak to the seller.