Interior glass cleaner - non streaking

All,

There are a ton of threads / questions about glass cleaning, but they are basically all about the outside surface, how to remove water spots, wiper blade marks, etc..

On the inside of the truck cab, I have tried several glass cleaners, but they all leave streaks/smears that are only visible when basically driving directly towards the sun - when you need your windshield to be absolutely clear..... A friend of mine who used to own a local auto glass shop, once explained that newer cars/trucks get film buildup on the inside of the windshield due to outgassing of chemicals in the dash. He had a glass cleaner that he bought wholesale and put his shop's label on, I don't know what the ingredients were, but it worked great. He retired in 2020, closed his shop, and moved several states away

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

I use aerosol Invisible Glass. Make sure you are using a quality dedicated glass towel. The Rag Company sells excellent microfiber towels. Years ago I used a vinegar/water mix & cleaned with newspaper that had little ink on it. https://theragcompany.com/products/...2&_sid=e5e8b108d&_ss=r&variant=37726067261623

 

I use 100% (uncut) windshield washer fluid.

 

I've used newsprint for many years, I'll give a glass towel a try.

 

These are all decent suggestions. Invisible Glass is a very good glass cleaner that I've had good luck with. The streaks you're getting may be you just pushing something around that any glass cleaner is going to have a hard time getting off. Try this: Clean with glass cleaner and good microfiber. Then use a claybar and glass cleaner on the glass. Finally, take a razor scraper with glass cleaner and go to town. You're putting very little pressure on the blade. Then use the microfiber and cleaner one last time. I've had some very good luck with this method. I just inherited a 20 year old truck that sat under a tree and wasn't driven much. Once done, the glass looked nice.

 

I think it's really about the technique more than the spray or the type of rag(s). You need two towels minimum the first to do the bulk of the work cleaning with the product. The next towel to remove the excess moisture and wipe the streaks away. If the second towel becomes too saturated you need another towel. You don't buff glass clean with a damp rag, you just end up chasing the muck around.

This is of course to maintain it, if there is excess filth by all means saturate it, use abrasives, razorblades whatever to get it to a state that any given glass cleaner and two rags will work.

Honestly rinseless wash beats any dedicated glass cleaner I've found. For one there's nothing special enough about glass cleaner to have it dedicated on hand. Wolfgang Uber, ONR, Ech2o etc...

 

Another vote for Invisible Glass. I have to use it on my rear window anyway because of tint

 

Outside, Barkeepers Friend.

Inside, aerosol Invisible Glass

 

I use sprayway glass cleaner as it cuts through grime really well. You can get a 4 pack at Costco for around $12 or buy a can individually at Walmart for a few bucks.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sprayway-23-oz-Glass-Cleaner-SW056R/305667042

I also recommend the rag company microfiber towels. Either one of these:

https://theragcompany.com/collections/the-rag-company/products/ftw
https://theragcompany.com/collections/the-rag-company/products/dry-me-a-river

I use rags to riches microfiber detergent for the towels. (Wash cold, dry low-medium, no fabric softeners or dryer sheets or they'll streak.)

https://theragcompany.com/collections/microfiber-care/products/ps-detail-products-rags-to-riches

I don't use paper towels as they always streak no matter which brand I try. I think it has something to do with the pulp or glue in the paper.

One trick is to wipe the inside glass vertical and the outside horizontal, so you know which side is dirty.

 

I like Invisible glass since it has a high alcohol content and is tint safe. Get glass towels some for the outside and inside and don’t mix the two. You can also make your own with a 50/50 mix of 80% white alcohol and distilled water. And lastly you get a mini squeegee use that but you have to put a towel on the dash if you don’t want it all wet. Oh one more thing clean the outside and inside in different directions so you can tell which side the streaks are on.

 

the streaks are caused by the amount of cleaner, the rag you use, and the hand method you use to clean glass.

^^ thats the case most of the time

 

Glass can be an as ass to clean. No two ways about it.

While there are several ways to handle it, this is what I have found works best; use whatever cleaner(glass specific) that you prefer, then have multiple towels on hand whether they are huck/ surgical, microfiber etc. Once you have those implements in hand it is more about technique than product.

Apply the cleaner, then let it dwell for a few seconds, use the towel of preference to wipe the window on overlapping wipes. Never allow the section of towel to become wet as that is what essentially creates streaks. If you need multiple towels, then use them, just leave the surface dry and free of contaminants.

If you need to, start with one heavy application of the cleaner then proceed to a light application. Depending on the level of film or dirt on the window I've even started with a towel soaked in water, dry the window then use a glass cleaner, and dried after that.
The main point is leave no moisture. The cleaner emulsifies the dirt on the window, but will leave it behind if not completely dried off, hence the streaks.

I will have to try the 'waterless' products mentioned above. That is a great tip, thank you.

 

If vinegar didn’t sink like dirty nasty feet I’d use that.

 

For last 18 years I using Betaclean GC-800, produced by Du Pont and sold by Crystal Glass shops here in Canada. It has more ammonia (by the smell) than windex e.t.c, but result are perfect -
spotless! Highly recommend.

 

After using a ceramic spray-on and rinse wax, I forgot to clean my wiper blades, not to mention the spray wax coated the windshield and windows. Talk about a filmy haze…Doh!

 

Has anyone tried paste glass cleaner?

 

I use an assortment of glass cleaners with a hot micro rag on the inside followed by news paper and then polish away. Pretty much the same on the outside, maybe some 0000 steel wool used first.

 

I use the Chemical Guys "GlassOnly" foaming spray cleaner. It's pretty clearly ammonia-based (like old-school Windex). It's really friggin' good.

One big thing... if you use microfiber or other cloth, make sure when you wash/dry them they don't go into the washer or dryer with a fabric softener or Bounce sheet. You'll just gunk the cloth up with waxy crap that'll smear all over your glass. I do them all separate from regular laundry.

Also, don't use a cleaner with ammonia on plastic like your instrument cluster.

 

Look no further OP! Invisible Glass!