DIY : Car Windshield Cleaning. Low cost method to get the Best Shine

[Optimus7]

Nice one ghpk.
I am using Colin to clean my windshield for quiet sometime now. It really works like magic.
1. First remove the dust in the windshield with a duster.
2. Pour water and wipe it (to remove bird dropping, mud sticking to the glass) and dry with a soft cloth.
3. Spray colin and rub it using a soft cloth (banyan cloth). Result is spick and span.

[Caddy]

Dear Friends,

While on the subject of windscreens, one irritating thing while driving is when the sun is directly in your face and the car dashboard is reflected on the windscreen reducing the visibility. This is all the more dangerous on highways and long journeys and causes driver fatigue.

I have seen many tourist taxi drivers place a towel or cloth covering on the dashboard. I assume this is to avoid this reflection problem. However, I wonder of there is any other solution? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Caddy.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Caddy

Dear Friends,

While on the subject of windscreens, one irritating thing while driving is when the sun is directly in your face and the car dashboard is reflected on the windscreen reducing the visibility. This is all the more dangerous on highways and long journeys and causes driver fatigue.

I have seen many tourist taxi drivers place a towel or cloth covering on the dashboard. I assume this is to avoid this reflection problem. However, I wonder of there is any other solution? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Caddy.

There is a mat which sticks to the dashboard curved surfaces, and allows smooth objects to stick to it. I have seen a lot of people using this as a base for just putting objects which would slide off, on this mat. Get one of these and place a thin towel on the mat when required, and take it off when not.

Another solution rarely seen today was the front sun visor. This would extend some 8-12 inches and prevent sun light hitting the dashboard.

[kailashnj]

Another solution that will really help in long run is to install the front windshield sun film. This will help three folds - stop the heat to enter the car when parked (as front windsheild has the biggest glass area), avoid glare from the oncoming traffic during night driving and stop sun's glare during the day time. Try it out and you will not regret.

Originally Posted by Aroy

Another solution rarely seen today was the front sun visor. This would extend some 8-12 inches and prevent sun light hitting the dashboard.

The sun visor is a very old solution and was used extensively in the older Ambassador. It not only spoils the aethetics, it will also look too cheap in the modern day cars.

My two cents

[Optimus7]

Originally Posted by kailashnj

Another solution that will really help in long run is to install the front windshield sun film. This will help three folds - stop the heat to enter the car when parked (as front windsheild has the biggest glass area), avoid glare from the oncoming traffic during night driving and stop sun's glare during the day time. Try it out and you will not regret.



The sun visor is a very old solution and was used extensively in the older Ambassador. It not only spoils the aethetics, it will also look too cheap in the modern day cars.

My two cents

I have 3M sunfilm installed for my front windshield, it doesn't prevent the dashboard reflection on the glass. The reflection occurs very rarely, but when there is reflection it seems very irritating and it really distracts my attention. Putting a cloth doesn't solve it.

Solution anyone.

[kailashnj]

Well in that case the only solution left is to use the Dashboard covers. You can read about the dashboard covers at the following link

A Perfect Guide to Buy Car Dashboard Cover | Carzy

Also I am not sure where you can order though there are some links where you can enquire for the dashboard covers Dashboard Covers

Hope this helps you

[ghpk]

Originally Posted by anand_lukose

I remember somebody suggesting me that the best combination was Newspaper with coke but only on the windshield.

I guess the acidic nature of coke would create long term issues. But for me, the newspaper+Water combo seems to be the most convenient of them all especially for long distances.

Would definitely try this combo out to see the difference. I am pretty sure it would look awkward for my neighbours

I am sure you would like the clean mouth of your windshield when using toothpaste.

Make sure to wash the windshield with plenty of water before applying paste, and rub it gently using a sponge/foam piece.

For your coke idea I would discourage that usage as any left over may attract ants or other insects/rats etc, giving you more headaches.

I've used newspaper on windshield earlier, but the ink from newspaper certainly comes off, you can see your hands after use, they should be visibly black, try using a soft cloth, I remember one microfiber cloth which was earlier available in big bazaar, they were some pack of 4 @ Rs.70-80 and worked great for glass cleaning.
Haven't seen those in recent months in big bazaar.

[anand_lukose]

Originally Posted by Aroy

There is a mat which sticks to the dashboard curved surfaces, and allows smooth objects to stick to it. I have seen a lot of people using this as a base for just putting objects which would slide off, on this mat. Get one of these and place a thin towel on the mat when required, and take it off when not.

My parents had one of these in their SX4 and unfortunately the windshield reflects that to the passenger. Whenever I travel as a front passenger, I eventually have to take it off because I am unable to see the road on a bright day. Has anyone felt this ?

I guess this gets worse if we have a spanking clean windshield as well !

[mpksuhas]

I use colin and news paper combination for the same. However I feel though it cleans durt from the windshield Colin is not so effective in removing oil residue. When it rains instead of flowing off water droplets leaves a trace and gets worse on turing on wiper.
Guess the perfect windshield cleaner should be both strong enough to remove oil residue but weak enough not to fade your paint / polish. Expecting too much I guess

[Optimus7]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

I use colin and news paper combination for the same. However I feel though it cleans durt from the windshield Colin is not so effective in removing oil residue. When it rains instead of flowing off water droplets leaves a trace and gets worse on turing on wiper.
Guess the perfect windshield cleaner should be both strong enough to remove oil residue but weak enough not to fade your paint / polish. Expecting too much I guess

Colin will only remove minute dirts and give the glass a nice transparent clean look.
Clean your glass then wipe it dry and then use colin. For oil residues in glass I use my car shampoo , it cleans them, but I am not sure if this will affect the glass in the long run.

[Raccoon]

So much fuss over windshield glass cleaning. All I'v ever used is car shampoo, water and a sponge. Minimum invasive procedure, minimum work and works just fine, as long as the water you are using is not not too hard. Usually I don't even need to dry it and its still streak free. However, due to current water shortage, some borewell water is being used, and I notice mild spotting. But for that just blotting it with a sponge works pretty well.

As for car shampoos, I'v only tried F1, Waxpol and Amway. I feel F1 works best most of the times... probably due to its wax content. However, if you have oily residue to then
Amway may be a better bet as it seems to be more aggressive at cleaning.

In the wiper tank goes Maruti's Windscreen Wash that comes in sachets. Works good. Never tried any other, so don't know if there are better ones.

[drpullockaran]

Originally Posted by Raccoon

Now it seems to have few fine and deep scratches. They say it its safe and routine to use "zero number" sandpaper on the screen. I have serious doubts... tough I cannot conclusively say if its the sandpaper did this to the screen, or the stuff and dust on the windscreen on which the sandpaper was rubbed or something else.

Can somebody comment please?

More details (Incredibly shoddy work & damage by MASS (Chowgule Industries))

Ask the nincompoops to give you a new windscreen. Using any grade of sand paper is an absolute contraindication for the windscreen. If you are in Bangalore go to windscreen experts and ask them if they ever recommend using any grit sandpaper for the windscreen.

[Raccoon]

^^^Of their own accord they have refused. Taking it up with MSIL. Lets see what happens.

[subbu567]

Originally Posted by Optimus7

Nice one ghpk.
I am using Colin to clean my windshield for quiet sometime now. It really works like magic.
1. First remove the dust in the windshield with a duster.
2. Pour water and wipe it (to remove bird dropping, mud sticking to the glass) and dry with a soft cloth.
3. Spray colin and rub it using a soft cloth (banyan cloth). Result is spick and span.

This method in my view and experience is the best way-even as it cant remove micro scratches.Let me summarize my argument below

1.Toothpaste method works great for the 'look,aesthetic part of it'but as has been pointed out does scatter the incident light affecting the night drive safety.

2.I have used the tooth paste on my Innova head lamps-the results were great-but only as above-It has resulted in less sharpness/focus and scatter of the headlamp beam-To my naked eye the effect is very pronounced,even as my friends believe I have done a great job-The devil is in the details !

3.I went to 3M car restoration services in UB City-and they told me clearly(about 2-3 months back) that they have had complaints with the headlamp restoration and hence have discontinued the head lamp buffing-and the matter has been referred to R&D !I am sure their buffing is far superior to Tooth paste buffing(No offence meant to anyone,please)

4.Hence I will personally stay away from the DIY restoration of any glass /related materials in my car with toothpaste/buffing -I will change the headlamps glass some time in the future.

Regards
Subbu.

[Houston]

Originally Posted by Caddy

Dear Friends,

While on the subject of windscreens, one irritating thing while driving is when the sun is directly in your face and the car dashboard is reflected on the windscreen reducing the visibility. This is all the more dangerous on highways and long journeys and causes driver fatigue.

I have seen many tourist taxi drivers place a towel or cloth covering on the dashboard. I assume this is to avoid this reflection problem. However, I wonder of there is any other solution? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Caddy.

To avoid light reflection on the windshield, use POLAROID sunglasses. This would help a lot. I religiously use POLAROID sunglasses and I have never had reflection problem on the windshield, without it I end up with head ache with in seconds.