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Glass Cleaning
Posted by jasonz
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Glass Cleaning April 01, 2005 02:54PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3 |
<HTML>Hi ,new to this forum but not detailing I am mobile and from england ,I wondered if any one had any ideas with the problems with geting perfect windows in direct sunlight .
Im using great micro towells and quality cleaner also any great tips on washing dark coloured cars in the sun .
A canopy is not an option here as theres never enough room in the places that I go to erct one also the fear of it blowing into a pile of cars terifys me.
Pleased to have found this site and look forward to reading and contributing.
Thanks.
Jay.</HTML>
Im using great micro towells and quality cleaner also any great tips on washing dark coloured cars in the sun .
A canopy is not an option here as theres never enough room in the places that I go to erct one also the fear of it blowing into a pile of cars terifys me.
Pleased to have found this site and look forward to reading and contributing.
Thanks.
Jay.</HTML>
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 01, 2005 08:16PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 37 |
<HTML>Jay...welcome to the board.
I'm no glass cleaning expert. In the past we've had problems of our own. The glass looks crystal clear inside the shop but move it outside and see the smears!
My personal idea as to the cause of the problem is either not using enough cleaner (not getting the glass "wet" enough to remove the dirt) or using a towel that isn't perfectly clean (contaminated with something else).
It's only common sense to me as a smear has to be some crud left on the glass.
We use a heavy coat of cleaner on our glass and a CLEAN microfiber every time. There's still an occasional touchup, but nothing like the old days!
Hope this helps...
Steve Bough
The Shine Shop
Jasper, Indiana USA</HTML>
I'm no glass cleaning expert. In the past we've had problems of our own. The glass looks crystal clear inside the shop but move it outside and see the smears!
My personal idea as to the cause of the problem is either not using enough cleaner (not getting the glass "wet" enough to remove the dirt) or using a towel that isn't perfectly clean (contaminated with something else).
It's only common sense to me as a smear has to be some crud left on the glass.
We use a heavy coat of cleaner on our glass and a CLEAN microfiber every time. There's still an occasional touchup, but nothing like the old days!
Hope this helps...
Steve Bough
The Shine Shop
Jasper, Indiana USA</HTML>
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 01, 2005 09:42PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1,838 |
<HTML>1. During the wash, clay the glass.
2. With the car completely dry, spray the windows with your favorite glass cleaner and immediately wipe with a surgical huck towel.
Surgical huck towels are so much better than microfiber towels. Streak free every time. I get mine from WC Detail and they are very cheaply priced. No lint! I used to use microfiber but now only use the huck.
All cleaner evaporate quickly in direct sun so wipe quickly.
Wash the surgical huck towels separately.
That'll do it!</HTML>
Take care,
Brian
Precision Auto & Marine
Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com
2. With the car completely dry, spray the windows with your favorite glass cleaner and immediately wipe with a surgical huck towel.
Surgical huck towels are so much better than microfiber towels. Streak free every time. I get mine from WC Detail and they are very cheaply priced. No lint! I used to use microfiber but now only use the huck.
All cleaner evaporate quickly in direct sun so wipe quickly.
Wash the surgical huck towels separately.
That'll do it!</HTML>
Take care,
Brian
Precision Auto & Marine
Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 02, 2005 03:00AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 112 |
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 02, 2005 03:10AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 241 |
<HTML>Mike, Brian,
Thank you, both!
We have taught the use of surgical/huck towels for years. Have a very direct of explaining it, and it works, with a good glass cleaner.
We preach it, and the proper way to fold and use them, the use of the glass cleaner, etc.
Why all these things are important.
People in this business are not alway ready to accept some very logical facts, and there fore blame the glass cleaner, but fail to "really think" about what is the process, etc.
Ketch</HTML>
Do it right or don't do it all!
Thank you, both!
We have taught the use of surgical/huck towels for years. Have a very direct of explaining it, and it works, with a good glass cleaner.
We preach it, and the proper way to fold and use them, the use of the glass cleaner, etc.
Why all these things are important.
People in this business are not alway ready to accept some very logical facts, and there fore blame the glass cleaner, but fail to "really think" about what is the process, etc.
Ketch</HTML>
Do it right or don't do it all!
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 02, 2005 03:36AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 241 |
<HTML>Jay:
Wash the towels with a little detergent and no fabric softener.
Then after every third or fourth wash. wash the towels again use no detergent and dump one cup of white vinegar.
That will break loose any greese in the fibers.
Never use dryer sheets.
Hope that helps</HTML>
Auto Appearances Inc , Raleigh NC (919) 812-4759
Wash the towels with a little detergent and no fabric softener.
Then after every third or fourth wash. wash the towels again use no detergent and dump one cup of white vinegar.
That will break loose any greese in the fibers.
Never use dryer sheets.
Hope that helps</HTML>
Auto Appearances Inc , Raleigh NC (919) 812-4759
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 02, 2005 03:41AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 241 |
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 02, 2005 03:50AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 241 |
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 02, 2005 02:54PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 112 |
<HTML>Ditto on the white vinegar, Paul. Wash my hucks solo with hot water, very little (if anyh) detergent, and white vinegar.
Since they're only used on reg. clients with perpetually clean windows, they don't ever get that dirty and always do a GREAT job, no matter what kind of cleaner I use.
Regards,
Mike</HTML>
-Get that great new car feeling!-
Since they're only used on reg. clients with perpetually clean windows, they don't ever get that dirty and always do a GREAT job, no matter what kind of cleaner I use.
Regards,
Mike</HTML>
-Get that great new car feeling!-
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 02, 2005 03:18PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Personally I believe you can use:
Terry towels
Huck or surgical towels
Microfiber towels
Diapers (nappies in the UK?)
Newspaper
Paper towels
The key is the glass cleaner. There are alcohol based; non-alcohol based; there are ready to use; concentrated and their are aerosol cans of glass cleaner.
Which one to use? Of all of them the two that I found to work best are, in order of preference:
Aerosol cans - but very expensive if you do many cars
Ready to Use alcohol based
PROCESS
Realizing that many people in the UK still smoke you have a great deal more film (tar) on the windows so you probably have to spray and wipe the windows twice, or more to get all film off the window.
Spraying once is like trying to wash and clean greasy hands with only one application of soap.
Plus you also have the evaporizing of the plasticizers in the vinyl that coats the glass.
Normally one application of cleaner is not enough to get heavier film off. Unfortunately, we cannot always tell how coated the windows are in many cars, but if the driver smokes you can bet you will need to go over the windows twice, with cleaner.
Then how you clean is critical. If you use one towel use this process:
a. Fold the towel of choice into a pad.
b. Square the window concentrating on the corners
c. Flip the towel over and fill in the center.
d. Then fold the pad over to a clean side and square to dry.
e. Fold again for another clean side and fill in the center to dry.
If you have to spray a second time with cleaner because the window is dirty then after squaring the first time and filling in spray another application of cleaner.
f. Then fold the towel over to a clean side and square
g. Fold over to another clean side and fill in the center
By now the towel has dirt on every side so you need a new towel to dry with and just follow the same procedure of squaring, folding over to a clean side and then filling in the center.
You can also use two towels, one for cleaning and one for drying using the same process.
In terms of process, many detailers fight themselves by using a side of the towel that is dirty. If you want the windows to come clean you have to dry them with a clean side of the towel.
CONCENTRATED GLASS CLEANERS
Another culprit to clean glass is the cleaner if you are using a concentrated cleaner. Should you have, say a 30 to 1 dilution cleaner you MUST dilute it 30 t0 1 or the surfactant (soap) in the cleaner will streak the glass.
Whatever the dilution be sure you dilute to that level or more to avoid streaking.
Hope this helps.
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
Terry towels
Huck or surgical towels
Microfiber towels
Diapers (nappies in the UK?)
Newspaper
Paper towels
The key is the glass cleaner. There are alcohol based; non-alcohol based; there are ready to use; concentrated and their are aerosol cans of glass cleaner.
Which one to use? Of all of them the two that I found to work best are, in order of preference:
Aerosol cans - but very expensive if you do many cars
Ready to Use alcohol based
PROCESS
Realizing that many people in the UK still smoke you have a great deal more film (tar) on the windows so you probably have to spray and wipe the windows twice, or more to get all film off the window.
Spraying once is like trying to wash and clean greasy hands with only one application of soap.
Plus you also have the evaporizing of the plasticizers in the vinyl that coats the glass.
Normally one application of cleaner is not enough to get heavier film off. Unfortunately, we cannot always tell how coated the windows are in many cars, but if the driver smokes you can bet you will need to go over the windows twice, with cleaner.
Then how you clean is critical. If you use one towel use this process:
a. Fold the towel of choice into a pad.
b. Square the window concentrating on the corners
c. Flip the towel over and fill in the center.
d. Then fold the pad over to a clean side and square to dry.
e. Fold again for another clean side and fill in the center to dry.
If you have to spray a second time with cleaner because the window is dirty then after squaring the first time and filling in spray another application of cleaner.
f. Then fold the towel over to a clean side and square
g. Fold over to another clean side and fill in the center
By now the towel has dirt on every side so you need a new towel to dry with and just follow the same procedure of squaring, folding over to a clean side and then filling in the center.
You can also use two towels, one for cleaning and one for drying using the same process.
In terms of process, many detailers fight themselves by using a side of the towel that is dirty. If you want the windows to come clean you have to dry them with a clean side of the towel.
CONCENTRATED GLASS CLEANERS
Another culprit to clean glass is the cleaner if you are using a concentrated cleaner. Should you have, say a 30 to 1 dilution cleaner you MUST dilute it 30 t0 1 or the surfactant (soap) in the cleaner will streak the glass.
Whatever the dilution be sure you dilute to that level or more to avoid streaking.
Hope this helps.
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
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Re: Glass Cleaning April 04, 2005 02:21AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 112 |
<HTML>Wash your car with DeIonized water and you will notice water sheeting off the vehicle, then dry car with Super Absorber and the car is spotless. On hot and sunny days, the car will dry spotless with out you touching it, wipe just where it is dripping around mirrors and crevices. I have tried every glass cleaner but nothing ever worked great untill I found MF towels and DI water in bottle and customers are amazed how clean the glass is. Even on my own cars, the glass is so clean, you think the window is rolled down. DI water works, espacially for a mobile detailer, it will cut down your wash and dry time by half. I can knock out a car in about 20 min. , a large SUV in about 35 min.</HTML>
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