I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Crossword wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Either neat screenwash, or white vinegar, preferably before washing it
to get rid of the whiff.

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
o.uk...
Crossword wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Either neat screenwash, or white vinegar, preferably before washing it to
get rid of the whiff.

I've tried everything else apart from neat screenwash. I'll give that a
crack. Taa for the idea.

On 04/01/15 12:53, Crossword wrote:
I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

hot soapy for me

If the alcohol in the screenwash doesn't get it


--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll

On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc. detergent.


--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll

On 04/01/15 12:53, Crossword wrote:
I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????


The AutoGlym glass cleaner is very good.

Failing that, regular glass cleaner works OK.

For the odd clean up of traffic film, a bottle of glass wipes from
Halfords are OK and are convenient to keep in the boot.

The important thing is a supply of lint free cloths to buff up - old
cotton shirts and trousers chopped up are good for this and can be
washed and reused.

On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.


It's traffic film and glass cleaner should work.

Crossword wrote


I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????


Glass cleaner. Screwfit do a litre for £3, other brands are available.
David's the isopon people made the first I used 40 odd years ago.

"Crossword" wrote in message
...
I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????


Outside, detergent (fairy liquid etc) and a cloth.

Inside, damp newspaper, no chemicals, detergents or anything else, just wet
newspaper, followed by damp newspaper, gets everything off and leaves no
residues / smears etc

Phil L wrote:
Inside, damp newspaper, no chemicals, detergents or anything else, just wet
newspaper, followed by damp newspaper, gets everything off and leaves no
residues / smears etc

I use plain water and a microfibre cloth, kept handy in the door pocket
so I can do it while waiting at traffic lights etc.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

On 04/01/2015 15:38, Mike Barnes wrote:
Phil L wrote:
Inside, damp newspaper, no chemicals, detergents or anything else,
just wet
newspaper, followed by damp newspaper, gets everything off and leaves no
residues / smears etc

I use plain water and a microfibre cloth, kept handy in the door pocket
so I can do it while waiting at traffic lights etc.


Swarfega works quite well. It removed some kind of unspecified film that
seemed resistant to detergent.

On 04/01/15 15:52, stuart noble wrote:
On 04/01/2015 15:38, Mike Barnes wrote:
Phil L wrote:
Inside, damp newspaper, no chemicals, detergents or anything else,
just wet
newspaper, followed by damp newspaper, gets everything off and leaves no
residues / smears etc

I use plain water and a microfibre cloth, kept handy in the door pocket
so I can do it while waiting at traffic lights etc.


Swarfega works quite well. It removed some kind of unspecified film that
seemed resistant to detergent.

you can 'make' Swarfega out of diesel/paraffin and fairy liquid.

It is the way to shift the worst and hardest of grease films - the
organic solvent dissolves the film ad the detergent dissolves the
organic solvent.

--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll

Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.


Any glass cleaner + balled up newspaper.

Tim

On 04/01/15 18:08, Huge wrote:
On 2015-01-04, Tim Watts wrote:

The important thing is a supply of lint free cloths to buff up - old
cotton shirts and trousers chopped up are good for this and can be
washed and reused.

I use chunks of old towels which although not lint-free, seem to work well
enough.

True - old towels have had most of the loose lint knocked off by
repeated washing.


Also, don't wipe the inside of the screen with your hand. It leaves greasy
marks.

Indeed. It's better to get a cloth or just wait for the demister to
clear it -

Which takes longer these days - I pulled the fuse on the Touran's fast
preheater because it had the habit of belching diesel fumes all over the
poor pedestrians during the first 10 minutes of running. I once smoked
out half the road...

Crossword wrote

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

I use one of those spray things that goes on the end of the hose
and then one of those rubber strip things to get it reasonably
water free. But then I'm not obsessed with a clean windscreen.
Not ideal in the depths of winter, too cold.

https://2ecffd01e1ab3e9383f0-07db7b9...b708ca25ae.jpg
https://worldwidejanitor.com/images/ZEP%2050015.jpg

Or the second one in a bucket of water.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc.

Its what comes out of the plastics.

detergent.

Doesnt work for that.

Stay away from automatic car washes and even hand washing establishments as many apply liquid wax in the final rinse which may make the bodywork shine nicely. On the windscreen it just causes a build up of a wax film that is hard to clean and is one of the main causes of wiper chatter.

Richard

Crossword wrote:
I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Don't use a spam sandwich like my daughter did.

Bill

In message , john james
writes


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc.

Its what comes out of the plastics.

Such as?

Seems much more likely to be general grime (dust grease etc.) that
collects on it.

detergent.

Doesnt work for that.

I use a household glass cleaner spray, works fine.

--
Chris French

My friend swears on Fairy liquid.
Mind you his wipers still sound like a disaster after fitting new blades or
with the wrong kind of rain.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Andy Burns" wrote in message
o.uk...
Crossword wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Either neat screenwash, or white vinegar, preferably before washing it to
get rid of the whiff.

On 04/01/2015 13:35, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc. detergent.

Mix of that and the plasticisers and other volatiles from the interior
plastic components cooking in the sun.

IPA (the alcohol) and/or any decent wetting agent (eg neat screenwash)
on a cloth will clean it but do not get it in your eyes.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 05/01/2015 09:15, Chris French wrote:
In message , john james
writes


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc.

Its what comes out of the plastics.

Mixture of both.

Such as?

Traces of monomer and plasticisers that escape when the car interior is
being cooked in the sunshine and condense on the cooler windows.

Essentially it is in part the condensate of "new car" smell.

Seems much more likely to be general grime (dust grease etc.) that
collects on it.

detergent.

Doesnt work for that.

I use a household glass cleaner spray, works fine.

Slightly more aggressive solvents like IPA or neat screenwash will work
better with less elbow grease. Meths is just a bit too aggressive and
may damage or weaken some plastic components.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 04/01/2015 18:08, Huge wrote:
On 2015-01-04, Tim Watts wrote:

The important thing is a supply of lint free cloths to buff up - old
cotton shirts and trousers chopped up are good for this and can be
washed and reused.

I use chunks of old towels which although not lint-free, seem to work well
enough.

Also, don't wipe the inside of the screen with your hand. It leaves greasy
marks.



+1

I use old linen tea-towels

A friend once asked me where the scratchess on the inside of his windscreen where coming from.

Wifey cleaning condensation with the back of her hand with a diamond engagement ring on her finger.

On Monday, January 5, 2015 3:48:15 AM UTC, Bill Wright wrote:
Crossword wrote:
I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Don't use a spam sandwich like my daughter did.

Bill

Auto car wash machine fluid once contained silicon which smeared terribly on windscreens and was well nigh impossible to remove. Seem to have gone away from it now.

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
...
My friend swears on Fairy liquid.
Mind you his wipers still sound like a disaster after fitting new blades
or with the wrong kind of rain.
Brian

Wait until he puts too much into the washer bottle!

On Monday, January 5, 2015 11:03:50 AM UTC, Huge wrote:
On 2015-01-05, fred wrote:
On Monday, January 5, 2015 3:48:15 AM UTC, Bill Wright wrote:
Crossword wrote:
I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Don't use a spam sandwich like my daughter did.

Bill

Auto car wash machine fluid once contained silicon which smeared terribly on windscreens and was well nigh impossible to remove. Seem to have gone away from it now.

This is a bit of a religious issue, but I wouldn't use Rain-X either
for the same reason. Horrible stuff.


--
Today is Setting Orange, the 5th day of Chaos in the YOLD 3181
Celebrate Mungday
I don't have an attitude problem. If you have a problem with my attitude,
that's your problem.

Never found Rain-X to cause that problem. Don't use it much on the windscreen

On Sun, 04 Jan 2015 12:53:24 +0000, Crossword wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

I use Bartenders Friend (which has oxalic acid in it) for the once a
year clean of the outside of the windscreen.
- Mike

"Chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , john james
writes


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc.

Its what comes out of the plastics.

Such as?

The plasticiser.

Seems much more likely to be general grime (dust grease etc.) that
collects on it.

detergent.

Doesnt work for that.

I use a household glass cleaner spray, works fine.

Not for the plasticiser.

On Mon, 5 Jan 2015 04:10:16 -0800 (PST), fred wrote:

Auto car wash machine fluid once contained silicon which smeared

terribly on windscreens and was well nigh impossible to remove.

This is a bit of a religious issue, but I wouldn't use Rain-X
either
for the same reason. Horrible stuff.

Never found Rain-X to cause that problem.

I was very dubious about the claims but when CostCo had a two pack
(Cleaner and Rain-X) for a tenner I thought I'd give it a try. When
freshly applied the wipers do tend to produce a very fine misty
beading of water but that quickly fades, about half a stroke of the
wipers. Other than that, any water beads and above about 40 mph blows
off. Once "worn in" the fine misty beading problem goes away and fly
splat/traffic film are easier for the wash/wipers to remove.

I suspect that how well Rain-X performs is down to the application.
Cleaning the screen, buffing, rinsing, drying, applying Rain-X,
buffing, rinsing, is quite a time consuming process and moderate hard
work if done well. I reckon it takes 2 - 3 hours, it's not a slosh it
on quick rub, job done process.

I agree about the waxes/silicones that car washes apply though.
Horrible stuff.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
On 05/01/2015 09:15, Chris French wrote:
In message , john james
writes


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc.

Its what comes out of the plastics.

Mixture of both.

I'm not convince that there is all that much human fats involved
with the car windscreens. You certainly get that with glasses, but
that human fat washes off very easily under the tap, no need for
any detergent or isopropyl alcohol to get it off. The stuff that is
hard to get off the inside of the windscreen is plasticisers IMO.

Such as?

Traces of monomer and plasticisers that escape when the car interior is
being cooked in the sunshine and condense on the cooler windows.

Essentially it is in part the condensate of "new car" smell.

Yep. And is quite hard to get off with water an detergent.

Seems much more likely to be general grime (dust grease etc.) that
collects on it.

detergent.

Doesnt work for that.

I use a household glass cleaner spray, works fine.

Slightly more aggressive solvents like IPA or neat screenwash will work
better with less elbow grease. Meths is just a bit too aggressive and may
damage or weaken some plastic components.

But does work if you are careful to wet something like an old
T shirt carefully outside the car and dont end up with enough
metho on it to drip onto anything in the car and is easier to
find than isopropanol.

In message , john james
writes


"Chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , john james
writes


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc.

Its what comes out of the plastics.

Such as?

The plasticiser.

Seems much more likely to be general grime (dust grease etc.) that
collects on it.

detergent.

Doesnt work for that.

I use a household glass cleaner spray, works fine.

Not for the plasticiser.

I've never had any problem cleaning the inside of the windscreen with
it. Though except for my wife's first car, we've only had 2nd hand cars,
so the youngest has been about 4 years old.
--
Chris French

"Chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , john james
writes


"Chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , john james
writes


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 04/01/15 13:17, Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Crossword
wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

Outside or inside? I've noticed that inside tends to get a coating of
something over the years. Be nice to know what to use to get that
clean.

its human fats etc.

Its what comes out of the plastics.

Such as?

The plasticiser.

Seems much more likely to be general grime (dust grease etc.) that
collects on it.

detergent.

Doesnt work for that.

I use a household glass cleaner spray, works fine.

Not for the plasticiser.

I've never had any problem cleaning the inside of the windscreen with it.
Though except for my wife's first car, we've only had 2nd hand cars, so
the youngest has been about 4 years old.

Yeah, that's likely the reason you never
saw the plasticiser problem, no new cars.

"Jethro_uk" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 05 Jan 2015 09:22:46 +0000, Brian Gaff wrote:

My friend swears on Fairy liquid.
Mind you his wipers still sound like a disaster after fitting new
blades or
with the wrong kind of rain.
Brian

Washing up liquid user to strip the shine from the lacquer ...

I was once told that washing up liquid contains salt ..........

On 06/01/2015 15:51, Mr Pounder wrote:
"Jethro_uk" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 05 Jan 2015 09:22:46 +0000, Brian Gaff wrote:

My friend swears on Fairy liquid.
Mind you his wipers still sound like a disaster after fitting new
blades or
with the wrong kind of rain.
Brian

Washing up liquid user to strip the shine from the lacquer ...

I was once told that washing up liquid contains salt ..........


I think that was the cheaper ones - salt was used to "bulk up". Fairy
was allegedly one of the few without salt added - hence more expensive,
but less required (but still provided in a squeezy bottle so that you
could use far more than was needed).

"CB" wrote in message ...
On 06/01/2015 15:51, Mr Pounder wrote:
"Jethro_uk" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 05 Jan 2015 09:22:46 +0000, Brian Gaff wrote:

My friend swears on Fairy liquid.
Mind you his wipers still sound like a disaster after fitting new
blades or
with the wrong kind of rain.
Brian

Washing up liquid user to strip the shine from the lacquer ...

I was once told that washing up liquid contains salt ..........


I think that was the cheaper ones - salt was used to "bulk up". Fairy was
allegedly one of the few without salt added - hence more expensive, but
less required (but still provided in a squeezy bottle so that you could
use far more than was needed).

Hmmmmm
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Scien...ion422885.html

On Mon, 05 Jan 2015 15:35:32 +0000, Mike wrote:

On Sun, 04 Jan 2015 12:53:24 +0000, Crossword wrote:

I just wondered what people's favourite "solution" is for doing so.
Hot soapy water, meths, proprietary ??????

I use Bartenders Friend (which has oxalic acid in it) for the once a
year clean of the outside of the windscreen.
- Mike

Correction: 'Barkeepers Friend'

http://www.kilrock.co.uk/products.asp?categoryID=10832

- Mike