Window cleaning
 

On the inside of my windows is a film that I can't seem to remove no matter what I use. I've used Windex and different kinds of aerosol window cleaners but it just doesn't seem to get the film off.

Anyone have any ideas what it might be? Any suggestions on how to remove it??

Thanks

Are you a smoker?

Ya that's what I was thinking it was... smoke caked onto the windows. I'm not a smoker but the car has 270k km on it so I'm sure someone has smoked in it at some point.

Hey Dan! If its that bad, may have to get some Autoglym Car Glass Polish to clean them. After that, regular glass cleaner should work fine. Its available at Canadian Tire. It is an actual polish so will cut through the residue like crazy. Use a foam applicator to apply but use a small amount. It dusts a bit if you use too much. Do a small area at a time, work until it pretty much disappears ( another reason to use a small amount) and wipe with a MF towel. Your glass will "sparkle" like you've never seen. Love that stuff.

Thanks for the info Ken. I am on the way to Canadian Tire now! The problem will be getting all the way into the rear corners of that curve back glass on my MR2!

@Ken

If I have a polisher and Autoglym Glass Polisher, what pad do you recommend for the job and at what speed?

Can you use the polisher on the outside window as well?

What are the procedures for clearing outside glass? Even after a wash my windshield is a mess, and is never quite "clear"

Yes, you can use a polisher on your glass without worry. Running a rotary with an aggressive compound at high speed can heat the glass and cause distortion, but a DA on speed 3-4 is totally safe.

Thanks Ken. Do I have to let the polishing material sit on the glass before buffing it off?

I want to Polish my parents 1998 Camry which has water spot / stain everywhere. I don't want to break the glass . :(

If you are using the AG Car Glass Polish, put a bead across the pad and polish on speed 3 until the polish disappears. The left over residue will wipe away easily.

Ken, I finally got around to trying the Autoglym glass polish... and it was magical! One application and the grime or whatever it was, was completely gone. Thanks for the heads up.

dan

Anytime.

If that film on the window comes back it could be a sign that your heater core is giving up the ghost, as a bad heater core will leave a difficult to remove residue on the windscreen.

Before you polish the glass, depending on the condition of the glass/where you park your car you might want to try some clay bar if you're doing the outside of the window before using the window polish, just to reduce the chance of marring/scratches.

I recently used rain-x glass cleaner and #0000 steel wool on my windows. Worked really well at removing stubborn film. Followed up with regular rain-x on the outside and anti-fog on the inside.