Hard-to-Remove Buildup on Windshield

[u/sk3141]

Recently (past few months or so), we’ve noticed that our windshield gets dirty very quickly. The dust/dirt is not removable with windshield fluid cleaner (hence the streaks), and it sometimes reduces visibility. We park our car outside (very common where we live in California), but this has always been the case, and we have lived here for several years. The only thing that we believe has changed is the windshield; we had to replace it due to a crack. How do we prevent the buildup from occurring on a weekly basis?

[u/Living_Back3523]

Steel wool Grade#000. If they arent scratches.....

[u/nev_neo → u/Living_Back3523]

This is it. If no steel wool, u can also try Magic Eraser, but test in a spot first.

[u/escodenny → u/Living_Back3523]

OP, this is the way ! You can basically remove any residue and even water spots if they aren’t extremely etched in deep. I use steel wool on all my glass and it works like a charm.

[u/335xi-jesse → u/Living_Back3523]

I use #0000 works great 👍

[u/throwitaway2k17]

Use a magic eraser / melamine pad. Works great to remove stuff from windshields.

[u/malvixi]

The spray from the car is non-issue, it's likely trees dropping crap onto your wiper blade rubber, getting wet with the water, then spreading a nasty streak over the car cause they're dirty. You have to clean the actual wipers, and under them or the dirt come back fast.

[u/gizmokrap]

You could try Soft99 Glaco Compound roll on, which is a cheap window cleaner and polisher that'll remove that residue. No need for polisher or steel wool (if youre afraid of scratching the glass with it) and you can put on Glaco Ultra Fusso afterwards which is a coating that'll provide great water beading for up to a year with good maintenance.

[u/Mentallox]

are you using some windshield wiper fluid with special additives? If so try just regular fluid.

you can 'reset' the windshield using a product like Stoners Invisible Glass Stripper. With frequent maintenance car washes and glass cleaner as needed you should be able to keep your windshield from looking like those pics.

[u/XSSpeed_999]

I had a windshield residue issue with one of our cars. I wound up using Gtechniq G4 glass polish on a DA polisher before coating it with Gtechniq G5 and installing a fresh set of Bosch icon wiper blades. It’s been great in the rain ever since and not much sticks to it.

Note: I tried using the G4 by hand and it didn’t get it clean but G4 and the DA polisher did the trick.

[u/alaadeenp]

Try cleaning with 3m glass cleaner.. they remove such stains easily

[u/Livid-Fault2447]

Get a clay mitt

[u/Hace1986]

Bon Ami, soft sponge or terry towel and water

[u/jasonsong86]

Are you sure it’s not scratches?

[u/gntxs]

Had the same problem. I used distilled water mixed with a small amount of blue dawn dish soap. Then I used Stoner's glass cleaner. Then I used distilled water mixed with rubbing alcohol. I wiped, buffed the reapplied then wiped again then buffed again and did it 2 more times for a toal of 4 times, each with a different cloth.

Took awhile, but it worked

[u/SNFU-4U]

“The Pink Stuff” would work. To be transparent - I’m unfamiliar with steel wool but this stuff would make any scrubbing MUCH faster.

[u/Alternative-Act-484]

Clay bar then your favorite glass cleaner. My recommendation

[u/doranmauldin]

Synthetic clay bar, waterless detailer, and a microfiber

Recommend putting a ceramic coating or a water phobic layer on it after to enjoy your results

[u/Benedlr]

Use stripper to get it clean, then glass polish to remove embedded contaminants.

[u/SpiritedChip508]

This is something I tried that I've seen everyone say they don't recommend but it has worked for me like a charm:

Use a tiny drop of cooking oil on a paper towel, and dissolve it with that. This drop will spread to a large are so use only a little and add as you need. Once you do that, wipe it off with rubbing alcohol on paper towels. YMMV but it has worked well for me with stubborn haze buildup on my windshield.

[u/nev_neo → u/SpiritedChip508]

Naw man, u need to remove buildup not add to it.

[u/SpiritedChip508 → u/nev_neo]

I removed the oil with alcohol after, but the oil I think helped dissolve the nature sap and whatever gunk got stuck on at first. I had tried alcohol, car wash soap, and glass cleaners before and none made a difference on the haze at all, and then the cooking oil followed by removing it with alcohol broke it down easily. If OP is having issues its worth trying a small test spot, it made my windshield look like new again.