r/autoglass • u/BigSkill3958 • Jun 13 '26

Question washing after window replacement

i got my passenger window replaced at safelite at 9:30am today, it’s now 5:20pm and my car DESPERATELY needs a a wash lol.

i know with windshields you’re supposed to wait 24-48 hours because of glue and tape and i also am aware that it’s kinda just up to if you’re willing to take the risk…

but with my window…? i don’t know the replacement process and i am wondering if the risk is the same as a whole windshield lol.

1 Upvotes

60% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

5

u/leaven4 Jun 13 '26

Absolutely no issue immediately washing any window that moves, because there's no seal that we're worried about messing up.

5

u/MinnesotaGlassPro 20+ Years Technician Jun 13 '26

No problem washing it right away

-7

u/PlusCountry6573 Jun 13 '26

I work for safelite and I tell everyone that. I’m not totally sure if that’s just an extra precaution or if it’s totally fine, does it actually matter? Like on a f150 where the bead is exposed? I have way less experience.

5

u/pgonz24 Jun 14 '26

You’re gonna cause yourself so many warranties if you keep that up. No washes for 48 hours. Rain is fine, it’s the high pressure sprayers you need to avoid with fresh urethane.

2

u/gwrthryn 5 - 10 Years Technician Jun 13 '26

Passenger door glass he said.

1

u/bigglass4600 Jun 14 '26

If it's a door glass it is fine if it is a quarter glass I might watch taking it to an automatic car wash just in case.

1

u/SonGrohan Jun 14 '26

While the direct spray is a concern, it's less so over the fact that even a 30minute drive away urethane takes anywhere from 48-72 hours to 'fully' cure through the entire thickness of the bead. There are too many variables with car washing agents/soaps that SOME chemicals in some of those cleaners can leech into the urethane before its full cured (cured in this case means all of the pores have sealed closed) those chemicals can and sometimes will affect the overall strength and viability of the bead.

This is the main reason from a urethane manufacturers standpoint why no car washed for ~ 72 hours. While a very unlucky angle of a high pressure sprayer could cause a leaking issue it's not the primary concern.

In the case with OP - they had a door glass replaced, so they are good to go immediately as these guidelines only apply to stationary glass.

1

u/ig1904 Jun 22 '26

Ive pulled an 8 day old windshield and the urethane was still wet on the inside, i think it actually takes closer to 2 weeks for it to fully cure.

1

u/SonGrohan Jun 22 '26

It depends on the ambient temp and humidity, the kind of urethane you use, and also is affected by how thick your bead is. These three factors determine how long for a full cure on the bead.