Of the questions I get asked about vehicle detailing
the one that is asked most often is on glass cleaning (followed closely by how
to care for leather upholstery) BTW 15 to 20% of a car’s surface is glass.
Looking at glass under a
microscope you’ll see that its surface has many peaks and valleys to which
water, minerals, and soap residue and environmental contaminates can cling to
these pitted surfaces, all of which requires regular cleaning.
Water ‘spots’- there
are two categories of water mark (the so-called water spots)
Stage I (Surface) Corrosion
[: defined as a surface with light to moderate corrosion damage
to the paint surface]
Stage II (Sub-surface) Corrosion
[: definition when the dirt/corrosion deposits are no longer on
the surface but have started to break down the molecular structure, leaving an
etched or white haze on the surface( a concave circular mark ) after the stain
has been removed, with moderate to serious paint damage]
a) Surface water spots- (Stage I Corrosion)
alkaline watermarks consist of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) both of which
are basic (alkaline pH 10) that alight on the surface; ultra violet (heat)
radiation (UVR) will leave a white ‘water mark’, the minute crystals bond to
the surface, they will not wash off as they are insoluble and if left for any
length of time they will etch the paint film surface leaving a concave circular
mark, remove surface deposits with detailer’s clay and an acetic acid pH 2.0
(vinegar) to neutralise the alkaline
b) Below surface (etched) spots- (Stage II Corrosion )
are caused by an aggressive alkaline or an acidic solution (acid rain, bird
excrement or industrial fallout) causing a chemical reaction, if left for any
length of time they will etch the paint film surface leaving a concave circular
mark. Unlike water spots which typically have a white outline of the spot, acid
rain etching is smaller and you can see the damage in the clear coat.
Rock chips
These micro-chips are caused
by roar grit impacting the glass surface, they appear as ‘white spots’ when
filled with a wax or polymer sealant. In a recent windshield damage study
conducted by the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA), it was found that;
extreme temperatures and structural fatigue will cause existing windshield
chips to spread quickly, requiring glass replacement.
Thermal shock occurs when a
thermal gradient causes different parts of an object to expand by different
amounts, this differential expansion and at some point this stress overcomes
the strength of the material, causing a crack to form. If nothing stops this
crack from propagating through the material, it will cause the object's
structure to fail. This occurs if you wash a cold surface with warm / hot water
or conversely a warm / hot surface with cold water Thermal shock can be
prevented by reducing the thermal gradient seen by the object ( i.e. by
changing its temperature less rapidly)
In cold weather conditions,
windshields will develop a more concave shape.
As a result, windshield chips
and dings are more likely to spread in a horizontal fashion. Chips were likely
to spread more than 80 percent of the time at temperatures of 14 degrees (-10°
C). Those tested at 32 degrees were nearly 60 percent likely to crack.
Warm weather conditions
cause windshields chips to spread more vertically. The same study conducted
suggested that the heat itself distorts the shape of the windshield glass,
which can lead to cracking by itself. However, it was also found that the
cooling effect of the air conditioning unit is likely to set off a crack.
Driving over a speed bump,
pothole or other uneven terrain can cause a chip to crack. The force radiates
through the car and puts additional pressure on the edges of the chip, which
can quickly lead to a crack.
Although it is not possible
to suggest how long it will take for a chip to spread, the study suggests that
stressors like weather changes and simple driving will eventually cause or
lengthen a windshield crack.
What kind of
damages can be repaired?
Many glass polishing
products can’t actually remove etched spots, but will thoroughly clean and fill
them (Kaolin clay) so they appear virtually invisible.
However a windshield repair
is a process that uses skill to repair stone damage on a windshield instead of
replacing it altogether. Stone damage or stone "chips" up to the size
of a quarter, if you can catch your fingernail in the scratch 0.4 Mil (10ยต) deep, you should consult a professional auto glass
company
Best results are obtained
when the damage is repaired right away, before contamination occurs from car
washing, road grime, or inclement weather.
Once the surface has been
washed and cleaned (detailers clay) any minor imperfections can be removed with
an abrasive glass polish (CarPro CeriGlass, Autoglym Car Class Polish or Zaino
Z-12 Clear-View Glass Polish) These products remove
"light" scratches, acid water spots, bird and bug stains, including
alkaline mineral deposits, and then smoothes out etched glass (See article “Polishing Glass”)
Windshield Haze or ‘Fog’
The vinyl used on vehicle
dashboards contain diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) plasticizers, these low
molecular weight compounds maintain semi-rigid vinyl’s flexibility. The vinyl
used in modern vehicle interiors vent (out-gassing) these are the plasticizers
evaporating (more prevalent on newer vehicles or a dash with freshly applied
vinyl dressing) Crack open vehicle windows when parked to allow the gasses to
vent and do not use any vinyl protection product for fifteen days or so on a
new vehicle.
Ultra violet (UV) heat
radiation will also cause the plasticizers to dry out, resulting in a chemical
film that when combined with road oils, dirt and grease introduced via by the
vehicles AC system or smoker's residue, which results in a stubborn haze or fog
that forms a cohesive bond with the interior glass surfaces.
For severe out gassing or
the removal of stubborn grime; spray the glass surface (otherwise you are
diluting the product strength) with 1:10 solution distilled water /Isopropyl
alcohol and wipe with a clean cloth and the result is a crystal clear finish. You
may need to repeat this process
Ensure that all cabin
fabrics (seats, carpets and mats) are thoroughly dry; otherwise their moisture
evaporation will exacerbate the problem
Glass Cleaning
Looking at glass under a
microscope you’ll see that its surface has many peaks and valleys to which
water, minerals, and soap residue and environmental contaminates can cling to
these pitted surfaces, all of which requires regular cleaning / removal.
A dirty or distorted
windshield and/or worn wiper blades are dangerous; 90% of your driving
decisions are based on a clear, unobstructed view of the road, it's a critical
safety concern that your car's wipers provide you with the cleanest windshield
possible. Wiper blades should be checked for wear and replaced annually or when
showing signs of wear.
My procedure for cleaning glass:
1.
Soak and wring out (almost
dry) micro fibre towels
2.
Fold glass (fine nap) micro
fibre towel in half
3.
Spray cleaner (Stoners Invisible Glass™) directly
onto glass surface.
4.
Wipe surface with the micro
fibre glass towel in one direction (up-down)
5.
Use a second towel and wipe
in opposite direction (left-right) and repeat until the haze disappears.
6.
Spray surface with glass
cleaner (Stoners Invisible Glass™)
7.
Wipe with a clean waffle
weave micro fibre glass towel.
8.
Using a clean waffle weave
towel, dry and remove any streaks.
Ghost’ marks (from suction cups or wiper
blades) - factory glass is installed with the help of strong suction cups to
assist in its placement, they are lubricated with a special release agent
compound, this helps the air suction applied to be broken. Unfortunately they
often leave marks that are only visible in direct sunlight. These can usually
be removed (least abrasive first) a chemical paint cleaner (P21S Paintwork
Cleanse) detailer’s clay or a glass polish (Autoglym
Car Class Polish or Zaino Z-12 Clear-View Glass Polish) agitation with a
soft brush or a terry cloth towel helps to clean out the micro pores of the
glass.
If the above methodology
fails to remove them use a diluted Cerium Oxide (CeO20) / distilled water
solution
Exposure to bugs, road oil
and tar, and catalytic converter emissions makes automotive exterior glass
cleaning a challenge. The film on the inside of your windows is caused by
"out gassing" of the plastic and vinyl components of your interior. Ammonia
is harmful to many car surfaces including vinyl, rubber, and leather; there is
also a potential danger of becoming asphyxiated without adequate ventilation.
A newly detailed vehicles
appearance would be ruined with soiled glass surfaces. All it takes to rectify
is a little time, the correct method and cleaning products for crystal clear
clean glass and plastic.
The difference clean glass
surfaces make to a detailed vehicle is night and day. Put your hand in a
plastic sandwich bag and lightly run your fingertips over the windshield's
surface. Chances are, it will have a rough, gritty feel, and glass cleaners
will not remove this grit.
Window cleaning has always presented a challenge for
professional and enthusiast detailers, both demand perfection with streak-free,
crystal-clear glass. But without using the correct methodology, the correct
towel and the correct product required to produce perfectly clear glass
surfaces every time
Application Technique
Water in whatever form of
filtration / purification is a very good solvent; however on its own it will
not dissolve grease, oil, road dirt or the plasticizers that outgas from vinyl.
I usually advocate spraying
car care products on to a towel and not directly onto the surface being
detailed. The exception to this is when cleaning glass, rather than letting the
cleaner soak into the towel, which results in insufficient product as a large
majority is absorbed by the towel, better results will be achieved by soaking
the dirt / grease residue on the glass surface.
Use a fine mist directly
onto the glass surface, allow to dwell if it starts to dry, re-mist.
Glass cleaning products
contain a combination of ingredients including alcohol, ammonia, and detergents
that will clean, but may also cause steaks. Depending on how fast or slow these
ingredients evaporate, and their concentration, streaking problems may occur.
The residue from these
ingredients sometimes dries and evaporates on the glass before they are removed
.As with all chemicals they need a certain amount of time to work, so allow
area to soak for a few minutes, dry the glass with a clean, dry towel. For each
area of glass use the clean side of a folded towel
If
there is condensation on the glass, use the vehicles heating and / or air
conditioning to remove the moisture. Moist cold air and damp towels will
exacerbate the moisture making it pretty much impossible to clean glass
surfaces.
Glass Cleaners
There are dozens of
different companies who make glass cleaner. Using alcohol and white vinegar
together makes a quickly evaporating glass cleaner
·
8 oz isopropyl alcohol (IPA)
·
8 oz distilled water
·
0.25 oz white vinegar
All you need is the right
glass cleaner, a glass towel, and the correct technique to get clear,
practically invisible glass. For truly clean,
streak-free glass, mist one side of the windshield with the glass cleaner of
your choice; use the folded towel to wipe up and down the glass in long
strokes. Then wipe side to side in long strokes. Flip the towel to the dry side
and wipe the glass again in this method. Then move on to the other side of the
windshield and on to the rest of the windows.
You may not be able to clean
it perfectly the first time. Repeat the above process and continue to wipe in
long strokes. Always finish by wiping the glass with a dry side of the towel to
eliminate streaks.
Use Dr Joe dedicated
Lint-Free 100% Cotton Surgical Towels, that
have a tight cotton herringbone weave and a thread count of 170 per square inch, which is ideal for hard surfaces like glass
as they have more ‘grip’ than micro fibre towels and helps to break up the
surface debris.
Fold
the towel in half and then half again. Mist the glass surface with 1:1 ratio of
distilled white vinegar and water solution in a spray bottle or Stoners
Invisible Glass™ Trigger Spray Bottle. Use one towel for product application and
one for removal / buffing. In
hot, humid weather conditions spray and clean one window at a time
Once the glass has been thoroughly cleaned, wipe it dry. Using
two clean micro fibre Waffle Weave towels soak one it in clean water and wring
it almost dry. Wipe the glass and then using the other towel dry the glass
completely. Once glass surfaces are clean and dry protect it with a sealant or
wax.
Washing/ Care- reserve
two Waffle Weave towels for glass cleaning .Wash these towel with distilled
white vinegar (no detergent or fabric softeners)
Drying Pattern
Use a different drying
pattern for interior / exterior glass surfaces (i.e. horizontal for interior
and vertical for exterior) utilizing this technique you can easily determine
the location of any streaking. A waffle weave towel is excellent when used for
this purpose
Alternative Products –
a)
Optimum Glass Towel- that is also
lint free and cleans glass without chemicals, making glass cleaner chemicals
virtually obsolete, slightly dampen the
towel with distilled water and the results will be crystal clear
b)
Ultra-51 Glass Towel- It has no nap, making it
very similar to a huck towel but with the added benefit o micro fibre
technology – Towels by Dr Joe
Washing/
Care - rinse cloth thoroughly or wash prior to first use, always use
cloth damp. Simply wet it with water and wring it out well.
If you're getting water spots that stay on
your surface; you have too much moisture in your cloth. Wash with liquid soap,
but do not use fabric softeners, hand or machine wash cloths alone or with
lint-free clothing. Bleaching is great for disinfecting the cloth (DO NOT use
bleach on Microfiber).
Fabric softeners coat the
cloth which can cause streaking and can also keep the patented fibres from
being able to pull the dirt from your surfaces. Allow to air dry, without any
dryer sheets
Kitchen paper towels have
lanolin in the fibres and will leave streaks. Newspaper are currently recycled,
and most are formulated with adhesives, which class cleaners will break down
leaving a tacky reside and paper ‘lint’ on the glass surface. The inks used and
some chemicals can allow ink transfer to the glass. Newspaper inks are now
water-based (unlike the older oil-based they will not shine glass) But they
will stain your hand black (they dissolve with body heat) so be careful what
surfaces you touch after handling newspaper (fabric, leather, plastic, etc) as
they may stain.
Caution
- Do not use products that contain ammonia, as it is very harmful
to vinyl, plastic and rubber. It will cause plastic to ‘yellow’ and become
clouded and it will also turn Mylar (plastic) window tint purple and may have a
negative effect on the adhesive. Some people prefer to use plain water to clean
their windows. While this is a very safe method, but water is sometimes not
enough of a solvent to cut the protein base of stubborn grease / grime spots
(use a 1:10 solution distilled water /Isopropyl alcohol)
Side
window felt
Using a micro fibre towel and a old credit card, dampen the
micro fibre with a 1:1 diluted solution of isopropyl alcohol/distilled water
and wipe the felt
Drying / buffing glass
Once the glass surface has
been cleaned use a waffle weave micro fibre towel to final clean and polish the
glass, when they are wet they’re very soft and super absorbent, and glide
easily over the surface, the ‘pockets’ in the weave ‘hold’ any dirt or surface
debris unlike some other super absorbing products that trap dirt between the
towel and paint surface with the potential to cause serious scratches (never
use it when it’s dry as it can potentially scratch)
That goes for whatever you
use for drying, including cotton towels. To use ensure that the towel is really
wet and then wring it out thoroughly before using.
Non-Lint Surgical Glass Cleaning Towels
Although the name suggests
that these towels be used inside operating rooms, surgical
huck towels are great for a lot of other detailing uses. Surgical huck
towels are made from 100%cotton; they are lint free and have excellent
absorption.
For cleaning and drying
windows, soft enough to polish and finish plated metals; these surgical towels
are terrific for removing the cloudy film on windows. Use with a glass
microfiber towel for perfect glass. Large sized (16 x 24")
Towel care
Always wash Lint-Free
Surgical Towels and any glass cleaning micro fibre towels separately do not use
fabric softeners but add a teaspoon per towel distilled white vinegar in place
of a softener, the vinegar doesn't coat the fibres but instead works to
eliminate detergent residue and the acid counteracts any alkaline minerals in
the water supply.
Vinegar (Acetic acid, pH 2)
works well in the rinse cycle to make your towels softer. Detergent is an
alkaline (pH 12, the opposite of acidic on the pH scale).
External Glass
Use detailer’s clay towel to
remove road debris, brake dust, tar, etc. I would not advocate the use of
synthetic steel or brass wool on glass surfaces; the reasons being are that no
matter how fine of a grit (even #00000) you use you are actually micro
scratching the surface of the glass allowing more spaces for dirt to build and
settle where normal washing will not remove it, even though the glass looks
super smooth to the naked eye. Grades of steel wool are similar to grit in
finishing papers; the finest steel wool is grade #0000 steel wool or 1000 grit
A better way to clean glass
would be to use a Hi-Tech Body Sponge™ (the precursor to clay towels) this innovative rubber polymer product safely and easily removes water spots, tree sap, rail dust,
bugs and other bonded surface contaminants from the surface of automotive
glass, mouldings and, may be used with any kind of lubricant and being an
abrasive it will also produce a shine. With rubber side down, gently rub Body
Sponge on glass using diluted car wash soap as a lubricant
Glass Protection
Once external glass surfaces
have been cleaned apply an acrylic polymer as a rain repellent / protectant to
help keep glass clear and cleaner for longer. Durable windshield and glass
coating provides unsurpassed protection and water sheeting to provide clear
vision
Optimum Opti-Glass Coating forms a durable, cross-linking bond to glass and other
silica-based surfaces, providing the utmost in chip, scratch and mar
resistance. This coating creates an immense amount of surface tension on glass
surfaces that water will simply bead up and roll off at speeds above 35 mph,
rendering your windshield wipers virtually unnecessary at highway speeds
Rain, sleet, ice and snow will not stick to
treated exterior glass surfaces, providing you with a clearer view of the road
ahead. What’s more, Optimum Opti-Glass Coating lasts up to a year and is
incredibly easy to apply for maximum protection apply the coating first and
maintain the protective coating using the Opti-Glass Clean & Protect
Directions:
·
Apply within a surface temperature is between 60°-90° F
(15°-30°C). Do not apply in direct sunlight.
·
Thoroughly clean surface and use a product to remove bonded
contaminants. Polish glass if scratches
are present.
·
Before applying, wipe glass down with a 1:15 solution of
isopropyl alcohol /distilled water.
·
Spray Opti-Glass directly onto foam applicator pad and apply in
an overlapping, circular motion.
·
Allow Opti-Glass to cure for 2 minutes and remove excess with a
clean, dry microfiber towel.
Alternate Products
·
Klasse All-In-One)
·
G|Techniq G1
Clear Vision Smart Glass
I
would like to think that these articles become an asset to anyone who is new to
detailing and to professionals alike, as well as industry experts who seek to
advance their knowledge.
I hope the above article was informative. By having some
understanding of the ‘What’ and ‘Why’ as well as the ‘How’ along with a little
science to help you understand how the chemicals we use react, you can achieve
the results you desire.
I would
appreciate it if you would share this article as it helps other detailers
further their knowledge.
Questions
and/ or constructive comments are always appreciated.
Copyright
© 2002 - 2012 TOGWT® (Established 1980) all rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment