Huck Towels for automotive windows cleaning

[anon46335951]

Streaking is caused by not removing the dirt and cleaning solution and leaving that residue on surface.

[Finick]

@Infinity

I think the alcohol based foaming spray cleaners like SprayWay and Invisible Glass have a better chance of not leaving residue on the glass.

I’ll have to go grab a foaming cleaner at some point here and try that. I hadn’t used one in so long I’d forgot they exist!

@Infinity

Try soaking your hucks in white vinegar before washing. It might remove some type of residue still left in the fabric.

I’ll also make sure to try soaking them. I find it interesting if I clean a window and get it streak free with my previous towels, I can then go over the window quickly with these and minimal product, and induce terrible streaking.

@Infinity

Overall, it sounds like your process is very thorough and detailed. I’m surprised you’re still having this issue. Although, car detailing is probably the only industry with more perfectionists than window cleaning, lol. Maybe my vehicle glass ain’t as clean as I think it is

I’d venture to say your glass is probably pretty clean . Paint is honestly more forgiving than glass, if I happen to leave a tiny streak on my paint after wiping it down (which does happen from time to time) no one would -ever- notice it, but if you miss a spot on glass… Man, the guy down the street comes knocking on my door to say “hey, you’ve got a streak on your window, buddy.”

I’m glad the process at least makes sense, at some points I think it’s overkill and that I’m wasting my time doing all these steps. But honestly, the residue that builds up on the inside of a car is just so gross sometimes. That’s why some boutique companies came out with glass cleaner “polishes” just to cut through dog slobber and whatnot. I can’t bring myself to pay those ridiculous prices though, and melamine sponges have worked very well in the past, and it’s usually been do it one and move on to the next window process. However, you did bring up something I never end considered until now:

@Infinity

Oh, one other thought: you segregate your magic erasers (melamine sponge) as well, right? ‘Cause those will pickup all sorts of nasty residuey stuff.

I do not actually do this, and this could be a potential problem. In my head, since the sponges abrade away slowly, I always figured that any contamination that might build up would just rinse out when I’m done using it and clean it off. Maybe that’s not the case though, and I should just dedicate those to use elsewhere if I use them on a gross window (like a smokers window… ugh.) Thanks for that, I’d never even considered it.

@Garry

I can understand not wanting to use a squeegee on auto interior windows, the effort to control drips at the angle of windshields and back windows isn’t an efficient method.
Sprayway foam cleaner with a couple of microfiber or huck towels should do the trick.
Windex does have a tendency to streak because the liquid is sprayed on in liquid form and you towel wipe it wet - which is what most likely is causing streaking.
Foam cleaner has the cleaning power without dripping and streaking; fold the towel in fourths and wipe in circular motions, flipping to a dry side as needed after initially scrubbing the foam cleaner around the portion of glass you’re working on.

Thanks for the insight about the foaming cleaners. As you build up an arsenal of detailing products (lots of gallons of concentrates, everywhere) you also try to consolidate and get as many multipurpose products as you can. Maybe trying to avoid just buying a can of glass cleaner all this time has just worked against me.

I’ll grab a can of invisible glass and sprayaway and see how it does. They both seem dirt cheap, and if I remember correctly it took me quite some time to burn through my last can of invisible glass (this was years ago) so it should last.

Edit: I just want to thank everyone that’s replied so far. I honestly didn’t think when I made this thread I’d get nearly as many replies as I’ve gotten. Super cool that this place is as active as it is.

[Finick]

Just following up on this:

i was in town today and stopped by and finally grabbed a can of Invisible Glass, and it appears to work beautifully with the huck towels.

Took two towels out to my car around dusk to try it it, and inspected the windows with a flashlight as I went around cleaning them, and I couldn’t find any hint of streaks like I was getting before. Guess the takeaway here is that rinseless wash products work wonderfully for the exterior of my glass, but I should just stick to an alcohol based glass cleaner for the interior.

I’ll probably end up getting a glass cleaner concentrate sometime in the near future, because the user experience on these towels is easily worth having a dedicated product.

[Majestic66]

I agree !

The best way to do a windshield that’s dirty. Is… Wet then up like a regular Window , then squeegee them. Doesn’t have to be perfect ! Just pull to the center
Left to the center , right to the center. Wipe dry !

Then Spray way !! Should take 2 minutes !