Cleaning a "foggy" window

[sinbuster007]

so not on a bronco but my Uncles car, looking for some advice.... he has a 2003 monte carlo and has lived near a stone quarry for the last 20yrs. the windows are "foggy" and seem to have some of the fallout from the stone quarry on them, over the years getting rained on and baked in the sun. is there any way i can make those windows clear again? what can i use to remove the "stain" from them....? so far used Adam's, Meguiars, Griot's and vinegar on the windows and nothing seems to help..... thoughts?

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[13MikeH]

I'm far from an expert but I'd guess...it's a lost cause and would need full replacement. Modern windshields are laminate layers for shatter control. I'd bet the outer layer has that lime crusted right in the laminate itself. Random whacky just maybe...CLR, rust and limestone remover? MEAN GREEN? That's a tough issue.
https://clrbrands.com/How-To/Videos/Clean-Exterior-Glass

 

[GT1]

so not on a bronco but my Uncles car, looking for some advice.... he has a 2003 monte carlo and has lived near a stone quarry for the last 20yrs. the windows are "foggy" and seem to have some of the fallout from the stone quarry on them, over the years getting rained on and baked in the sun. is there any way i can make those windows clear again? what can i use to remove the "stain" from them....? so far used Adam's, Meguiars, Griot's and vinegar on the windows and nothing seems to help..... thoughts?

Try a clay bar. Normally these are used for removing particulates from car finish, but I have had good results using the technique on windshields. No need for a mechanical polisher - just do by hand. Just be sure to keep the area you work on moist with the solution provided in the clay bar kit. and do a small area at a time. Done this way it will not scratch paint so no risk to scratching the windshield.

 

[13MikeH]

Try a clay bar. Normally these are used for removing particulates from car finish, but I have had good results using the technique on windshields. No need for a mechanical polisher - just do by hand. Just be sure to keep the area you work on moist with the solution provided in the clay bar kit. and do a small area at a time. Done this way it will not scratch paint so no risk to scratching the windshield.

Lol youd be surprised (not by the clay bar) my wife...bless her soul, had a bug on her windshield. Took a green nylon pot scrubber, yep there is a clear laminate on the outside, scuffed the living daylights out of her windshield. Thankfully it was in the upper corner and a lease she got rid of. But....they will scratch given motivation

 

[GT1]

Lol youd be surprised (not by the clay bar) my wife...bless her soul, had a bug on her windshield. Took a green nylon pot scrubber, yep there is a clear laminate on the outside, scuffed the living daylights out of her windshield. Thankfully it was in the upper corner and a lease she got rid of. But....they will scratch given motivation

Friends Mother in Law did the green scrubber on hood of his pickup truck to remove bird droppings. Good clear coat remover ! Always test any technique in a small area - especially if you have no idea what you are doing ! First time I used clay bar on windshield that's how I checked to be sure it was safe.

 

[Fossil]

Deep clean your windshield by following these three basic steps:

1. Clean your windshield with regular glass cleaner
2. Deep clean with 0000 grit steel wool, glass polish, or a commercial glass stripper
3. Apply a fresh coat of rain-repellent to keep your windshield clear and protected

https://www.invisibleglass.com/tips/the-invisible-glass-blog/2021/03/16/how-to-deep-clean-your-windshield

you might freak out at steel wool but glass has a hardness rating of 5.5, while steel has a lower rating of 4 to 4.5. This would tell us that there’s a very low risk of steel scratching glass.
While the damage risk is low, it’s a good idea to start with the least aggressive option.

https://drivinvibin.com/2022/01/09/clean-windshield-steel-wool/

yep I've personally used steel wool but prefer trying bronze wool before going whole hog with steel.

whatever you do don't use those scrub pads that have abrasive grit, walnut shell grit is probably ok.

 

[sinbuster007]

ive done clay bar twice. the more aggressive version and simple green concentrated...both have done nothing to the clarity. i think as 13mike said it might be a lost cause.... he is trying to sell the car (health reasons) so asked me to detail it to make it look pretty.... i can get the paint 95% clean with a LOT of work (of which i dont have time) and then was thinking of putting some ceramic on it to keep it until he sells it. only has 40,000mi on it so its not bad just sits out all the time....so black car faded. its a 2003 monte carlo SS.

 

[13MikeH]

ive done clay bar twice. the more aggressive version and simple green concentrated...both have done nothing to the clarity. i think as 13mike said it might be a lost cause.... he is trying to sell the car (health reasons) so asked me to detail it to make it look pretty.... i can get the paint 95% clean with a LOT of work (of which i dont have time) and then was thinking of putting some ceramic on it to keep it until he sells it. only has 40,000mi on it so its not bad just sits out all the time....so black car faded. its a 2003 monte carlo SS.

The upside a replacement windshield may not be difficult. Know any local hoodlums with a BB gun and a few minutes to help a brother start a claim with Safelite?

 

[sinbuster007]

i tried a couple things on the widow last night in a few spots...you would not know that i even tried something, didnt do a thing. so i guess it is a lost cause, ill do my best. since it is not my car (and he doesnt want to replace the window) it will stay that way. im going to take it to carmax and see what they offer and then let him decide what he wants to do. thanks for the info!

 

[rootdoc]

Lol youd be surprised (not by the clay bar) my wife...bless her soul, had a bug on her windshield. Took a green nylon pot scrubber, yep there is a clear laminate on the outside, scuffed the living daylights out of her windshield. Thankfully it was in the upper corner and a lease she got rid of. But....they will scratch given motivation

Well, I guess this isn't such a novel occurrence after all. About 5-6 yrs ago, our daughter couldn't find the ice scraper in the garage before leaving for school in the morning. So in a hurry she grabbed a sanding block to scape the ice off the windshield. Permanent scrapes and gouges in the glass, but doesn't impair vision. It's now a family laughing matter. I

I'm still using that old 1999 Mercury Mountaineer as my back-up knock around car. Drives well, and has great AC/heat. Five months ago, our neighbor borrowed it for a few months when waiting on his new car order after he traded-in his car for more than he paid for the vehicle. Then a month ago, he did the same thing a second time when trading in a different car. Dealerships are still. paying big bucks for used cars to replenish their low inventory.

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