Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Mon 5 Feb 2024 22:14

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Halmerend

Can anyone recommend a decent shampoo that doesn’t smear the windscreen please? I’ve given up on my local car wash as they spray something all over the car that leaves the windscreen in a dreadful state. I also find that washing it myself with the branded products has a similar impact. I can’t see a thing at night particularly when a car is coming towards me with headlights on? Or do I just have to clean the windscreen separately afterwards?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Mon 5 Feb 2024 22:28

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - bathtub tom

Don't put anything near your windscreen that says 'WAX'.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 08:36

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Maxime.

Don't forget to clean inside the windscreen too.

We use white vinegar solution in and out, but our local valeter uses a glass polish.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 09:28

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Bromptonaut

I'd start with a thorough wash with soapy water and a dry off/polish with kitchen towel. Followed by a proprietary very mildly abrasive glass cleaner intended for windscreens.

Internal muck is a never ending problem in our cars. Domestic spray cleaner keeps the worst of it at bay.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 09:32

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Andrew-T

Don't put anything near your windscreen that says 'WAX'.

On the rare occasions that I CLEAN my car windows, I use Autoglym Glass Polish, but never on the screen. As said, vinegar should be useful, or anything else miscible with water, such as meths, if something greasy needs removing. Washing-up liquid, or even soap, may be useful.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 09:50

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - John F

I just use rainwater from our water butt and a soft rag. It's important to clean under the blades so they don't sc***e dust over the screen. Also, it's a good habit to use the wipers sparingly, not sc***ing away non-stop over a virtually dry screen. I wish that instead of the modern 'autowiper' function there was an infinitely variable intermittent wiper control like there was in my friend's Renault in the 1970s.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 10:08

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - RT

I just use rainwater from our water butt and a soft rag. It's important to clean under the blades so they don't sc***e dust over the screen. Also, it's a good habit to use the wipers sparingly, not sc***ing away non-stop over a virtually dry screen. I wish that instead of the modern 'autowiper' function there was an infinitely variable intermittent wiper control like there was in my friend's Renault in the 1970s.

There is on some cars - my VW Touareg has 5 settings for the intermittent wipe, I use the middle setting.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 10:33

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Robert J.

To clean traffic film off the front I use white spirit on a wodge of kitchen roll. Don’t get it on the paint work and lift the wiper blades off the screen. For inside autoglym fast glass works well.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 12:38

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - madf

I clean blades with WD40.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 14:41

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - bathtub tom

I clean blades with WD40.

You do know WD40 contains oil?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 14:20

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Bromptonaut

There is on some cars - my VW Touareg has 5 settings for the intermittent wipe, I use the middle setting.

That's a feature of a lot of VAG cars. Both my Skodas have it as did a T5 based Motor Caravan I hired last year.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 19:48

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - paul 1963

There is on some cars - my VW Touareg has 5 settings for the intermittent wipe, I use the middle setting.

That's a feature of a lot of VAG cars. Both my Skodas have it as did a T5 based Motor Caravan I hired last year.

So does my Vitara although I generally leave it on auto, works OK, can't see how "cleaning" the screen with water butt water and a rag ( John's suggestion) would help with a smearing screen?

I wash my car with a wash and wax shampoo ( Turtle wax, one of the cheapest, I get through a lot of it and constantly comes top of the list in reviews) and simply clean the screen with 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water afterwards.

Always worth having a look at the condition of your wipers, just replaced mine today, despite the car only done 8.5k miles they were well worn, nice new set of Bosch Areo's now fitted.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 6 Feb 2024 23:09

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Andrew-T

<< .... I ... simply clean the screen with 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water afterwards.>>

I was just wondering why you dilute the vinegar, as it is mostly water anyway ? :-)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 8 Feb 2024 09:34

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - John F

I wish that instead of the modern 'autowiper' function there was an infinitely variable intermittent wiper control like there was in my friend's Renault in the 1970s.

There is on some cars - my VW Touareg has 5 settings for the intermittent wipe, I use the middle setting.

It's just not the same. (The one on my Audi A8 has 4 settings). A presumably rheostat control knob was much better, a bit like the speed control knob on a model railway.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 8 Feb 2024 09:50

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Andrew-T

I wish that instead of the modern 'autowiper' function there was an infinitely variable intermittent wiper control like there was in my friend's Renault in the 1970s.

There is on some cars - my VW Touareg has 5 settings for the intermittent wipe, I use the middle setting.

It's just not the same. (The one on my Audi A8 has 4 settings). A presumably rheostat control knob was much better, a bit like the speed control knob on a model railway.

Or like the dashboard dimmer on upper-spec 205s or 306s ?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 9 Feb 2024 15:37

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - John F

I wish that instead of the modern 'autowiper' function there was an infinitely variable intermittent wiper control like there was in my friend's Renault in the 1970s.

There is on some cars - my VW Touareg has 5 settings for the intermittent wipe, I use the middle setting.

It's just not the same. (The one on my Audi A8 has 4 settings). A presumably rheostat control knob was much better, a bit like the speed control knob on a model railway.

Or like the dashboard dimmer on upper-spec 205s or 306s ?

Yes - and the dash dimmer on TR7s!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 9 Feb 2024 11:01

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - Warning

I am not really sure what is going on. When I wash my war, I notice the water just pearls off when it rains, so why do you have a smear?

I have an older car, so the windscreen is many years old. I use a glass cleaner such as Mr Muscle and when the glass is wet, I have used window sc r a p e r. Most tap water as used in car washes or rain water contains minerals. Cleaning does n't remove it.

Stanley Window Sc***er Product Code: 70065

tinyurl.com/5epfrbxz

I have to do this on the inside of the car too.

It does take time.

I then maintain it with autoglym fast glass cleaner with a microfibre cloth.

Update: The link does not work, as this web site has changed the word sc***er to ****

does now - Mod

Edited by Xileno on 09/02/2024 at 16:16

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 9 Feb 2024 15:40

Any - Wash n wax v smeary windscreen - John F

Soggy newspaper and elbowgrease is good for cleaning glass.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Ask Honest John

Sell Your Car

Real MPG

Fuel Calculator