# Windscreen Film



## 80skid (Nov 9, 2009)

I appear to have a layer of 'something' on my windscreen (on the outside) that I just can't budge, its worse of a cold morning but dissapears when I blast the heaters, but it can be a PITA when driving of a night with the wipers on, anyway, heres what it looks like:




























Ive tried:
TW Nano glass cleaner
Household glass cleaner
AG Glass Polish
Fairy Liquid
White Vinegar
Rubbing half a potato over the screen (In the hope the starch/protien would dissolve any oils)
White Spirit
Cleaning the blades themselves (they are only 12 months old)
'No More Chemicals' glass cleaning cloth
*edit Vim Degreaser
**edit Megs clay & BH regular clay

I really want to get this sorted before the weather gets any worse, should I try some AG polish by DA maybe? any advice would be really appreciated because at the moment Im tempted to put a brick through it just so I can get a new screen!


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## rusey93 (Dec 24, 2008)

I have the same problem with mine


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## andy60m (Oct 21, 2009)

looks like you have a lot of tiny scratches from the wipers on your screen. This would explain why it goes away with the blaster and why cleaning doesnt work. If you have a rotary you can polish them out using some "cerium oxide". This is a powder that you mix with water to create a polish. Then using a felt polishing pad polish the glass as you would paint just with a bit more pressure. Also watch out for the heat it will generate you don't want to crack the glass. Hope this helps.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

80skid said:


> I appear to have a layer of 'something' on my windscreen that I just can't budge, its worse of a cold morning but dissapears when I blast the heaters, but it can be a PITA when driving of a night with the wipers on,
> 
> Ive tried:
> TW Nano glass cleaner
> ...


I can't tempt you to try Halfords Intensive Glass Scrub, wipers 12 months old may require replacement again though


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## Danny B (Apr 14, 2010)

my corsa was like this till today , 3 coats of rain-x and its all sorted 1st coat left for an hour 2nd and 3rd for 1/2 hour. beads like anything and no more wiper marks


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

One other thing to try is the pink windolene cream, as the residue on the glass may not be reaxcting to alkaline compounds.


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## 80skid (Nov 9, 2009)

Is the halfords glass scrub any good? Ive not heard much about it tbh

I may get myself a new set of wipers anyway, if I dont need them they can always stay in the cupboard until I do!

pink windolene? I assume I can get that from anywhere? tesco,asda etc?

I want to apply some kind of coating, I was looking at Gtechnique, but wanted to make sure the screen was completely clean first.

oh, Ive also tried some 'vim' degreaser from Wilkos as well.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

80skid said:


> Is the halfords glass scrub any good? Ive not heard much about it tbh
> 
> I may get myself a new set of wipers anyway, if I dont need them they can always stay in the cupboard until I do!
> 
> ...


You won't hear much about it on here as it is from Halfords 
But jolly good stuff it is, and was intended for use before those sealant products that seem to cause so many people problems.
Yes the Windolene pink can be had all over the place. 
Whichever product you use, don't be using LOADS thinking you will get better results, saying that using a pea size amount of the AG glass polish has given me better results of late.
The film does look like some sort of stubborn grease/film though


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## Blazebro (May 18, 2007)

You say it goes away when you blast the heater on, is it just not water vapour fron the air con?


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## 80skid (Nov 9, 2009)

Blazebro said:


> You say it goes away when you blast the heater on, is it just not water vapour fron the air con?


It cant be as I havent got aircon , its defo some sort of layer on the outside


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## Guest (Oct 23, 2010)

Can you confirm whether the patchyness it is on the outside or inside? In the first post you sort of suggest it is on the inside, but now you say it's on the outside. 

I would replace your wiper blades anyhow as often more than not they recommend changing every 12 months.


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## Aeroandy (Sep 2, 2009)

If its on the outside, try some glass polish like GTechniq G4.

If its on the inside, it could be a coolant leak thats getting blown onto the window.


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## Has390 (May 21, 2010)

have you tried claying the windscreen?


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## 80skid (Nov 9, 2009)

Its definately on the outside, sorry for any confusion, BUT putting the heaters on seems to help (as you can see in one of the pics)

Yes, Ive clayed it as well, I forgot about that, Ive tried megs clay and BH regular clay


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Aeroandy said:


> If its on the outside, try some glass polish like GTechniq G4.
> 
> If its on the inside, it could be a coolant leak thats getting blown onto the window.


Or windscreen wash residue


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## chrisc (Jun 15, 2008)

Use blue rag from petrol station.u will not shift it with mf


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## Guest (Oct 23, 2010)

Change wiperblades first, re-asses situation.

Avanti's suggestion was very good, screenwash causing it is a potentiality. Don't use it in the meantime (or flush it and use known good product).

Can you confirm what was the last product you used on the glass. Trying all those products you listed originally, no wonder this is happening 

Like ChrisC says - if you have not used a cloth with enough bite, glass polish will not remove those stubborn films. Usually though a MF does have enough bite to get it off.

What is poss happening is wiper blade judder (not necessarily noticeable judder) is creating "lines" on the glass where there is more water than the other, then mist is occurring on both the inside and outside where there is a difference in moisture/temp, creating that effect.


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## John757 (Jun 11, 2009)

I had the exact same problem a few months ago. I have the Carlack window cleaner and sealant kit. I used only the window cleaner, left on for 10 minutes and wiped off with a damp MF. After that it was perfectly clear  If I put the sealant on though it seems to go dodgy again after a few weeks.


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## BAXRY (Aug 11, 2009)

I used to have this on my screen but not any more

what I used was I waited until a inconsiderate motorcyclist decided to broad side me and smash my window then claim a new one from his insurance.

it worked a treat :thumb:

(PS no one was injured *low speed accident* so it is okay to laugh about it)


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## E38_ross (May 10, 2010)

i used to get this on my screen. and putting the heaters on did work. using the wipers cleared it but then it would come back again after a few seconds. using the washer fluid worked, or pouring lukewarm water on the screen seemed to get rid of it. though it would come back the next day.

very strange indeed.


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## 80skid (Nov 9, 2009)

G220 said:


> Change wiperblades first, re-asses situation.
> 
> Avanti's suggestion was very good, screenwash causing it is a potentiality. Don't use it in the meantime (or flush it and use known good product).
> 
> ...


Ill defo flush the screenwash and try something else, I'll get new blades as well, the last product I used was AG Glass Polish... you can even see the effect when you apply the polish, but once buffed off it looks perfectly clear under normal daylight driving conditions, youd never know it was there.

I know I listed a lot of things, but this has been over the course of a few months, I didnt literally try one after the other!

Would it be worth applying glass polish by DA on a polishing pad to give more 'bite'? :buffer:


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2010)

yeah give it a go


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## SR06 (Aug 24, 2009)

it could be moisture trapped in tiny scratches. I've used a few products from Frost restoration in the past and they've worked. Try their scratch remover kit...makes a mess but it works.


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## nogrille (Oct 27, 2005)

Duragloss is the ONLY glass product I've found that gets rid of marks like that. I used an old flannel so it had soem bit to it and rubbed VERY hard.

Give toothpaste a go if you haven't got Duragloss to hand


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## Jack G (Oct 3, 2010)

My girlfriend has the same problem with her windscreen.
The glass is only 3-4 months old and the wipers are around the same age. 
When she uses the wipers ( and sometimes screenwash) it goes away for a few seconds but always comes back. It only seems to go away with the aircon on full.


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## 80skid (Nov 9, 2009)

nogrille said:


> Duragloss is the ONLY glass product I've found that gets rid of marks like that. I used an old flannel so it had soem bit to it and rubbed VERY hard.
> 
> Give toothpaste a go if you haven't got Duragloss to hand


I may give that a go, cheers, I do think some serious elbow grease is required because Im sure I can feel the AG Polish catching/biting it ever so slightly, just not enough...

I hate trying to keep glass clean at the best of times, this is just winding me up!! :lol:


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

80skid said:


> I may give that a go, cheers, I do think some serious elbow grease is required because Im sure I can feel the AG Polish catching/biting it ever so slightly, just not enough...
> 
> I hate trying to keep glass clean at the best of times, this is just winding me up!! :lol:


Hence why I suggested the Halfords product, it certainly has more cut than the AG the other polish to consider is the TW clear Vue, pity you were not closer as I would bring various products to you to try.


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## Roswell (Aug 11, 2008)

viniger and news paper will shift it.


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## Adam_84 (Apr 4, 2010)

I have the same problem, I've tried various things along with DA'ing the front screen with a medium cut pad and polish and it still didn't get it off. Would vinegar and news paper be better then DA'ing? Also any have any ideas on what causes it? Limescale in water, volcanic ash cloud rain lol etc


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## The Sheriff (Jul 15, 2008)

Another with this problem, and it drives me nuts. I just thought it was some sort of affect from the shampoos I was using. And yes, they disappear once the cabin starts to warm up.

I will defo try the Halfords glass cleaner as suggested by Avanti.

Thanks

:thumb:


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## TOGWT (Oct 26, 2005)

*Glass Polishing*
Modern automotive windshields contain a thin plastic sheet between two layers of glass (interior and exterior). The polishing process itself will transfer heat to the glass. If the windshield becomes too hot the plastic sheeting can warp leading to distortion. When polishing glass use capacious amounts of water and periodically check the surface temperature

Once the glass surface has been washed and cleaned (detailers clay) any minor imperfections can be removed with an abrasive glass polish (Autoglym Car Class Polish or Zaino Z-12 Clear-View Glass Polish) Removes "light" scratches, acid water spots, bird and bug stains, including alkaline mineral deposits, and then smoothes out etched glass

_*If you can catch your fingernail in the scratch 0.4 Mil (0 .004 -inch deep) you should consult a professional glass repair / replacement company. *_
*Methodology *
• Clean glass to remove dirt, dust or road grime from surfaces 
• Use masking tape to protect windscreen rubber sealing 
• Apply clay (Magic Clay®) and lubricant solution (WooliteTM / Water 5:1) onto the glass surface (Do not apply to plastic as dulling may occur.) 
• Apply a quarter (coin) size amount of Autoglym Car Glass Polish™ or Iz einzette Glas Polish to a damp cutting / polishing foam pad (LC Orange or White) attached to a Porter Cable rotary polisher set at speed 1200 rpm. 
• Heat caused by abrasive polishing can soften and damage glass; foam pad and product used must minimize heat build-up. Since glass is a poor heat conductor any friction heat built up from polishing must be kept to a minimum by using sufficient product and regular misting of both the polishing pad and glass surface with water. 
• Apply to half of the windshield, polishing first in an up and down motion then in a left-to-right motion and then repeat on the other side, proceed to other glass surfaces. 
• Go over the glass several times in each direction, glass will polish virtually residue free. 
• Wipe off any residue, and polish with a clean dry 100% cotton Micro fibre cloth. 
• Inspect glass for clarity and smoothness. Repeat if necessary. 
• If the glass has PPG Industries Optech clear coating a more aggressive polish may be required

*Alternative products / methods: *

a)	Apply Zaino Z-12 with a damp cotton cloth to cool glass, apply to small sections at a time and allow to completely dry, buffing with a clean dry cotton towel. If there is any smearing or residue left just use Stoner's Invisible Glass or any good quality glass cleaner to remove excess residue.

b)	Glass Technology Inc - http://www.gtglass.com/scratchremoval.htm 
Alternative pads- these 4-inch 'Metal Polishing Pads' are made from 600 grit nylon (Scotchbrite®) and are designed for hard / rough surfaces like aluminium diamond plate, pitted aluminium, chrome, and glass. TOL


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## rickk (Dec 25, 2008)

I have the exact same issue on a Golf V, but I suspect it's due to leftovers from the Gtechniq G1 coating I applied two years ago. Did you once apply any "rain repellant" product?

FWIW, I DA polished the windscreen with AG Glass Polish and a LC Glass Leveling Pad: didn't seem to have *any* effect on this. 

I think the only thing that might work is re-applying G1.


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## rickk (Dec 25, 2008)

For what it's worth: I reapplied G1 and this somehow seemed to "invert" the effect. 

Then, desperate, I changed the wipers (although they didn't look bad and weren't streaking) and this has completely resolved the problem. :thumb:


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## 80skid (Nov 9, 2009)

A bit of an (old) update!

I finally got round to using some Barkeepers Friend on my windscreen and its been immense, its the only thing that has really helped, its taken a few hits, and I ended up having to make a paste out of it, but the layer of film is about 90% gone now, just a few more little marks here and there to work on

So thanks for all the suggestions, and Id highly recommend barkeepers friend to anyone else suffering similar issues, good stuff and extremely cheap!


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