I have been doing what a lot of people refer to as detailing on cars for over 45 years. There are a lot of great products for glass including ceramic coating and I dont mean just a spray.. But for everyone that is going to experience any kind of precipitation the best and easiest thing to put on your exterior glass is RAIN-X. Just fold up a paper towel and spray the RAIN-X on the glass and the paper towel and wipe all over. If the weatherman says freezing precip do it before . If you put it on and need to drive follow directions and go over the extra residue with a wet towel. And use RAIN-X windshield washer fluid. Glass is fascinating as it is amorphous solid which means it not really a liquid or a solid. Try telling that to someone that gets hit in the head with a bottle.. So if you really have time you can scrub the glass with Bon-Ami to clean it and then apply.. DO NOT use any other scrubbing powder as you will scratch the glass. Or for those of you that are familiar with clay bar that cleans glass well too. And the more often you apply the better and longer it lasts. Hope this advice helps and no I am not a Rain-X salesman just a long time user.
Winter Tip
- Thread starter dad
- Start date
Old_Me
SAINT
i used to use Rain X on my big rig, but the company would not reimburse me after the first bottle, so no more Rain X.
i don't use it much if at all on my personal cars, but yes, it does work to "repel" the rain. down side effects when i was driving big rigs? was the rain drops being like magnifying glasses, and made the oncoming head lights much brighter.
i don't use it much if at all on my personal cars, but yes, it does work to "repel" the rain. down side effects when i was driving big rigs? was the rain drops being like magnifying glasses, and made the oncoming head lights much brighter.
HansGruber
Ronin
The Night Rider
Professional
I use it. I don't know how it works for frost I have a cover that I put on my windshield when I park it but it works great in the rain
Area52
Professional
I just tried some of that $15 Griot‘s ceramic window cleaner, nice beading action and no extra step to buff the haze off. I don't think it will last as long a RainX treatment, I’ll see.
I used the RainX De-icer washer fluid, it so-so for the de-icing but wasn’t getting a good water-beading effect as the wipe-on RainX treatment. The orange RainX deicer would leave a residue after it dried, also as annoying as salt spray. Had to flush out the washer tank after winter. RainX now makes a 2in1 washer (blue) that has the beading property, so read the label !
For quick heavy de-icing, I use Prestone De-icer in a 32oz. hand spray bottle, works fine even on thicker ice, still needs to be scraped, dries clear. Bit more $ than a gal of washer fluid, but less waste trying to deice using the wiper pump multiple times. Any good washer fluid can be enhanced by adding a bit of rubbing alcohol.
Good idea to check the bottom of any washer fluid jug. I poured a new, never opened gallon in the reservoir before I noticed some granules or crystallized contaminates at the bottle of the jug. Whatever it was, it didn’t breakup and dissolve…had to flush and wet vac the reservoir again.
Lastly, I keep a small squirt bottle like from Visine eye drops, filled with alcohol. Comes in handy when the temps drop after a rain and can’t get a key into the door lock (no clicker) or door gaskets get frozen shut. Had an exposed house deadbolt lock that would always freeze.
I used the RainX De-icer washer fluid, it so-so for the de-icing but wasn’t getting a good water-beading effect as the wipe-on RainX treatment. The orange RainX deicer would leave a residue after it dried, also as annoying as salt spray. Had to flush out the washer tank after winter. RainX now makes a 2in1 washer (blue) that has the beading property, so read the label !
For quick heavy de-icing, I use Prestone De-icer in a 32oz. hand spray bottle, works fine even on thicker ice, still needs to be scraped, dries clear. Bit more $ than a gal of washer fluid, but less waste trying to deice using the wiper pump multiple times. Any good washer fluid can be enhanced by adding a bit of rubbing alcohol.
Good idea to check the bottom of any washer fluid jug. I poured a new, never opened gallon in the reservoir before I noticed some granules or crystallized contaminates at the bottle of the jug. Whatever it was, it didn’t breakup and dissolve…had to flush and wet vac the reservoir again.
Lastly, I keep a small squirt bottle like from Visine eye drops, filled with alcohol. Comes in handy when the temps drop after a rain and can’t get a key into the door lock (no clicker) or door gaskets get frozen shut. Had an exposed house deadbolt lock that would always freeze.
Jfal
Professional
I honestly can't remember the last time I put a key in a door lock. I think it was around 2001?