Windshield cleaner what do you use?

[Will.iam]

Since our windshields are plexiglass and not glass I assume Rain-X is a no-no for our windshields?  I have been using aero's wash wax all but when I went through some rain the other day I was surprised at how the water was not beading up and made looking through the windshield more difficult than what I was expecting until the water eventually dried off.  maybe my windshield was just too dirty giving the water something to hold on to? what does everyone else use to keep their windshield clean and water beading off of it when you go through the occasional rain shower?

[rbridges]

Several posts in the past.  I think most people use plexus, some use Pledge.  I've been using Pledge for years, and it's worked fine.

[KLRDMD]

Water and a microfiber towel.

[EricJ]

4 minutes ago, KLRDMD said:

Water and a microfiber towel.

^This.

I stopped using other stuff once I figured out how well this actually works.   

[bradp]

Water and my bare hand.  

[rbridges]

10 minutes ago, bradp said:

Water and my bare hand.  

Unless someone else says they steal the water from the FBO, you're the Mooney CB winner for today.  

[bradp]

4 minutes ago, rbridges said:

Unless someone else says they steal the water from the FBO, you're the Mooney CB winner for today.  

I have also stolen water from the FBO to do my windshield :-).  The fancy bottled stuff works best of course ;-p 

[Mooney in Oz]

After cleaning the surface with Plexus spray, I use either Rejex or Fire Glaze, which is what I use to polish the entire aircraft once a year.

Been doing that for years and it works well.

[N201MKTurbo]

I use whatever cheap spray wax they have on sale at the AutoZone. It works better than pledge and so far, no deterioration of the plastic.

Plexus works great, but, wow, I’m just a poor Mooney owner. Plexus is for those Cirrus owners.

Edited April 7, 2021 by N201MKTurbo

[carusoam]

Prist Acrylic and Plastic Windscreen Cleaner
by Pilots HQ LLC
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0195V0CZ2/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MT3FQFB02CR02W8RPF2P

 

This is probably pure water in a spray can...

It is probably more important to select the right towels....

Avoid scratching the acrylic surface...

PP thoughts only...  I buy a can every decade or so...

Best regards,

-a-

[ArtVandelay]

I use this, less than $10.

[carusoam]

Just now, nosky2high said:

What towels do you recommend?

I went with microfiber towels from Costco...

Soft, non-scratchy... cheap enough to toss out without feeling guilty...

 

Avoid natural paper towels... There are things in nature that can scratch acrylic...

PP thoughts only, not a windshield guru...

Best regards,

-a-

[RobertGary1]

I use whatever I buy for my motorcycle. Their windshields are also a plastic and scratch easily.

-Robert

Edited April 7, 2021 by RobertGary1

[A64Pilot]

3 hours ago, rbridges said:

Unless someone else says they steal the water from the FBO, you're the Mooney CB winner for today.  

No, actually he’s correct, it’s absolutely the least damaging way to clean plexiglass, even a micro fiber towel will trap dirt and or insect exoskeletons and that will scratch the window, your hand won’t trap it and you can feel it it’s there.

Ideally a clean hand with flowing fresh water for the initial cleaning, followed with some mild soap, once clean and dry then go with the plexus or favorite plastic polish.

First your trying to remove the dirt etc without causing any damage, then once clean, polish if desired or Rain-X whatever.

Rain-X from my experience is excellent and doesn’t hurt anything, and rain just flies off of it. I don’t fly in icing, but have wondered if it helps there?

The pledge was a trick I learned in the Army, the theory is it fills in scratches so you don’t see them. 

[RLCarter]

56 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Plexus works great, but, wow, I’m just a poor Mooney owner. Plexus is for those Cirrus owners.

Cirrus drivers don’t clean their own windshield.... Plexus had a H U G E price increase maybe 10 yrs ago, luckily I sold it at my shop and took a case (12) to the hangar.... on my last can and looking for finance options

i also use it on the leading edges, works really well and bugs come off easily 

[N201MKTurbo]

I searched on line to see what kind of animal they get microfiber from and this is what I came up with. 
 

They are kind of cute, It is a shame to harvest their fiber....

 

[RobertGary1]

This is what I bought last time for my motorcycle and boat windows. As far as I know plastic windows are plastic windows.  
 

Rolite Plastic & Acrylic Cleaner for Motorcycle Windshields, Marine Eisenglass, Aquariums, Headlights, Retail Displays, Museums, 3D Printers and Hot Tubs/Spas. Resists Fingerprints & Dust (16 fl. oz.) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B075T39QNK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_Z1X16MATXSNW0768KHGM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[Ragsf15e]

Alright, I won’t win the CB award, but I really like Plexus.  Come on, $20 can lasts me all summer, probably close to a year!  When compared with the rest of aircraft ownership it’s as cheap as it gets!

[201Mooniac]

I used to use Plexus until I got a bad can (can was full but nothing would come out) and the company customer service response was "Tough luck, guess you better buy another one".  No more Plexus for me, ever.

[jaylw314]

I'm in the water and microfiber tower category, although I add a couple drops of car wash detergent in a gallon.  It provides just enough slipperiness to make it less likely to scratch stuff when you wipe it down.

I use one of those pump insecticide sprayers, when it's pumped up I can really gun debris off the windshield before I touch anything.

Occasionally I'll use some Novus plexiglass cleaner.

There is a Rain-X for plexiglass, but I tried it before and I was pretty unimpressed at shedding water on the windshield.  It did work well, however, applying it to the wing leading edges, bugs seem to wipe off a lot easier.

[vorlon1]

I'm old school: Lemon Pledge.

Use only microfiber towels that are used for for windshields ONLY. Did I mention only used on windshields?! 

[bradp]

If you want the softest material possible head down to your local Joan fabric.  Get a yard or two of cotton flannel.  Cut it up. Use it once.  Less damaging than microfiber.  Don’t look at microfiber under a microscope - it looks like tiny chopped up soda bottles.** 

** not really but microfiber has a big breadth in terms of quality.  A very high quality microfiber cloth is unlikely to scratch.  The crap you buy in autozone is likely to scratch
 

When I want to polish I got some acrylic polish from the people at LP aero plastics.   

[PeteMc]

I've always stayed away from the Lemon version of Pledge because it apparently has real lemons in it.  More than some lemon-aid drinks.  

So I'm not sure about the acidity and spraying it in the wrong place.

[PT20J]

7 minutes ago, PeteMc said:

I've always stayed away from the Lemon version of Pledge because it apparently has real lemons in it.  More than some lemon-aid drinks.  

So I'm not sure about the acidity and spraying it in the wrong place.

If you look up the msds you’ll see that the fragrance is a trade secret, but I doubt it’s real lemons - too expensive.

I don’t like to keep aerosols in the plane - once had a spray can of Windex in the car and it expanded scarily one hot day. But when I flew Part 135 in Ketchikan a couple of summers, we used a lot of Lemon Pledge. It’s got a bit of paraffin in it and does improve minor scratches and it does repel water (it rains a LOT during the summer in Ketchikan).

Skip

[A64Pilot]

I’ve been very pleased with this. just buy a spray bottle or reuse one, but $14 for a half gallon and it works well.