Windshield question from a real dummy...

[Melelio]

Ok, so now I know better....I park in a place that has pine trees. They dripped sap on my windshield that normal heavy cleanres and paper towels couldn't get off. SO what did I do?........

Took a scrubbing sponge (the green plastic kind, not steel wool) and some non-abrasive cleaner, and.... scrubbed! Got 3 of them off before I noticed what it did to the windshield!!!!!

There are scratch marks now where I scrubbed!!!!!! Is the windshield coated on the front? How do I get rid of the scratched without getting a new windshield?

dumb, dumb, dumb....yea, I know.....

[Old Guy]

I'm not sure exactly where you'd buy it but there is a glass polishing compound that's available. I would try NAPA first, I doubt autozone will have it but you can try.

If not you can buy it here.

http://www.scratchpolish.com/repair_systems.htm

I remember my dad using pumice to get rid of some scratches on his windshield when I was a kid, but I don't know exactly how well it worked or if it was a tough job. I'd play it safe and go for the new stuff.

BTW, gas or kerosene would have removed the sap.

[rixGAphx]

There is no coating on a normal windshield, so you didn't wear thru that.

The scrubbing pads have nylon as the scrub surface, and that's much softer than the tempered glass of the windshield.
So it *shouldn't* have scratched the glass.

My guess is that something in the 'non-abrasive cleaner' (what was it, exactly?) was actually very fine abrasive.
Or, that microscopic sand and grit on a dirty windshield became an abrasive under your scrubbing conditions.

Next time, use one of the 'natural orange' type cleaners; 'Goo Be-Gone' is terrific.
So is Simple Green, though not as tough on really bad stuff.

I'm not aware of any glass polishes for a DIYer to use. Since the glass is tempered (which creates a thin layer of highly stressed glass at the surface), I would be wary of using any buffing wheel and jewler's rouge.

For correction, I would try two places:
1. A windshield shop; maybe they can polish it.
2. The airport. Specifically, one of the shops that services single- and twin-engine private planes. One of their main activities is polishing airplane windshields. Even though airplane windshields are plastic (usually acrylic like 'Plexiglas' rather than the stronger but softer polycarbonate like 'Lexan'), they are experts and may be able to do something with your glass rather than replace it as an auto glass shop will prolly want to do.

I guess the best thing would be to wait over the weekend and hope a rock slams into your windshield.
Your insurance company would buy you a new one next week.

Good luck.
-Rick

[Old Guy]

Originally posted by rixGAphx
I guess the best thing would be to wait over the weekend and hope a rock slams into your windshield.
Your insurance company would buy you a new one next week.

Good luck.
-Rick

:funny: A ball peen hammer works well too.....but I didn't say that!!! :)