can't clean windows

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I used to have a car that I practically had to use Rain-X on the windshield.  If I didn't, the wipers would squeal incessantly.  Brand new wipers (not cheap ones either), clean windshield and no matter what, they would squeak.  It was like that from the day we bought the car, brand new.  The only solution I found, after years of trying many different brands of blades, was to use Rain-X.  I had to put it on several times a year, so it was a pain, because it was pretty labor intensive to properly clean and treat the windshield that often, but it was worth it to eliminate the squeaks.  We owned that car for 10 years and I grew to despise it, for a number of reasons, but this one was near the top of the list.

I found over the years no matter what brand of wipers you bought they were not as good as the originals so now I just always buy originals. Those that say RainX does not make wipers sequel I do not believe you. I did all that everyone suggests clean windshield real good and put on let haze and then buff off. That wiper would skip after a few rains and sequel it was a pain. I did everything I could to get it off. Left it on all other windows because that is where it shined. But I would never use rainX again on a windshield. But that is me so for those that love it there are those that hate it as well. That is what makes the world go round.

[Snipe Hunter]

RainX is silicon with some sort of binder/hardener in it. You might have to use a solvent. That being said, I use yellow ammonia to clean silicon wax off cars before painting. It works well, almost as well as solvent and a lot cheaper.

[Bill Bob]

So this makes me feel really lame, but I can't seem to find the answer to cleaning the exterior windows of my house.

History - couple years ago I rented a boom lift to repair insect and weather damage to the wood of the lofty peaks of the house that are 30-40 feet. Many of the windows go to the peak in a Lindal Cedar home design.

For some reason I thought, these windows are too freaking high to get up here very often since I won't have a boom available so let's put some Rain-X on these windows. In hind sight it was probably really dumb. It didn't take long to notice that it didn't have the desired long lasting clean I hoped for.

Fast forward to this year, I stained/sealed the exterior of the house and rented another boom for the week. Thought I would reclean the windows and get all the Rain-X residue off. Seemed to work okay until I looked from the inside out and noticed foggy/streaky results. So, over and over with windex, scrub and dry, scrub and dry. Doesn't seem to completely get clean.

So, is there a different cleaner? A technique? Not sure what to do here.

Ready go! Thx!

[Bill Bob]

We also have Lindal home with the same type of windows.  I have tried the same as you and later figured out it was much easier and cheaper to hire a window company to do all the high and angle shaped windows inside and out.  I do all the low windows and doors myself  Cost is $167.00.  The house is 3700 sq.ft.

Regards, Bill

[Cooler]

RainX is silicon with some sort of binder/hardener in it. You might have to use a solvent. That being said, I use yellow ammonia to clean silicon wax off cars before painting. It works well, almost as well as solvent and a lot cheaper.

In the early 1970s Chrysler had a paint peeling problem on the hoods and roofs of the cars.  It was determined that it was caused by a silicone contamination in the stamping oil.  I know this because I was working for a stamping oil company and after the Chrysler debacle they eliminated all silicone products from the building.  There was a sign in the lobby saying "No silicone products permitted in this building" to keep salesmen from bringing in samples.

It is nearly impossible to remove all silicone short of grinding off all the paint.  There will always be some residue and it will spread wider with each washing.  I was told once that if you wanted revenge on a enemy and they had a dent in their car, that I should walk alongside the car and spray silicone on the dent aria.  It would cause paint peeling and probably bondo peeling.

I don't know enough chemistry to know what an "iinorganic silicon-oxygen" is, but it apparently is not the same as the slippery stuff that makes up "silicone".  "Silicon" and  'Silicone" are different.

According to this article it is a modified form of alcohol.


https://www.wired.com/2010/06/st-whatsinside-rainx/

[Gary G™]

Cheap newspapers have something in the ink which works great for cleaning glass.

The only proof I have is seeing the results.
First time I witnessed it, we were driving through the Bowery and caught a red light.
One of the local ‘employees’ did the windshield, then asked for a buck.

[Robert Adams]

In the early 1970s Chrysler had a paint peeling problem on the hoods and roofs of the cars.  It was determined that it was caused by a silicone contamination in the stamping oil.  I know this because I was working for a stamping oil company and after the Chrysler debacle they eliminated all silicone products from the building.  There was a sign in the lobby saying "No silicone products permitted in this building" to keep salesmen from bringing in samples.

It is nearly impossible to remove all silicone short of grinding off all the paint.  There will always be some residue and it will spread wider with each washing.  I was told once that if you wanted revenge on a enemy and they had a dent in their car, that I should walk alongside the car and spray silicone on the dent aria.  It would cause paint peeling and probably bondo peeling.

I don't know enough chemistry to know what an "iinorganic silicon-oxygen" is, but it apparently is not the same as the slippery stuff that makes up "silicone".  "Silicon" and  'Silicone" are different.

According to this article it is a modified form of alcohol.


https://www.wired.com/2010/06/st-whatsinside-rainx/

              Silicone oil or grease is great but nasty stuff. It's nearly impossible to remove. If you get it on steel or on wood it will make finishing extremely difficult as nothing will stick to it which is why it's such a good grease as dirt doesn't stick to it. 
                 Grinding it will not remove it, in fact sanding or grinding with any oils on the surface is the worst thing you can do. You have to have the metal clean before sanding because sanding will just put that oil deeper into the steel in all those scratches and make things way worse. 

                  There are cleaners that kind of work but on paint you will still have to use a fish eye eliminator. IE if you have the fisheye blotches in your paint it has oil or silicone on the surface of the metal.

[Snipe Hunter]

              Silicone oil or grease is great but nasty stuff. It's nearly impossible to remove. If you get it on steel or on wood it will make finishing extremely difficult as nothing will stick to it which is why it's such a good grease as dirt doesn't stick to it. 
                 Grinding it will not remove it, in fact sanding or grinding with any oils on the surface is the worst thing you can do. You have to have the metal clean before sanding because sanding will just put that oil deeper into the steel in all those scratches and make things way worse. 

                  There are cleaners that kind of work but on paint you will still have to use a fish eye eliminator. IE if you have the fisheye blotches in your paint it has oil or silicone on the surface of the metal.

I'm telling ya. Yellow ammonia will remove it from a painted surface. No fish eye eliminator necessary. I use a 15% to water solution. Then wash off the ammonia residue. Since most cleaning solvents have been banned in LOW VOC states, body shops have switched to Yellow Ammonia. I also use 3M Inspection Spray (06082).
It's a mild solvent but won't clean off dirt. So usually I just use the ammonia and water, saves me a step. No issues with adhesion in 5 years of using the ammonia. And the Yellow ammonia is only $2.00 a half gallon.

[toolmiser]

Cheap newspapers have something in the ink which works great for cleaning glass.

The only proof I have is seeing the results.
First time I witnessed it, we were driving through the Bowery and caught a red light.
One of the local ‘employees’ did the windshield, then asked for a buck.

What is a newspaper?  I need some for packing material, and no one in our neighborhood gets one anymore.

[Philip1231]

DNA: