Smeary Windscreen

[fatboab]

Although I clean my car regularly I get bothered with smear marks on the windscreen when using the wipers.

I am starting to wonder if this greasey smear is coming from the car shampoo that I use (Turtle Wax Zipwax) when I wash the windscreen with it. The bottle says it leaves Turtle Wax as you wash so could it be wax on the windscreen?

Any thoughts on this? Does anyone not wash their windscreen with car shampoo while washing the car due to this?

 

[Shude]

You should never wash your windscreen with the same preparations you use for the car bodywork! Any other glass is ok but don't get any on the windscreen! I just use either a home glass/mirror cleaner or the autoglym fastglass, anything that leaves a "wax" or anything just makes a mess, maybe not immediately but next time it rains it goes yucky!

 

[RichardM]

I use wash 'n' wax on the whole car including the windscreen and if anything find it helps the water run off when using the wipers.

 

[Shude]

if anything find it helps the water run off when using the wipers.

I noticed that, but as soon as the wipers drag over it you are left with a watery film all over the screen and it goes downhill from there!

 

[GregE240]

It could be something trivial like the wiper blade(s) needing replacing. I was a bit miffed when mine wasn't replaced at the last service mine had. Still, a wander down to the stealer and 6 quid later a brand new rubber for my wiper. Happy days again.

I think PIAA do a replacement rubber as well, but the MB OEM one is prefectly good.

 

[WLeg]

I tend to wash n Wax, then use domestic glass cleaner, and every 6 months or so give it a dose of Rainex on the screeen, as well as the pink stuff they make as an additive to the washer fluid. No smeary problems (at least on the glass).....

 

[pluggers]

I use the MB screen wash as well now, Its mentioned in another thread somewhere as to how good it is at keeping smears off the screen! I certainley cant argue,works for me.

 

[Dieselman]

Although I clean my car regularly I get bothered with smear marks on the windscreen when using the wipers.

I am starting to wonder if this greasey smear is coming from the car shampoo that I use (Turtle Wax Zipwax) when I wash the windscreen with it. The bottle says it leaves Turtle Wax as you wash so could it be wax on the windscreen?

Any thoughts on this? Does anyone not wash their windscreen with car shampoo while washing the car due to this?

Try three things.

Wash the car with cold water, use less detergent, rinse off with fresh water with some car wax added then rinse with the hose.

I've just adopted the wax rinse and the car and windscreen are clearer than ever before.

 

[silverclk230]

I suffered from a smeared windscreen until I changed my wiper, even though it looked perfectly ok. Now, no smears.

 

[Satch]

Although I clean my car regularly I get bothered with smear marks on the windscreen

I was cursed by this for ages on my wifes car until I found out that she was in the habit of running it through a Car Wash with the hot wax option, which coats everything in ikky waxyness which builds up. Suspect your problem may be a less severe version, so stick to stuff without wax.

Cheapest & best way to remove the waxy horror from windscreen was Meths. & lots of soft kitchen roll. Change the wiper blades as well, do it outdoors and avoid naked flame! Cleared the rest off with a pressure washer and the aggressive car wash detergents you get to go with them. (That works because it is so really horrible and I do not suggest you use the stuff other than for degreasing or intentional dewaxing)

 

[Sp!ke]

I agree with the above but I think the biggest culprit for me was Rainex.

 

[fatboab]

Thanks for your comments.

The windscreen will be getting a 'miss' from the Turtle from now on.