What is car glass correction?

How to clean car windows the right way begins with a basic understanding of automotive glass. Over time, car widows exposed to the harsh environment will suffer etching damages, scratches and tiny rock chips. These stains are likely etched by acid rain, so window cleaners and paper towels may not remove them. Glass correction occurs when a buffer machine physically removes those acid etchings to make the glass surface smooth and shiny again.

The easiest way to tell if you need to buff the glass is to use your wiper blades with fluid at nighttime. Stop looking “through” the car windshield and focus on the exterior window surface. Pay attention to the wiper sweeps as they go back and forth leaving temporary streaks behind.

The steaks will reveal stains in a fixed pattern that do not change with each pass. Those stains are most likely acid etched into the surface permanently from acid rain. If rubbing alcohol cannot remove them, then it’s confirmed, and you will need glass correction services. Simply wiping clean the car windows will not repair this problem no matter how much elbow grease you put into things.

How to clean car windows (exterior)

Clean the windows with soap and water is easy if you have a protective sealant like rain-X installed. If you do not have a glass sealant, then try wiping the windows down with a cleaning solution or glass cleaner of some kind. If your cleaning product doesn't completely clean the car glass, then let us take a closer look at why.

At this stage you will need to learn just a little bit more about how to clean car windows because you need to be capable to determine if the stain is just dirt or an acid etching into the glass. Observe the stains within the streaks. If you cannot remove an area of staining then, apply more pressure focused in one spot and try again. If you still cannot rid an area of glass from the staining then, you can try using your spit from your mouth and rubbing it aggressively with your fingertip. Finally, you can try a clay bar rubbing and hope for the best. Follow this link to our article about how to rub a clay bar on a car the right way.

If nothing works, the stains are acid etchings on the glass. You can replace the glass or attempt to polish the surface. If you plan to polish the glass then, take care to avoid heat buildup under the buffer pad. Too much heat will create permanent distortions in the reflections of the windshield or any acoustic glass.

Heating and pressing glass together with a buffer machine can damage it, especially when attempting to remove water spots. Buffing car glass is a slow inch by inch process and works almost every time, so long as the worker is always aware of friction heat to the glass surface. Because this step is best done while washing the car, you can link over to learn how to wash a car. We also strongly suggest that you visit our ridiculously long list on everything about car detailing to learn more about buffing and paint correction before polishing your glass.

How to clean car windows (interior)

When cleaning interior windows, use rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and do not use distilled white vinegar. While working, you might notice streaks of oil. This indicates that the alcohol is lifting the oily layer on the glass and redistributing it into streaks.

Clean the whole glass surface and don’t worry about leaving streaks until all the car glass is clean top to bottom. Slow down to work out stubborn stains. Soppy wet spots on the microfiber towel are great for scrubbing off stubborn dirt. It’s best to be close up, avoid inhaling fumes.

Fold a new cloth and spray a small spritz of alcohol onto the glass. The new microfiber towel will lift and remove the oil you just scrubbed loose. Wipe small 2ft x 2ft areas with only enough spray alcohol to lift the oils away and keep going until you finish.

If you are still seeing oil streaks in the glass, then you may need an additional new microfiber cloth and repeat. This will provide car windows without streaks due to a true oil free crystal-clear view.

Click this link if you have water spots on the car because rubbing alcohol may not be enough. If this is your story, then you will need a glass correction. You can pretty much just dig into single pane glass. But be careful when using a car buffer on laminated glass to prevent permanent visual warping areas from forming.