[B58 parts]

I like to clay bar the outside of the windshield, and ISO alcohol on the inside for the plastic vapors. The glass cleaner product doesn't really matter, I have good luck with the cheap concentrate stuff from home Depot. It's all about the clean towel. Also wax on the outside of the windshield is nice, the rain just rolls up. That and a little of the gummy fledge rubber conditioner on the wipers is great for the rain.

[V1_ROT8]

Originally Posted by B58 parts

I like to clay bar the outside of the windshield, and ISO alcohol on the inside for the plastic vapors. The glass cleaner product doesn't really matter, I have good luck with the cheap concentrate stuff from home Depot. It's all about the clean towel. Also wax on the outside of the windshield is nice, the rain just rolls up. That and a little of the gummy fledge rubber conditioner on the wipers is great for the rain.

I clay the outside of my windshield as well. Typically every spring.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by stbm5

So what’s the source?

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...2&postcount=10

[Raygt3]

Using news paper worked great till they took the lead out of news print ink. The lead in the ink would actually polish the glass and provided great results. So if you have any pre 60’s news paper lying around give it a try.
Another cheap fix was deionized water and a bit of vinagar. Works great on outside windows.

[co_440i]

Griots Glass Sealant and OEM (Bosch?) wiper blades. No streaks. I *do* sometimes get little streaks on my door windows when wet, especially as they do the auto-drop and -raise being a 2-door.

[Yuille36]

Some people even go so far as to have all their glass ceramic coated. No streaks whatsoever.

[elite_m2]

I do this day in and day out for the past seven years. This is what I’ve found to work the best.

For exterior glass simple wipe on/wipe off after washing the car and clay bar if needed.
Start with saturating a waffle weave towel with glass cleaner for your “cleaning” towel. I typically do the perimeter of the window first then work the middle, switch over to a plush MF buff off with one side, flip over and do another light buff.

For interior glass it can be a bit tricky especially if it’s a humid climate or if there’s noticeable oil build up on the glass.
If it’s humid, I typically wipe it with the “cleaning” towel and let it sit for a few minutes before buffing with my second MF.
If there’s oil build up (typically on the windshield) I have a bit of a procedure.
I use a little bit of dawn dish soap in a bucket of warm water with scrub pad (I’ll link it below) but only use the scrub pad on glass that is not tinted! If it is tinted you can use a clean mf towel or applicator.
Get the bucket of dawn nice and sudsy, wipe the window down then use a squeegee to dry the glass, you’ll need a second towel for clean up.
I go around the entire car first doing this process then use the waffle weave and glass cleaner starting with the first window I used the dawn on.
I’ll link what I use below, hope this helps!


My favorite glass cleaner so far
https://a.co/d/8nb3gfe

I cut these into thirds
https://a.co/d/68pfewj


“Cleaning” towel
https://www.detailedimage.com/wax.ph...92/16-x-16-S1/


Buffing towel
https://www.detailedimage.com/wax.ph...54/16-x-16-S1/

[scubajim]

Originally Posted by ttaidapos

I have tried and suggestions here with no luck. To be clear, (pun intended), I only have issues with the windshield, specifically on the inside only. I've gone extreme with 90% alcohol and various materials both I always get a smeared look that's really getting annoying at night time. It's so bad that I'm having my dealer look into it on my next oil change.

It's not tinted and no other chemicals have touched it besides chemical guys glass cleaner.

If after cleaning, it's still streaking then there is still residue on the windshield. Keep going at it with the alcohol and a fresh towel each time. I have an optical shop and patients come in and complain their coatings are defective because the lenses are streaked. It's actually oils or debris in the frame edge that is smearing across the lens. We take it apart and clean everything or run it thru the ultrasonic cleaner. Now if the lens is damaged or in your case there is a physical defect in the glass, I understand but the streaks in your glass would always be in the same location. Dry buffing after multiple cleanings is the trick in my opinion.

[B58 parts]

I would recommend just trying the iso alcohol on a paper towel on the inside of the windshield instead of the whole mess with soapy bucket and towels everywhere.

Also I don't have one but they sell those little stick mop things to help clean the inside of a windshield. My mother has a Honda Civic where the dashboard is about 8 ft long and you need that to reach the glass. When I washed cars professionally back in high school, cleaning the inside of the windshield was always the thing we dreaded the most, I would have loved to have one of those things then.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by scubajim

If after cleaning, it's still streaking then there is still residue on the windshield. Keep going at it with the alcohol and a fresh towel each time. I have an optical shop and patients come in and complain their coatings are defective because the lenses are streaked. It's actually oils or debris in the frame edge that is smearing across the lens. We take it apart and clean everything or run it thru the ultrasonic cleaner. Now if the lens is damaged or in your case there is a physical defect in the glass, I understand but the streaks in your glass would always be in the same location. Dry buffing after multiple cleanings is the trick in my opinion.

Worked in optics (eye glasses) for years.

We used Dawn liquid dish soap in a tray with some water. Put the eye glasses lenses down submerged in the very soapy water -- submerged enough the nose pads were submerged -- resting not on the tray bottom but on a clean towel laid down and covered by the soapy wat4er -- then after a bit remove rinse under hot running water. Dry with a *clean* towel.

There was a sonic cleaner too. But most glasses -- way back when -- were fitted with glass lenses and soapy water, clean rinse water, toweling off worked very well. I left the business just as plastic lenses started to make significant inroads.

Anyhow, to clean auto glass -- inside and out -- I rely upon Windex then a wipe down with a clean soft cloth towel. I repeat until no more streaks. I start out with a stack of clean towels.

After all the cleaning is over with the towels go into the wash with some laundry soap and bleach. Then the dryer. No dryer sheets.

Back on the auto glass: It helps to have the car facing a low sun -- but not a hot sun -- to better see any streaking or missed areas, etc.

Cleaning the inside glass especially the windshield and rear window are my least favorite tasks in keeping my cars nice.

[visionaut]

I like mine fully steaked…

[jwmFcreek]

Great tips on window cleaning … changed directions of cleaning outside the car to inside . Very great comments .

Started using Adam’s window cleaner and window towel and truly had the best of luck with the Adam’s so far .

[Joachim]

Don't you guys have concerns damaging the antenna lines on the rear window when you use isopropanol?

For the rear and front window I am using this tool below

after:

1. Piece of an old terrycloth towel, stolen from mom or wife, moisturized with i-Propanol (except of the rear window);
2. Another such piece half-soaked with a water/one shot kitchen cleaner/one drop dishwasher mixture (not over-dosed!);
3. A third piece, dry and applicated at once after task 2. is done.
3a. If practicable, use instead of 3. a small, soft(!) rubber wiper without any pressure and hold with the other hand a cloth below the wiper to collect the superfluous (word game) liquid.

A friendly professional window cleaner guy gave me this advice. He mostly refuses to use commerial glass cleaners.

[jwmFcreek]

Have to say I absolutely loved everyone’s thoughts and comments on the glass it helped me thank you . Was kicking my butt
I tried everything … my shop lights would show glare through the window until I used this Adam’s glass cleaner … a waffle micro towel to clean and like many here said another towel to finish and Adam’s green glass towel with two different surfaces woukd finish the glass perfect .
Not a Adam’s spokesman could careless what product works … but for me this did it and swear the BMW glass in the XM is far more touchy then the GM glass no question . But found a answer

[Autoaddict]

I use Bilt Hamber Traceless with a good microfiber towel. I’ve tried ALOT of different window cleaners and this one is by far, and I mean by a wide margin, the best window cleaner you can buy. It leaves zero streaking or hazing. Yeah it’s expensive but I’ll take it for super clean windows. Also, I even use on the dashboard screen and it removes all finger prints and smudges. It’s super annoying when you clean the screen and there are still smudges but Traceless does a great job at removing everything.