removing really stubborn glass oxidation or mineral deposits??

swisherred

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Does anyone know how to remove REALLY stuck on deposits? I have tried 0000 steel wool, rubbing compound, razor blade and hydrocloric acid....barely took any of it off....this is what was under the trim on my back glass. I dont want to reinstall it till its totally clean.
 
I say go try one of those window scratch removal buffing kits and see what happens. Otherwise it looks like it might be time for new glass. There's really not much else you can do with old glass. Good Luck
 
I tried a small 3m red pad on an angle grinder and that took it off...but red also scratches the glass...only did a small test to find out if it would come off at all or if it was embedded in the glass....from that test I think you are correct. A scratch removal kit should take this off. The inside is clean so i can reinstall it...then buff it out with it being held solid in place.
 
Try a water spot remover. I've used "Nu-glass" before and had good results. It will take some time, and I use a DA with a firm polishing pad. Other than that I would contact one of the glass shops and see if they will polish it for you. I've had Pfaff's Auto Glass do a few things (not polish) in the past and they seem to be a good shop.
 
This guy uses Lava Soap with alcohol to clean glass. That makes some sense as Lava has pumice in it.

 
I have been researching this as I have some scuff marks on mine. There is no shortage of ideas, even saw one saying toothpaste. Basically most are saying to use something to buff it with some sort of abrasive compound. I still have some of my headlight cleaning compound left and want to try that.
Biggest warning I am aware of is don’t work it so hard that you heat the glass up too much. You risk ruining the lamination if you do.
 
I used an Optical Grade Cerium Oxide to polish the windshield on a spare late 70's mopar windshield that I had as a test. It was able to remove some light wiper blade scratches and hazing. On the spots that were heaver, it cleaned them up, but not completely gone. Just make sure you use a good quality buffer and don't rush or push down to hard. Sometime this fall or winter, I am going to do it on a windshield that I care more about. So far the trial test looks promising.
 
Be careful. I had a windshield installed and they scratched it. They came back and “buffed it out”. It was like looking thru a fun house mirror !
 
Mine is all on the back window around the moulding where crap built up on the window for 30yrs. Buffing should take it out...it's definitely ON the glass and not in it out scratched into it. I'm getting a buffer today for the paint so maybe it will work for the glass too.
 
This guy uses Lava Soap with alcohol to clean glass. That makes some sense as Lava has pumice in it.



Who would've thunk it? Makes sense! If you look at 1:35 where he sprays the window again, you can see where the water beads more on the clean section then the dirty. This would probably work good on hard water deposited glass as that's what appears to be what window they used in the video.
 
Try acid on a Qtip. Battery acid is sulfuric and should dissolve deposits. Failing that, brick layers use muriatic acid to clean brickwork. Oven cleaner like easy-off may also work. Test on a spot that doesn't show first. Whatever you use, use Qips, do it quickly and treat with baking soda in water to kill the acid.

Wear eye protection and gloves!!
 
Try acid on a Qtip. Battery acid is sulfuric and should dissolve deposits. Failing that, brick layers use muriatic acid to clean brickwork. Oven cleaner like easy-off may also work. Test on a spot that doesn't show first. Whatever you use, use Qips, do it quickly and treat with baking soda in water to kill the acid.

Wear eye protection and gloves!!


I would not even want to even try that!
 
I would not even want to even try that!

Why not? The chemicals you can buy in the stores are quite diluted and won't cause you problems as long as you are careful - hence the lowly Qtip. Ordinary oven cleaner from your grocery store is much more concentrated and you probably have it in your house.
:thumbsup:
 
Why not? The chemicals you can buy in the stores are quite diluted and won't cause you problems as long as you are careful - hence the lowly Qtip. Ordinary oven cleaner from your grocery store is much more concentrated and you probably have it in your house.
:thumbsup:
I have my reasons! Why don't you go ask the 2 people that agree with me and see what they say?
 
when it comes down to it, muriatic acid is a weaker form of hydrocloric acid and will not affect the glass. It had no effect. I had already tried it with a 20% solution and then 100% and it helped some, but still didnt take off the mineral deposits. Abrasion with a polish seems to be working. Glass etching requires HCL to be mixed with another chemical for it to etch in any short period of time.
 
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