Vehicle Interior Window Cleaning-getting them really clean

Any tips on:

- cloth type and glass cleaner to use when cleaning interior client glass
- have tried huck and micro fibre towels
- still leaving mild smudges on int glass
- thinking it might be the soap we are using for towel
- trying vinegar to wash window towels - with no soaps today
Thanks

How do you apply the window cleaner. I've always found it essential to use either a wash cloth or bug sponge dipped in cleaner and then applied over every square inch of the window. This ensures 100% coverage and helps loosen tough dirt like hand prints or smoke. Only after the solution is appled do you them wipe it off. And yes, use little or no soap to wash them with - the cleaner is already in the towel, that should be sufficient. The vinegar should also help. It may also help if you were to dry the towels a little (yet still leave them damp) as opposed to just letting the extractor spin them. This would also help in lint removal.

Good luck - window cleaning is the most vexing problem for an full service - or flex-serve wash.

There are a few things to keep in mind when cleaning windows:

1. Dilution, too much chemical can lead to streaking. So if your problem is streaking try adding more water.

2. Contamination, this can come from several sources. The most common is in the washing process. What are you washing with your towels and prior to washing your towels?

3. Towel, there are several options for towels and it is finding what works best for you. Terry is the most common, huck/surgical, microfiber, there are also microfiber towels designed specifically for use on glass (very popular in the southwest).

4. Application, can be done several ways. Spray directly to the glass, spay towel, soak towels, bug sponge or other applicator (as Chiefs mentioned)are just a few.

5. Vinegar, has been used for a long time as a window cleaner. Washing or soaking the towels in vinegar is generally for a second purpose. When the towels are wet constantly they can develope bacteria. This bacteria leads to a "rotten egg" smell and lint as the bacteria is eating at the towel. The vinegar works to kill the bacteria creating longer towel life.

Just a few ideas to keep in mind that may help you out.

For over 50 years we have used joy dish soap(non ultra) a lttle ammonia and warm water and applying it with facecloths from sama's club and used terry towels from erc. Yes we used this on all tints and never a problem I'm sure I will take a lot of crap for my home brew but its worked since my grandfather opened up in 1953. I used to mix it up in a 5 gallon igloo spout cooler with hot water and change out the 2 gallon buckets every few hours. the cooler kept the mixture warm all day even in the winter. you don't want line workers making it. owner or manager makes it once in the morning and hide the products I used to catch the employees dumpin more ammonia in it to dry quicker. chem reps used to give me samples of stuff but never the same. Customers would ask to buy it for thetre home windows it worked so well.

The methods my shop uses are simple and very effective.

1. alcohol based glass cleaner properly diluted.

2. 2-step wipe; micro fiber followed by surgical towel.

Extra-dirty,or smoke-filmed glass sometimes requires a first pass with another towel before you begin the 2 step mentioned above.

Launder window rags separately and with no added detergent.