Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

[Mark42]

I have been reading archive posts about acrylic floor polish (Future, Mop & Glo, etc) for use on old gelcoat to restore a shine. As you may remember, I replaced my old plexy windshield with a piece of polycarbonate. I have been waxing it with plain old Turtle Wax brand auto wax to help protect it from scratching. I was wondering if anyone has used the acrylic floor wax on their polycarbonate windshield and if it is safe or will cause damage? <br /><br />Mark. <br /><br />PS, I read on the net were model builders use Future on the model car window plastic to hide scratches and make it look clearer. Think it will hide the fine scratches from paper towels on the poly windshield?<br /><br />PPS, I sent an e-mail to SC Johnson asking them about any compatability issues with their Future floor polish and polycarbonate plastic. If/when I get a response, I'll post it here.

 

[PAkev]

Re: Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

Mark,<br /><br />I will offer advise based upon my experience of making prescription eyewear lenses out of polycarbonate.<br /><br />Poly affords good strength because it is pliable rather than rigid like other optical properties such as crown glass and CR-39 plastic. However, the same inherent materials used in polycarbonate that enable it to be pliable are softer which has greater potential of scratching. Although many manufactures will put a scratch resistant process over the material to make it less vulnerable to scratching, scratches that do occur often penetrate through this micro thin process which leaves scratches opened up to collecting whatever you put into them. Polycarbonate is therefore the least forgiving of materials when it comes to cleaning with products that can otherwise be used safely on glass and plastic materials. If you use cleaning agents "unfriendly" to poly you will indeed end up with a bigger mess than the scratches you were trying to cover up as those scratches enable the poly to directly absorb or react with the cleaning agent(s). "Unfriendly" cleaning agents usually include anything that is petroleum based or deviates from PH stability such as otherwise ideal household cleaners such as lighter fluid, acetone, Windex, vinegar, etc.<br /><br />We usually use rubbing alcohol to clean up our polycarbonate lenses without any significant problems of compromising the material itself. We then follow it up with a more thorough cleaning using non streaking eyeglass liquid cleaner.<br /><br />I'm not sure if you trailer your boat with a cover but thats what caused the scratches on the poly windshield of my boat. Since the boat is only a year old I will live with them for a little longer. Then I plan to get a new windshield and immediately put a static protector (similar to the ones they use on NASCAR racing cars) that can be peeled off when scratched and a new one applied.<br /><br />Kevin

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

Kevin,<br /><br />Wouldn't trailering a boat without a cover be worse? Flying dust, bugs etc?<br /><br />These static protectors - I know nothing about them - wouldn't they leave a tacky deposit? <br /><br />Ciao

 

[PAkev]

Re: Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

Caio,<br /><br />I wouldn't worry about bugs, dust, etc. because your tow vehicle breaks through and collects most of this before the trailered boat. Also, I would expect a lot more bugs to hit the windshield going across the water during a hatch than when going down the highway. My prevailing reasons for covering the boat when traveling are for security purposes and that only keeps the honest people honest.<br /><br />The vinyl static protectors are harmless to the windshield since there is no type of adhesive used. The biggest trick is applying them so that you get all the air bubbles out. We use the tinted type on some of our office windows to block the sun and usually use warm distilled water or contact lens solution to reduce water deposit stains. When properly applied no one will notice there is a protective layer covering the surface.<br /><br />Vinyl static protectors don't clean up very well and are hard to reapply once taken off. But heck for a few bucks you can tear it off and put a new one on by making it part of your routine maintenance at the front end of each season.<br /><br />Kevin

 

[Mark42]

Re: Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

Kevin, Thanks for your input. I think for now I will stick with plain old auto wax. It has been working for the last season. I wash it with dish detergent and soft cotton cloth, no more paper towels. The wax also helps the water to bead and roll off. Thats good, because I found out Rain-X is bad for polycarbonate. But it's good to know rubbing alcohol can be used as an alternative. Probably good to remove the old auto wax with it. <br /><br />I don't trailer it covered, I got my scratches from using the "mens room" grade roll paper towels to wash it. Oops!<br /><br />Surprise! I got a reply from SC Johnson:<br /><br />

Dear Mark,<br /><br />Thank you for your e-mail regarding FUTURE®. We always appreciate hearing from our <br />consumers.<br /><br />Unfortunately, FUTURE® has not been tested for use on polycarbonate so we cannot <br />recommend it. Please use the product according to label directions as we cannot guarantee how the <br />product will perform for uses or purposes other than those we have tested.<br /><br />We appreciate your interest in our products. As a loyal SC Johnson consumer, a packet of <br />money saving coupons featuring some of our newest products has been sent to the address <br />you provided. The packet includes coupons for you to enjoy as well as coupons to share <br />with friends.<br /><br />If you have future comments or product information needs, we invite you to visit or <br />e-mail us again at www.scjbrands.com.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Jodi O.<br />

Why did I expect more than to be added to a junk mail list and the BS response to " use the product according to label directions"??? <br /><br />Oh well, I guess Jodi O's job is to be polite and give no useful information whatsoever. How much do you get paid to do that?<br /><br />Mark

 

[BillP]

Re: Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

Mark,<br />Bees wax is good for polishing and beading rain (exactly like rain x) but it won't protect from scratches. The speciality bars they "wax" surfboards with is a blend of bees and regular wax. The softer it is the more bees wax it has. It also keeps the windshield from fogging. I used it on mcy helmet faceshields.

 

[riptide116]

Re: Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

whay would the recomended treatment be to remove the "fogging" or the "cloudy" plexi-glass that is oxidezed and had been treated with windex for a moment -thats when I read about using that stuff on the plexi-glass.<br /><br />I drive a outboard with tiller steering and seeing debre and floating stuff thru clouded winshelid is tough from the back of the boat,I have been known to recrute the tourist for spotters and thats un-reliable & unsafe at full throttle.

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

I wonder if you could use the same method as people use on plastic rear windows on some convertible cars? The plastic seems like it would be even softer than polycarbonite, so I would think the risk of damage is small. <br /><br />"Keeping Your Miata Plastic Rear Window New - Left unattended, a plastic Miata rear window will become yellow, then cloudy brown, and finally will crack. Don't let this happen to you. Purchase a bottle of Meguiar's #10 or Novus #2 plastic polish, and a bottle of Meguiar's #17 or Novus #1 plastic cleaner. Apply the polish liberally to the rear window with a cotton ball. Rub it out. Then clean the window with cotton and the cleaner. Finally, polish with a clean terry towel. This process will remove scratches, and will restore plasticizers necessary to keep your window flexible and clear. A plastic rear window should remain clear and soft even after ten years if properly cared for."<br /><br />(Note that I have no actual experience with this so if you try it, might want to try it on an out of the way small test spot first).

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Put Future floor shine on polycarbonate windshield?

The wax you are using will protect fine as long as it is not a wax with abrasives.There are many products made especially for plastic that will probably do a better job.Plexus is one that I have used in the past and Mc Guires makes a polish.I have also been told by more than one old salt that pledge furniture polish will work the same as plastic wax.I also remember that the lemon pledge was less favorable than the regular.Charlie