What do you guys use to clean plastic windows

[Newbie@boats]

I have a full enclosure for my trophy and some of the pieces are almost yellow in color and hard to see out of.....I tried windex so far because I do not want to damage them....what would you recommend? Thanks

 

[hemi rt]

Plastic polish has worked in some cases but not all depending on what the windows are made of. Some of the plastic windows seem to yellow all the way through the plastic which requires replacing the plastic.

 

[dingbat]

I've used plexus plastic cleaner for the past 6-7 years. Expensive, but great stuff

 

[tpenfield]

I used "Meguiar's Clear Plastic Detailer" it is less aggressive than the cleaner products, which are meant more for restoring cloudy eisenglass.

 

[oldjeep]

Bestop vinyl window cleaner is what I always use on jeep soft top windows

 

[airshot]

I have a full enclosure for my trophy and some of the pieces are almost yellow in color and hard to see out of.....I tried windex so far because I do not want to damage them....what would you recommend? Thanks

Hate to be the one to tell you this but windex is the worst thing to use on plastic window glass. If it has ammonia in it, that in itself will yellow the plastic or make it cloudy. There are lots of products on the market for plastic window glass, just read the labels carefully.

 

[Gold Eagle Co]

Hi all!

Happy 4th of July weekend! We hope everyone is going to get a chance to take their boats out this weekend, we'll keep our fingers crossed for nice weather!

Cleaning clear plastic, clear vinyl, Eisenglass, and Strataglass? can be a challenge. You not only want to protect it from the harmful, yellowing effects of UV rays but you want to eliminate streaking as well. Airshot is 100% correct, while cleaners that contain ammonia are excellent at removing streaks they will further degrade your clear plastic windows.

We have a newer product, 303? Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner, that was formulated with clear plastic, clear vinyl, Eisenglass, and Strataglass? in mind. 303? Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner safely cleans and protects against yellowing and cracking of vinyl and clear vinyl, is safe for use on Eisenglass and Strataglass?, provides superior UV protection, and leaves a no-streak finish.

While this product will not take any yellow coloration out of any previously stained clear plastic, it will reduce cloudiness and protect the clear plastic from further sun damage and discoloration.

The first 5 people to respond to this thread will receive a FREE Marine Sample Pack! The Marine Sample Pack contains our 303? Marine
Citrus Cleaner and Degreaser, 303? Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner, and 303? Marine Quick Wax. Just respond to this thread and then PM us your address(used for shipping purposes only) and we will send your samples out as soon as possible!

Happy, happy Friday!!

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Yep they are at end of life for your windows ,Gold Eagle Co. sounds like best recommended advice as I paid to get mine detailed /ruined when he left simple green on old vinyl to long It looked like paisley pattern on tarp and all windows disintegrated within a couple days . His link has expired on the free samples .

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Hi all!

Happy 4th of July weekend! We hope everyone is going to get a chance to take their boats out this weekend, we'll keep our fingers crossed for nice weather!

Cleaning clear plastic, clear vinyl, Eisenglass, and Strataglass™ can be a challenge. You not only want to protect it from the harmful, yellowing effects of UV rays but you want to eliminate streaking as well. Airshot is 100% correct, while cleaners that contain ammonia are excellent at removing streaks they will further degrade your clear plastic windows.

We have a newer product, 303? Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner, that was formulated with clear plastic, clear vinyl, Eisenglass, and Strataglass™ in mind. 303? Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner safely cleans and protects against yellowing and cracking of vinyl and clear vinyl, is safe for use on Eisenglass and Strataglass™, provides superior UV protection, and leaves a no-streak finish.

While this product will not take any yellow coloration out of any previously stained clear plastic, it will reduce cloudiness and protect the clear plastic from further sun damage and discoloration.

The first 5 people to respond to this thread will receive a FREE Marine Sample Pack! The Marine Sample Pack contains our 303? Marine
Citrus Cleaner and Degreaser, 303? Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner, and 303? Marine Quick Wax. Just respond to this thread and then PM us your address(used for shipping purposes only) and we will send your samples out as soon as possible!

Happy, happy Friday!!

I'm interested.

 

[frantically relaxing]

Hate to be the one to tell you this but windex is the worst thing to use on plastic window glass. If it has ammonia in it, that in itself will yellow the plastic or make it cloudy. There are lots of products on the market for plastic window glass, just read the labels carefully.

Check out this chemical resistance chart: http://www.plasticsintl.com/plastics_chemical_resistence_chart.html

You'll find the only plastics that ammonia gas attacks is type 6/6 Nylon, and PVDF, (polyvinyliden flouride) which is normally used as wire insulation.
Other ingredients in Windex include a couple of forms of ethylene glycol, alcohol, and water, which is the same ingredients used in many camera lens cleaning solutions. The MSDS sheet for Zep vinyl window cleaner contains 2 ingredients: 5-10% propan-2-ol (aka plain old isopropyl alcohol) and water.

 

[mjf55]

Gold Eagle Co, I would be interested in they vinyl cleaner. I have some 'glass' to clean. Thanks

 

[Sea Rider]

Your last cheap resource to polish yelowish plastics, toothpaste of your preference, apply a good amount in a wet cloth and rub in circular motion, re apply and rub again several times. Once finished, wash with soappy water...

Happy Boating.

 

[gm280]

To see if the yellow is surface only, try some 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper with a little soapy water and do a little section in a corner. If that seems to clean up the yellow, then go over the entire plastic window. But follow on with a good quality plastic polish until it is both clean and clear without and streaks or swirls. Toothpaste can work, but seriously it is a bit aggressive and easily can haze the surface. In fact 2000 grit paper is way less aggressive then toothpaste. But you can try toothpaste, again in a corner, to see if that clears the yellow haze first. JMHO!

 

[Sea Rider]

Use toothpaste to clean, polish medals, cell phone displays, water pump liners to car acyrlic headlights, try it, nothing to lose.

Happy Boating

 

[Yachtsman1304]

Gold Eagle, I too would love a sample of your product if one is still available. Thank you.

 

[BIGOKIE]

Try AMWAY Silicone Glaze (Auto Polish) Has worked well on Bikes, Boats and Corvettes.

 

[airshot]

Check out this chemical resistance chart: http://www.plasticsintl.com/plastics_chemical_resistence_chart.html

You'll find the only plastics that ammonia gas attacks is type 6/6 Nylon, and PVDF, (polyvinyliden flouride) which is normally used as wire insulation.
Other ingredients in Windex include a couple of forms of ethylene glycol, alcohol, and water, which is the same ingredients used in many camera lens cleaning solutions. The MSDS sheet for Zep vinyl window cleaner contains 2 ingredients: 5-10% propan-2-ol (aka plain old isopropyl alcohol) and water.

The polycarbonate sheets that I use to build shields from as well as the acrylic sheets have a sticker on them specifically addressing the use of windex and other window cleaning products containing ammonia as their use voids all warranties associated with the material. The plastic windshields on my snowmobiles specify no window cleaning agents with ammonia in them as it can cause the plastic shields to yellow and crack. You will notice I refered to the ammonia not the other ingredients.