It is very important that the windshield is always in perfect condition. Because the safety of both his personal and the passengers who are in the car with him directly depends on how well the driver sees the road in front of him.
It’s easy to guess that if visibility is poor, this can lead to an emergency on the road.
How do you know when it's time to take action?
First of all, based on visual signs. The fact is that over time, the windshield becomes cloudy, small scratches appear on the surface, as well as abrasions from the wipers.
In addition, the windshield is sandblasted by pebbles that fly from the side of the road from under the wheels of the car driving in front, as a result of which small dots, scratches or “notches” may appear on the surface.
In general, as soon as you notice that visibility through the windshield has deteriorated (for example, scratches have formed on the car glass or it has become cloudy and dull), you need to put it in order.
In today's article we will tell you in detail how to remove scratches on a car windshield with your own hands, and what methods are best to use in a garage environment.
One of the most effective ways to remove small scratches and abrasions on car glass is polishing.
However, it is not enough to just buy polishing paste and drill attachments - you need to know what and how to do, as well as in what sequence, so that the final result fully meets your expectations.
Types of damage to car glass
The windshield can confidently be called the most vulnerable point of a car. Various defects appear on its surface during operation. They can be divided into the following:
- Scratch. This defect occurs upon contact with a sharp object whose hardness exceeds the strength of glass. The depth of the scratch does not allow a crack to form. Shallow scratches occur due to sand particles that fall on the car.
- Round bull's eye chip. This is the most common defect; the chip has the shape of a circle without the formation of cracks.
- Crack. This kind of defect is the most dangerous. In addition to deteriorating visibility, the crack tends to grow while driving.
Combined defects. They are complex in their structure.
The chip appears when struck by a small stone. Usually it flies out from under the wheels of the car that is moving in front. Solid particles and sand settle on the wiper rubber and cause scratches on the windshield. A crack in the windshield weakens the strength of the body. It needs to be eliminated as quickly as possible
Next, we’ll look in more detail at how to remove some defects from your windshield with your own hands. Let's find out what consumables and special tools are needed.
Remember that defects on the windshield not only detract from the appearance of your vehicle, but can also cause an accident. Don't put off windshield repair!
What does it take to polish a windshield?
To polish glass you need a special polishing machine. Its speed should not be higher than 600 rpm. Otherwise, the surface of the glass may become very hot, causing damage. Periodically, while polishing your windshield, you should wet it with water. It is also advisable to have experience in using professional polishing machines.
See also: How to increase the life of your windshield wiper blades
So if you do not have such a skill, then it is better to turn to professionals. True, in this case, consider your costs and the final result. Most often it is easier to replace the glass with a new one.
If the cost of a new windshield for your car is too high, and its surface has a few chips and scratches, then it is more advisable to polish the glass.
On average, polishing a windshield takes about 1 hour. Naturally, the cost of glass polishing is tens of times less than the cost of any windshield. But remember that polishing will not be able to remove all chips caused by stones.
Causes of scratches on the windshield
Car windows must be free of defects, since the ability to have a high-quality view of the road directly affects traffic safety.
Very often, car owners have to deal with scratches on their windows. We list the main reasons for the formation of scratches and clouding on the windshield of a car:
- friction of wiper blades when they are clogged with sand;
- pebbles flying into the windshield when driving;
- inaccurate cleaning of frosted glass;
- improper car washing.
Even small defects in the windshield can provoke the development of such troubles:
- poor visibility strains the driver’s vision, which leads to natural fatigue;
- attention is delayed on scratches, which slows down the reaction to the road situation;
- at night, defects change the scattering of light from oncoming cars, which irritates passengers and the driver;
- The external attractiveness of the car is reduced, especially if scratches from the wipers are clearly visible on the glass.
How to avoid scratches
To prevent the glass from being damaged, sharp impacts with hard objects should be avoided. There is no need to place heavy objects on a glass table or throw cutlery, rings and other hard things onto it, as this can scratch the surface and sometimes cause cracks. Pets with sharp claws should not be allowed near glass elements
It is important to monitor the actions of children and prevent situations in which they could damage the product.
It is important to properly care for glass items. Avoid using rough sponges as they may leave minor damage.
You should also refuse to use dirty rags that were used to wipe other surfaces: grains of sand and fine dirt also scratch the material. Rough newsprint is not suitable for polishing. Using this method for a long time will lead to the appearance of large defects. Preference should be given to microfiber cloths. Water or special glass and window cleaners are suitable as cleaning agents.
Gadgets can be protected from scratches and chips using special protective films. If a phone with such a product glued falls, its glass will most likely remain intact. Damaged film can be replaced with a new one. Glasses should be stored in a special case when not in use (including at night). This will help reduce the risk of damage from a fall and prevent dust from settling on the lenses.
It is better not to use fabrics with pile for treating glass surfaces. They are especially dangerous in cases where a person has just treated the product with hot water or chemicals. The surface will become more susceptible to the negative influence of external factors.
You can choose special products to prevent scratches. They form a thin protective layer, preventing small dust particles and dirt from getting onto the glass itself.
How to polish a glass table at home
During use, abrasions from dishes and other types of mechanical damage are visible on the table. At this stage, owners of tables made of glass are faced with the need for polishing. Kitchen tables suffer the most. Even with careful use, scratches will appear over time.
Scuffs and minor scratches can be removed using the following means:
- paste GOI;
- nail polish;
- toothpaste.
Deeper damage will not disappear after treatment with improvised devices. In such a case, a person will need professional tools. In order for the job to be successful and the table to look like new, skill is also required.
Eliminating scratches
The main cause of small scratches on glass is ordinary sand. It settles on the glass, wiper blades, seals and on the rag you use to wipe your car. Sand particles constantly scratch the surface. Therefore, visibility decreases over time. Polishing will help restore transparency to the windshield. Sanding is not recommended. Most likely, it will not be possible to carry out such processing on your own in a high-quality manner.
To polish the windshield, you can use folk remedies and professional materials. Before you begin removing scratches, wash your windshield thoroughly. Wipe it with a dry, clean cloth or a special glass cloth. Don't use newspaper.
GOI paste will help get rid of small defects on glass
To remove minor scratches using improvised means, use toothpaste or GOI paste. The best effect is achieved when using GOI paste. A small portion of the paste is applied to a clean cotton swab or piece of felt. Then rub in a circular motion on the problem area.
Polishing your windshield helps remove small, shallow scratches.
Reapply the paste and rub in a circle in the opposite direction. To speed up the process, you can use a sander with a felt attachment.
Automotive supply stores offer various types of polishes for polishing windshields. Before using pastes, we recommend doing a test polish on a small area of glass. Polishes contain various types of reagents and it is unknown how they will act on the glass surface.
After polishing, wash the glass thoroughly.
Deeper scratches are difficult to remove. In this case, there are two options: you need to come to terms with this state of affairs, or do something drastic and replace the windshield.
Video about polishing the windshield
What to polish with?
It is important to use the correct composition. If you choose the wrong polish, you can cause even more damage to your car glass, after which it will no longer be possible to use it.
To restore car glass, a special polish made from cerium oxide is used. You can use Fluoropol powder or CeriGlass polish. These products provide effective removal of minor scratches, provided that the technology is followed.
Toothpaste is often used from improvised means. It is not harmful to glass. However, the effect of its use is hardly noticeable.
Is it possible to learn polishing yourself?
People learn this too! True, you will have to invest a lot of time. What is the cost of choosing a quality machine and suitable paste? To learn all the details and technology, you need to be really interested and love cars! If garage talk has never inspired you, the knowledge gained will not be worth the time and pain.
If you have already decided to take on the task of putting the glass in order, approach this task responsibly and do not entertain yourself with illusions. The only more or less working “folk” remedy may save money, but it will take a lot of time and will not bring the desired result. The remaining methods are either frankly useless or unsafe! It turns out that all that remains is to master the science of polishing by purchasing a machine, discs and paste, or give the car into the hands of professionals and sleep peacefully!
Polishing
Polishing is the only way to restore the front surface from scratches without expensive replacement, the cost of which starts from ten thousand rubles.
What scratches can be removed using this method? First of all, this is a solution for small, minor damage that appears on the car due to dirty windshield wiper bristles.
The way to avoid this is to leave the cleaning job in the hands of professionals. If the cracks on the front surface of the glass are larger and feel like strong physical potholes, for example, from a collision with a stone, this method will not save you.
It is necessary to take other measures, which will be discussed below. For the most part, they boil down to the fact that the scratch must be covered up before replacing the windshield, since large potholes do not respond to any other tricks.
Manual polishing of the frontal surface
To manually polish the front surface of the glass you will need:
- A machine with a speed of 1000 to 1400 rpm (an angle grinder will not cope with the task; using such a tool will lead to overheating of the glass and additional cracks);
- A mandrel that serves as a binder for attaching the circle to the tool;
- Spray;
- PET film or masking tape;
- Special paste (a composition based on cerium dioxide works especially well), toothpaste will not work, buy a quality product for a good effect;
- Glass cleaner (needed both before and after treatment);
- Polypropylene cloth.
You will need to thoroughly wash the windshield with your hands, using products to remove bitumen and/or insects, then protect the surfaces with PET film. When working locally, mark the scratch with a marker. Your task is to designate a working area with scratches of at least a square with a side of 30 centimeters. At a minimum, you should always cover it with masking tape (it’s almost impossible to clean it later).
It is important to remember that the process takes time to smooth out the scratches as much as possible, count on 4-5 hours of your work.
The following steps will take place in the following sequence: dip a clean applicator into the cleaning mixture, wipe the glass for polishing again until it squeaks, then moisten it again with a spray bottle. Using a disk, place the mixture on the treated surface of the windshield and carefully begin polishing.
Preparation
If defects occur on thin glass, it is necessary to first clean the surface. A microfiber cloth must be moistened with chilled water, wrung out and wiped over the material being processed to remove dust, otherwise a few more scratches may occur due to remaining specks. Then you should wait until it dries completely. After these measures, you can begin to eliminate the defect.
How to remove a scratch?
To polish glass, you need to choose the right processing method. It all depends on the thickness of the product, its type and the depth of damage.
To eliminate scratches on car windows or other thick surfaces, the procedure is performed using a polishing machine. Minor flaws on thin glass can be removed manually using the following means:
Diamond paste can help remove shallow defects.
- special pastes;
- manicure polish;
- toothpaste;
- polish;
- soda;
- talc, etc.
Toothpaste
Fine abrasive and cleaning additives in the paste remove scratches on glass. To remove cloudiness, you do not need a power tool; just walk over the defect with a soft cloth.
How to remove scratches from windshield wipers on a windshield:
- Prepare the work site, wash the surface of the shield.
- Apply the paste to a rag and polish the area in a circular motion.
- After performing the operation, wipe the glass with a degreaser and dry wipes.
The method will help remove only small scratches left by the brushes. To obtain the desired effect, you will need to spend a lot of time, since the abrasive in such a paste is quickly erased and the composition turns into a soapy solution.
The advantages of the method include safety for the glass and the absence of new damage. Among the disadvantages, car owners highlight low efficiency and poor results after work.
Content
Features of damage
Damage detection
Tools and materials
Car preparation
Step by step work
Types of polishes
Recommendations
Every car owner takes care of his vehicle and carries out home maintenance almost every day. But no matter how careful care is taken, over time the car loses its original appearance. This applies to the body, headlights, wheels and glass, which receive various damages during operation. Car windows suffer because small crushed stone, sand particles, and insects hit it at speed. The main damage is caused by windshield wipers.
Polishing your windshield will help solve some problems. Before we begin the procedure, we will learn to distinguish damage that can be polished.
Windshield polishing
Features of damage
As mentioned above, wipers can cause significant damage, which over the years leads to a decrease in the visibility and transparency of the glass. This occurs due to the unusability of the brush itself or the ingress of sand or ice particles into it in winter. Imagine how a brush clogged with dust and dirt moves intensively along the surface of smooth glass, treating it with an abrasive. The owners themselves are often to blame for the damage. By hastily wiping the surface with a dirty or dry cloth, they damage the smooth top layer.
Glass with reduced transparency becomes dangerous at night. When driving, headlights from oncoming cars hit the windshield and are refracted through chips and microcracks. This results in light “explosions” and can cause an accident.
Dullness and acid stains cause blurred vision, which in turn affects attentiveness and dulls vigilance. The driver's eyes become tired and he gets tired quickly, which poses a threat to life on the road. For safety reasons, experts recommend polishing windshields.
Of course, many car owners prefer to simply stop by a car service center and replace the worn glass with a new one. But where is the guarantee that everything will be perfect when replaced? The quality of market products often does not correspond to the factory parameters at which your car was put into operation. There may be leaks due to leaky seals and rubber bands. Polishing will be much cheaper, and the quality of the event will be much higher than with replacement.
Polishing is useful for minor damage and shallow scratches.
There are two types of activities – grinding and polishing. Polishing is important for minor damage, shallow scratches; it is carried out using light processing using paste polishes. Sanding exposes more serious damage and chips to the surface of the glass. This procedure involves the use of abrasive pastes based on diamond dust and is carried out using coarse-grained emery wheels. This aggressive treatment is not suitable for all glasses. Sanding will remove a larger layer than polishing, and the technique is used mainly on headlights.
The question often arises: how to polish a windshield with your own hands and what is required for this? This seems like quite a complex and difficult job. But only at first glance. Polishing is possible for every car enthusiast who knows how to use an electric drill.
Damage detection
Polishing can only remove minor defects in glass. Minor roughness and abrasions from wiper blades and light scratches from sand fit this category. They can be corrected without harming the glass or its surface. It is easy to identify such damage - run your fingernail along the plane where the scratch is located, and if the nail does not get caught, you can carry out the work calmly.
More significant defects should be repaired at a service station. During polishing, the surface of the lens heats up and chips, scratches and gouges from stones cause cracks or create a lens effect. This leads to a violation of optical integrity. In the end, replacement is simply inevitable.
Windshield grinding
Tools and materials
Before polishing the windshield, you should collect the necessary equipment and prepare the materials:
- electric drill or sanding machine with a felt attachment;
- polishing wheel made of felt cloth with Velcro fastening;
- powder or ready-made paste mixture;
- adhesive tape, masking;
- soft, paper and fabric napkins;
- thin polyethylene film for covering and protection;
- liquid glass cleaner;
- regular spray bottle;
- black felt-tip pen;
- robe or work coat;
- eye protection mask.
When everything is ready, you can begin the preparatory stage.
Polishing machine
Features of removing defects on thick glasses
It will take about 4 hours to remove scratches on car glass or other thick surfaces. First, wash the window with glass cleaning detergent, then wipe thoroughly with paper towels. Parts of the car located next to the window must be covered with film and secured with masking tape. All defects should be marked with a marker so that they are clearly visible.
Then apply polish to the marked area and to the felt pad. If damage is present in several areas, first treat one, then the other. Bring the nozzle to the glass surface at an angle of 5 degrees, turn on the machine and, without pressing, using gentle movements, begin polishing. The material should not overheat, so breaks are taken. To cool, spray the glass with cool water. After completing the procedure, you need to wipe the window with a damp cloth and inspect it. If there is no result, repeat the processing.
After achieving the desired effect, wash the window with glass detergent, remove the film and tape. To protect the glass from further damage, do not wipe it with newspapers, steel wool, or products containing abrasive elements or small hard particles. When processing glass, you must use only materials specifically designed for this purpose.
How to remove scratches on glass using special means
If traditional methods do not help or you do not want to use them, then use special means to remove scratches on glass.
Polish
There are glass polishes on the market, some of which have the ability to remove scratches. Here is a brief description of the most popular products that have proven themselves to be of high quality.
| Doctor Wax | An effective product that has excellent polishing and cleaning properties. Perfectly polishes small scratches and removes turbidity from glass. |
| Sonax | Works well on small scratches, but is not suitable for deep damage. The product is only to be used in conjunction with a grinding machine. |
| Willson | An excellent product that removes scratches from glass objects. It is used manually, which is a huge plus in domestic conditions. The product is quite expensive and rarely found on sale. |
How to remove a scratch on glass with jewelry paste
Minor damage can be repaired using metal polishing paste.
A small amount of jewelry paste is applied to a cotton pad and rubbed gently into the damaged area until the scratch is reduced to a minimum.
Remains of jewelry paste can be removed with water and ammonia.
Soft sandpaper
Removing scratches with fine abrasive sandpaper is a method that often causes more clouding and uneven indentations to appear.
Sandpaper is used to remove shallow scratches followed by polishing with professional equipment. Otherwise, the owner risks damaging the glass.
Graduation paper is suitable for sanding:
- 1000 µm;
- 1500 µm;
- 2000 µm;
- 2500-3000 microns.
During restoration, a block is used to level the surface and a soap solution. Before starting work, the paper is soaked in warm water to completely soften the abrasive.
Sanding a deep scratch results in an uneven surface that is visible when inspecting the glass. A deep defect can be restored using a special glue followed by polishing.
Anti-scratch for glass
The product can be found in auto stores. Anti-scratch from Turtle Wax is popular. The colorless paste masks small cracks, abrasions and scratches well. The anti-scratch agent will simultaneously fill the cracks and polish the surface, giving it a perfect shine.
Before treatment, the surface is cleaned and dried. Using a damp, soft microfiber cloth, rub the paste into the damaged area using smooth circular movements. Excess is removed after drying with a dry cloth or lint-free cloth.
Paste GOI
This universal product is suitable for polishing and grinding glass and metal products. The paste has 4 varieties, which differ in their graininess.
| #4 rough | removes the top layer of the surface, cleans large scratches and damage |
| No. 3 average | cleans out minor imperfections and scratches. After its application, the treated surface becomes dull. |
| No. 2 thin | the composition is used for polishing glass or metal |
| No. 1 thin | used for final sanding, gives the surface shine and shine |
GOI paste with composition No2 is ideal for removing scratches on glass and plastic products
How to remove scratches from glass with GOI paste:
- Apply a little paste to a piece of soft cloth;
- first rub the unwanted glass or metal surface to remove large particles;
- treat the damaged area with circular movements for 3-5 minutes;
- Remaining paste can be removed with a clean, dry cloth.
When working with any means, do not press too hard on the glass - it may burst!
Why is it better to contact a specialist?
And yet, GOI paste and a piece of felt cannot be compared with the equipment in the workshops and the experience of the craftsmen in terms of efficiency and feasibility.
Polishing does not cost exorbitant amounts of money, and the advantages of doing it in a salon are obvious.
- You won’t ruin the glass by mixing strong polish on the advice of an expert on the Internet or by choosing the wrong machine speed.
- The polisher at its optimal speed works more than 100 times faster than your hand with a cloth.
- The service workers have been doing this for several days and know the nuances that are not included in the instructions along with the grinding machine.
Advice
We often create scratches on the windshield ourselves by improperly washing the windows. Do not wipe them dry with rags containing grains of sand or hard fabrics - and the problem of polishing can be slightly delayed.
Polishing just seems like a simple process! To do everything correctly and beautifully, grandmother's advice may not be enough. And risking the integrity of glass worth several thousand rubles out of savings of several hundred is a dubious financial tactic.
Closing the crack
Every driver needs to know that any crack in the windshield weakens the rigidity of the body. If such a car gets into an accident, the consequences will be much worse than with a vehicle whose glass is intact.
What to prepare for DIY repairs
Cracks up to 10 centimeters can be repaired with your own hands. To eliminate the defect you need the following tool:
- small-sized drill with a thin diamond drill bit;
A small drill is a great helper when eliminating cracks on the windshield
Thin diamond drill bit is used for drilling glass
Work order
- Rinse the crack thoroughly and dry thoroughly. Do not use detergents, they will impair the adhesion of the adhesive.
- Determine the size of the crack.
- Relieve tension at the defect site. To do this, it is necessary to make through holes at the edges of the crack. This stops the spread process.
Holes at the edge of the defect help relieve stress and stop the crack
Recovery process
To remove scratches from a car windshield, you need to use special compounds from 3M and cerium oxide.
To prepare the paste, you need to mix the oxide with water and stir. The slurry is applied to the polishing wheel and polished at low speed.
Step-by-step instructions for restoring glass transparency with your own hands:
- Clean the windshield, side and rear windows from dirt.
- Cover the seals with tape.
- Apply diluted oxide to the circle.
- Polish the surface without stopping in one place to avoid overheating.
- Make sure there are no stains or scratches.
- Replace the wheel and perform final polishing with anti-hologram paste from 3M.
- Wash the shield and remove the tape.
After polishing, the car can be driven as usual. If glare appears from lanterns or headlights, it is necessary to make a second pass with 3M compound.
A clean and transparent windshield not only has a positive effect on the appearance of the car, but also does not distract the driver while driving. For the service of glass restoration in a specialized service they will require from 2 to 6 thousand rubles, depending on the complexity of the work. This money can be saved by doing the work yourself and gaining new experience.
Sources
- https://pol-z.ru/remont-lobovogo-stekla-svoimi-silami/
- https://rad-star.ru/pressroom/articles/kak-ubrat-tsarapiny-s-lobovogo-stekla/
- https://StabMarket.ru/himiya-v-bytu/udalenie-carapin-na-stekle-avtomobilya.html
- https://kuzov-media.ru/articles/avtolyubitelyam/kak-ubrat-tsarapiny-s-lobovogo-stekla-avtomobilya/
- https://HozSekrety.ru/defekty/drugie/kak-ubrat-tsarapiny-so-stekla.html
- https://usvetlani.ru/uhod/kak-ubrat-carapiny-so-stekla.html
- https://InfoKuzov.ru/remont/ubrat-tsarapiny-so-stekla
- https://assa59.ru/kak-ubrat-melkie-skoly-na-lobovom-stekle/
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Differences between grinding and polishing
Car owners need to know the clear difference between the polishing and grinding process.
Sanding is a rough method that involves exposing the surface to abrasive materials that level the surface by removing a certain layer.
Sanding is used to clean deep cracks and scratches that cannot be masked by polishing. After rough sanding, the surface will look matte. To level it, you need to use a fine-grained abrasive after a coarse abrasive.
