What do you clean your windows with?

[metalman29]

Not actual glass.

Mine are getting a bit grungy. In the past I have rinsed off, but I seem to have a bit of a sticky accumulation of soluable oil, grime, and orther fun stuff.

I am concerned with frosting or any other type of attack on the plastic with any commercial cleaners. I hate to get soapy water draining into my coolant tank.

Any suggestions? One guy I know swears that pledge, the dusting cleaner, works best.

 

[mitty38382]

I clean mine with Windex clear not blue - clear is suppose to not have ammonia. Then after it is absolutely dry I wipe it down with Rain-X to promote drain off. I suppose you could use any wax as well. Then again I like a clean machine and wax mine to keep it looking nice. When you're a Owner / Operator the machine is your livelihood.

 

[Ox]

When you're a Owner / Operator the machine is your livelihood.

Well this owner operator couldn't care less for a wax job. Pretty don't make parts! In the time that I could be waxing something - I should'a been setting it up and/or just leave the bloody thing run production! If neither are needed, then a nap or time to go sledding would be in order.

The machine is my livelyhood - but wax doesn't keep the servo motor running eny better.


NOW - that said - IMO when you introduce employees into the mix - well then things change a bit. Now you can start to have morrall (sp?) issues with dirty, old, bla bla. Forget the fact that you could pay them $.50 more/hr if you didn't need to spend X amount of time making things look perky.

But that's just my take.


----------------------

Everybodys got somethin to hide 'cept fer me and my monkey!
Ox

 

[PBMW]

When it comes to employees...
If ya got time ta lean, ya got time ta clean...

 

[micro]

I clean mine with Windex clear not blue - clear is suppose to not have ammonia. Then after it is absolutely dry I wipe it down with Rain-X to promote drain off. I suppose you could use any wax as well. Then again I like a clean machine and wax mine to keep it looking nice. When you're a Owner / Operator the machine is your livelihood.

This is exactly that I do too. Keeping my machines clean inside and out makes a difference both in my psyche and also to clients who walk into my shop. Likewise if I have to fix something, not having to degrease myself afterward is a plus.

 

[bluechipper]

What I have found works best as a "grunge" remover is the gojo type hand cleaners.....without pumice.
I don't know for sure that the pumice would hurt much, but I don't like the idea of pumice floating around in my coolant tank.
Just rub it in real good with your bare hands, then wipe it off with a paper towel.(gets your hands cleaner than they've been in a long time too)
Follow up with windex on the windows, and water on the metal, then hose down the metal pretty good with a "vegie" oil type penetrating oil, and rub in with a paper towel.
I find the "veggie"(food grade) stuff sticks to the metal for a long time.

 

[dclarkmachine]

This may sound kind of dumb but I just use a spray bottle of the coolant I am using to clean the inside of the window in the machine as well as the lights. It cleans it right up (not perfect but good enough). Actually not my idea I ran across it in PM one day.

 

[Mud]

The 'door' on my 1 VMC is a 4X8 sheet of plexi. A squirt of WD40 and a blue wiper cleans it right up. There are good acrylic cleaners and polishes at most every motorcycle shop, the windscreen cleaner/polish works a bit like RainX, helps the coolant slide off same as bugs on a windscreen.

 

[SIM]

Coolant
WD-40 for the tough stuff.

 

[wrustle]

Coolant works great for me too. I just blast the side windows with one of the nozzles and the coolant dissolves all the gunky stuff and it just wipes right off with a rag. I don't like adding anything foreign into my coolant mix, and so far so good. Not too mention no added expense in cleaning it either.

Later,
Russ

 

[mitty38382]

I don't know, maybe I was misunderstood. I don't hose down the interior with Windex to clean the windows. I spray it on a towel and vigorously attack the grunge with it. Next I spray Rain-X on a towel and clean the window interior. After it dries and leaves the film (following their instructions) I wipe it off with a dry towel. Piece of cake.

As for the outside of the machine mild soap and water does wonders. You can't see whats going on with your machine if the outside is buried in corn cobs, sandwich wrappers, work orders, tissues and dirt mixed with oil along with perfectly good and sell able scrap chips.

If something leaks I want to know about it before it runs out the door in a mild dam burst. Having a clean machine is a matter of pride and I guess it depends on how much pride you take in your machines. It has not a damn thing to do with setups, employees, or whether or not you wax your machine - but I like mine to look nice.

When the lease guy stops by or my Banker comes for a visit I don't have to worry about getting ready. They can walk in anytime and see what the state of condition is of our machines. I agree if you can lean you can clean, so pickup the frickin broom and make use of it. Sweep those chips up or cut more material or something - just do something. Chances are that your machine only needs you to load and unload if setup right and proofed. Usually it does not need a babysitter or machine tender / watcher - besides we can't hit the button fast enough anyhow - so if it's going to screw up and go brain dead there is nothing you can do to stop it and certainly its not worth losing a finger or hand over.

I don't add nothing to my coolant and any trace amount of Rain-X that might wear off is minor compared to the chemical action that takes place in the nether land of the sump where little chemical gremlins live.

Ox - something tells me that your not the wax type well thats okay - nothing wrong with that and no I'm not going to send you a can of speed wax that I used to use on Aircraft. I clean my machine as a last item for the day. Its a habit and I don't have to worry about stuff stuck to the side and building up a slimy mess. I enjoy taking care of my investment and if I ever had to sell my machine (and I don't plan to) I would get top dollar because of the level of care given to it.

Employees cleaning - its part of their job. I'm not their momma and I'm not going to clean up after them. They make a mess, they clean it or hit the road - someone else wants their job. I have enough to do just cleaning up my messes.

Frank S. in Tennessee

Just ask Exkenna who just visited - he cleaned windows hehehe

 

[daleroe]

I was cleaning up my new used mil and couldn't find anything that would cut the crud. I tried wd-40 and all kinds of solvents. I even tried oven cleaner. I asked my neighbor who repairs machines and he gave me a can of Lawson 97936 Foamy Orange Citrus Degreaser. The stuff is amazing! When the can was empty, thinkng that I could just use some other citrus cleaner, I tried alot of them. I haven't seen anything that even comes close. I use it to clean all kinds of things. It even takes the road tar off my truck. Since it foams you could spray some on your windows let it sit abit and wipe it off with out contaminating your coolant.

You have to buy direct from them. I can't remember what I paid, I recall the price was higher than I wanted to pay so I bought more and sold it at near cost to get my price down. I bought 5 cases and sold some to everyone I showed it to. If you decide to give it a try I don't think you'll be disappointed one bit.

http://www.lawsonproducts.com/

 

[Tonytn36]

For *really* grimy, crusty, "won't come off" glass windows, the best thing under the sun I've found is good 'ol KROIL.

 

[viper]

Man, I thought question had to do with the mild film that accumulates on the windows. I sure would not be using any type of solvent on anything plastic. I come from show car background and we just know, "you touch it, you scratch it". This goes for paint, plastic, Alumium, etc. Of course chrome and glass take a bit more to scratch. Anyway, my point was, the more you rub on those windows, the faster they will dull because most are made from Lexan which is a very soft plastic and will absorb all kinds of impacts but is not the best for staying nice too long.

I use a product every now and then called 20/20. It is an automotive glass cleaner without ammonia. Any window cleaner safe for window tint should be fine. I would not go more aggressive than that. Even if the use of a product does not show the first time, after 10 or 50 uses, it will swirl and haze like mad.

As far as Rain X on plastic, OH MAN! Just look up rainX on Lexan and see what you find. I knew too many motorcycle guys that tried it on bike windshields and all they got was to get to buy a new one. It is alcohol based and not good on plastic at all.

OH, now RainX on glass??? I should be getting a check from them. I pretty much endorse the stuff. I love it for all glass. Used to never even use wipers, just "the stuff". (Removal of the wipers allows a smooth valance install over the wiper shafts and those clean lines we look for).

 

[mitty38382]

THATS WHAT I NEED! Windshield wipers on my VMC. Speeding across the Aluminium landscape, flip on the wipers and crank up the speed or feed. Swish...swish What an idea, okay its my patent. My idea in a public forum - windshield wipers on a VMC, with a plain water rinse so no contamination of the coolant.

It's mine. Development starting. I'll let you know when you can place orders. Do you prefer air operated or electric? How big are your windows, maybe I'll sell those as well. Keep that new machine look and correct operator errors.

Maybe I'll send Ox a freebie so he will have "something" clean on his machine.

Frank S. in Tennessee

 

[Joe788]

THATS WHAT I NEED! Windshield wipers on my VMC. Speeding across the Aluminium landscape, flip on the wipers and crank up the speed or feed. Swish...swish What an idea, okay its my patent. My idea in a public forum - windshield wipers on a VMC, with a plain water rinse so no contamination of the coolant.

It's mine. Development starting. I'll let you know when you can place orders. Do you prefer air operated or electric? How big are your windows, maybe I'll sell those as well. Keep that new machine look and correct operator errors.

Maybe I'll send Ox a freebie so he will have "something" clean on his machine.

Frank S. in Tennessee

Frank, they already have windshield wipers, and they are bad ass:


http://www.t2k.net/index.php

They are NOT cheap though. I believe they are in the $1500-$2000 range.



Exair makes a much less expensive, (but not nearly as cool), air knife that sticks to your window and keeps a clear spot for viewing:

As far as cleaning the inside of the machines and the inside of the windows, I just use a garden how plumbed into the coolant pump. Hangsterfers S500 is so good, it doesn't really leave any buildup anywhere. In places where the coolant has dried and turned into a bit of a sticky oil, just hose it down and it looks like new again. It's a great coolant.

 

[Ox]

When the lease guy stops by or my Banker comes for a visit I don't have to worry about getting ready.

My banker aint been here since ??? 1989 or 1990. And I was away to heat treat or other such place at the time. Lease guys - never. I must be a good risk eh?


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$25 a and Johns a happy man!
Ox

 

[mitty38382]

Joe788 - Thats not Bad ass. Bad Ass is the wiper off a Mercedes SLR or even a SLK with a flex arm for the inverse curve on the window - about the same money.

I was thinking of something along the lines of Electric with Intermittent operation or variable speed and a 19" to 21" wipe range - something useful.

12" spinning windows will make me dizzy and I'm dizzy enough already. Ox - maybe your Banker is afraid of steppin in something.

Maybe I can get Lilly to wash the windows - film at eleven!

Frank S. in Tennessee

Hey Clem thats a nice pickup truck. Yeah Walt, its a real chick magnet. I had 50 laying hens in the back the other day. Going down the I-5 in Californica it was feathers flying out the back at 75 mph. Mohammad kept blown the horn, I react badly when peoples blows the horn - real badly. Next time he gets chicken shit all over that Chrysler convertible.

 

[Joe788]

Joe788 - Thats not Bad ass. Bad Ass is the wiper off a Mercedes SLR or even a SLK with a flex arm for the inverse curve on the window - about the same money.

I was thinking of something along the lines of Electric with Intermittent operation or variable speed and a 19" to 21" wipe range - something useful.

12" spinning windows will make me dizzy and I'm dizzy enough already. Ox - maybe your Banker is afraid of steppin in something.

Maybe I can get Lilly to wash the windows - film at eleven!

Frank S. in Tennessee

Hey Clem thats a nice pickup truck. Yeah Walt, its a real chick magnet. I had 50 laying hens in the back the other day. Going down the I-5 in Californica it was feathers flying out the back at 75 mph. Mohammad kept blown the horn, I react badly when peoples blows the horn - real badly. Next time he gets chicken shit all over that Chrysler convertible.

Nah, trust me, these are much, much better than any Mercedes wiper. A regular wiper to a spin window is like a reciprocating saw to a bandsaw. You're getting half as much work done for twice as much effort. With the spin window, you don't even know it's spinning, it just magically stays clear at all times.

I can never bring myself to buy one though, as the windows get scarred so quickly by the chips hitting at 8000sfm, I can't see through them anyways, clean or not.

 

[PixMan]

There is merit in keeping the machines extra-clean. Like with a motorcycle, you may get grief for cleaning from those who consider themselves "real riders", but it affords you the opportunity to find things that are loose, cracked, or failing before they become a problem. If a machine is clean and starts leaking oil or other fluid from a new place, it's easy to spot the source. You don't have to clean up and wait again.

Keeping view windows clear is a PITA but if you can see what is about to happen, you just might be able to hit the BRB (Big Red Button) before disaster strikes. Of course that doesn't count with newer machines that have 1320ipm rapids or linear motors; the BRB on those is little more than a decoration or consignment to a crash that's already happened.