SuzukiSavage.com - How to clean my windshield?

Afan Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 156 Des Moines, IA Gender:	How to clean my windshield? 08/28/13 at 07:21:29 How to clean my windshield from bugs?
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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18100 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #1 - 08/28/13 at 07:27:04 What did the manufacturer suggest? On my helmet face shield I first place a wet towel and let it soak for a bit to soften up the bug guts. Then I wash it with soapy water, then I dry it off and use a plastic polish made for cleaning clear plastic.
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Afan Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 156 Des Moines, IA Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #2 - 08/28/13 at 08:34:12 Dave wrote on 08/28/13 at 07:27:04: What did the manufacturer suggest? On my helmet face shield I first place a wet towel and let is soak. Then I wash it with soapy water, then I dry it off and use a plastic polish made for cleaning clear plastic. I bought it used. No Owner's Manual or something...
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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18100 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #3 - 08/28/13 at 08:41:51 Well go to the website of the people that made your fairing....and see if they have a tech section or downloadable manual. I did a search for the Memphis Shades.....and this is what they list. http://www.memphisshades.com/faqs/1-faqs/8-how-do-i-clean-my-windshield http://www.memphisshades.com/kare-and-cleaning/all-kleer
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12Bravo Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 628 Mid-Missouri Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #4 - 08/28/13 at 09:08:57 If the bugs are really bad, put a wet towel on it for a few minutes, hotter the better. Otherwise just use Pledge and a soft cotton clothe.
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Afan Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 156 Des Moines, IA Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #5 - 08/28/13 at 09:59:51 Thanks guys. Helpful as always.
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Charon Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 1811 Harvard, NE Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #6 - 08/28/13 at 10:03:55 I cannot remember where I read it, nor have I tried it. The suggestion was to use ordinary hydrogen peroxide 3% solution to help dissolve bugs.
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PhantomII Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 96 Tampa, FL Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #7 - 08/28/13 at 11:30:32 Rain X makes a windshield washing fluid that removes bugs and it also makes the water bead off my windscreen and face shield. I live in Tampa and had to ride in the rain all but 4 days this month so I know it works.
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12Bravo Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 628 Mid-Missouri Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #8 - 08/28/13 at 12:10:12 Read the Rain X bottle very carefully, it is not for use on any type of plexiglass, plastic, etc. Also don't use household window cleaner on plastic either.
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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #9 - 08/28/13 at 15:43:01 Lemon Pledge, Plexus, even WD40. We use WD40 on hazed up ancient acrylic shields from the 40s and it brings them at least 50% back to life. Don't know why, don't know how, and frankly, so long as it doesn't eat the windshield, don't care.
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Gyrobob

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Re: How to clean my windshield?
Reply #10 - 08/28/13 at 17:56:37

The key factor is to not grind hard bug chunks into the plastic. The suggestions above that say to soften the guts with something as simple as water work fine.

First, I rinse off the windshield with water to get off as much dust as possible, then I use paper towels. Just soak them, lay them on the bugged-up surface, then go do something else for a while. I come back every ten minutes or so and re-wet the towels.

After half an hour or so, use a towel or paper towels to wipe off the soft bug guts, turning the cloth up away from the surface so none of the bug chunks are rubbed into it.

Pressure washers that aren't too powerful work well for this step because you can't rub the bug chunks into the surface. If you have a lot of pressure in your garden hose, that'll even do the trick.

Then just wash it with mild soap. Rinse and dry.

Then use a good plastic polish. Not windex or other stuff made for glass. My favorite is Novus 1 and Novus 2. Here's a hokey video on Novus: http://www.novuspolish.com/video.html The video is rather campy, but the stuff works really well.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #11 - 08/29/13 at 00:21:40 What ever happened to speed runs in a rain storm?
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Gyrobob

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Re: How to clean my windshield?
Reply #12 - 08/29/13 at 15:26:02

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 08/29/13 at 00:21:40:

What ever happened to speed runs in a rain storm?

Nature's pressure washer, eh?

I like to use that trick in the summer in the southeast for small aircraft. Often on a mostly sunny day, there will be little isolated rainshowers here and there. On my way back to the airport, I just fly through a couple of those showers and strip off all 'em buuuuuggggggs.

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GridMonkey Junior Member Offline Posts: 77 Albany NY	Re: How to clean my windshield? Reply #13 - 08/29/13 at 21:19:06 Father taught me this years ago, mostly for use on car windshields but it works. Get a piece of soft pine, 1x4 or 2x4 let it soak in soapy water and use a cut 90 dgr edge to scrape the sheild smoothly, its hard enough to remove bugs but soft enough not to damage the shield because its wet soft pine.
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Gyrobob

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Re: How to clean my windshield?
Reply #14 - 08/30/13 at 15:40:54

GridMonkey wrote on 08/29/13 at 21:19:06:

Father taught me this years ago, mostly for use on car windshields but it works. Get a piece of soft pine, 1x4 or 2x4 let it soak in soapy water and use a cut 90 dgr edge to scrape the sheild smoothly, its hard enough to remove bugs but soft enough not to damage the shield because its wet soft pine.

I would be afraid of the wood being too hard for plastic windshields. Some motorcycle windshields are fairly soft.

I'd much rather get the bugs soft first by soaking, then remove them more gently.

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