Isopropyl Alcohol for cleaning windows

[radroach]

@justatroll

Just keep bags of damprid in the car. Absorbs all the water in the air.

[RickyBobby]

After trying various glass cleaners and vinegar and isopropyl alcohol by themselves I found that a combination of them worked the best.

1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol (available at Walmart)
2 cups water (distilled or filtered)
A few drops of liquid dish detergent, i.e., Dawn
Optional: 1 Tbsp cornstarch
I'm guessing that the cornstarch particles act as a mild, gentle abrasive.
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle.

I use CLEAN microfiber towels, paper towels leave lint.

If you have had your windows tinted I would not use this on them.

[ZionsWrath]

Vinegar water solution works great. Also safe on tint.

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by justatroll

If you have ever had a diet soda explode inside a hot car you will never get the residue to stop re-depositing on the windows when it gets hot again. It gets in the upholstery and will come out again and again.


As for the Isopropyl alcohol (IPA or isopropanol): Most detailing liquids are 50% water 50% IPA. You can use it on your whole car.
I even use it on my Matte vinyl wrap.

Personally I wouldn't use alcohol to clean anything other than glass on my vehicle. Especially painted surface. Every time I seen it referenced for use on a car it is to prep the surface. I.E. remove everything from it for application of something for example double sided tape. So if you are going to wax and everything after then maybe. but as a quick detailer or something I don't think it's a good idea.

[KL]

Originally Posted by justatroll

If you have ever had a diet soda explode inside a hot car you will never get the residue to stop re-depositing on the windows when it gets hot again. It gets in the upholstery and will come out again and again.


As for the Isopropyl alcohol (IPA or isopropanol): Most detailing liquids are 50% water 50% IPA. You can use it on your whole car.
I even use it on my Matte vinyl wrap.

Kind of adding to Zion's post, isopropyl will tend to strip wax/sealants from painted surfaces. A dilution is often used between/after polishing passes to remove polishing oils that might remain on the surface. I imagine it wouldn't be particularly nice to rubber and plastic either. As such, I very seriously doubt that quick detailers (which I assume is what you meant by detailing liquids) contain 50% IPA.

IPA has its uses but I would only use it sparingly, if at all. As you might guess, I'm not much of a fan of it on glass either.

[justatroll]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

Personally I wouldn't use alcohol to clean anything other than glass on my vehicle. Especially painted surface. Every time I seen it referenced for use on a car it is to prep the surface. I.E. remove everything from it for application of something for example double sided tape. So if you are going to wax and everything after then maybe. but as a quick detailer or something I don't think it's a good idea.

Originally Posted by KL

Kind of adding to Zion's post, isopropyl will tend to strip wax/sealants from painted surfaces. A dilution is often used between/after polishing passes to remove polishing oils that might remain on the surface. I imagine it wouldn't be particularly nice to rubber and plastic either. As such, I very seriously doubt that quick detailers (which I assume is what you meant by detailing liquids) contain 50% IPA.

IPA has its uses but I would only use it sparingly, if at all. As you might guess, I'm not much of a fan of it on glass either.

Tell it to Meguiar's.
The active ingredients in 'Meguiar's Quick Detail spray' are Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol) and propylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether. http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...vz81urlHiez.97
And the care instructions from the manufacturer of my vinyl wrap (3M) says to use 50/50 water/IPA.
Of course I don't use wax on my vinyl wrap.


IPA does not hurt plastics either. At work we go through GALLONS of IPA a day and there are ZERO restrictions for what we can use it on (Aerospace).
Denatured Alcohol (ethanol/methanol blend) is completely different, it will ruin plastics quickly.

[KL]

Originally Posted by justatroll

Tell it to Meguiar's.
The active ingredients in 'Meguiar's Quick Detail spray' are Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol) and propylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether.
And the care instructions from the manufacturer of my vinyl wrap (3M) says to use 50/50 water/IPA.
Of course I don't use wax on my vinyl wrap.


IPA does not hurt plastics either. At work we go through GALLONS of IPA a day and there are ZERO restrictions for what we can use it on (Aerospace).
Denatured Alcohol (ethanol/methanol blend) is completely different, it will ruin plastics quickly.

Interesting. I knew of its use on vinyl but the rest surprises me.

But also, as far as fluids go, aircraft deal with some pretty harsh shit (used to do some flying myself) so I imagine IPA isn't much on that spectrum lol.

Might be worth doing some digging on the use of IPA if I get bored.

[justatroll]

Originally Posted by KL

Interesting. I knew of its use on vinyl but the rest surprises me.

But also, as far as fluids go, aircraft deal with some pretty harsh shit (used to do some flying myself) so I imagine IPA isn't much on that spectrum lol.

Might be worth doing some digging on the use of IPA if I get bored.

"aircraft deal with some pretty harsh shit " Actually spacecraft.
We are even more cautious what we get near the hardware as we are FULLY sensitized to contamination (if you even SAY "Silicone" in the cleanroom all eyes and ears will turn to you like the eye of Sauron).


Here is another that states that IPA will remove oils & wax, and not to use it without it being diluted.
http://www.autogeek.net/paint-inspec...l-alcohol.html


I also added a link to the post above from the meguiars forums.

[KL]

Originally Posted by justatroll

"aircraft deal with some pretty harsh shit " Actually spacecraft.
We are even more cautious what we get near the hardware as we are FULLY sensitized to contamination (if you even SAY "Silicone" in the cleanroom all eyes and ears will turn to you like the eye of Sauron).


Here is another that states that IPA will remove oils & wax, and not to use it without it being diluted.
http://www.autogeek.net/paint-inspec...l-alcohol.html


I also added a link to the post above from the meguiars forums.

Oh, my mistake. You're right; different beast entirely. Thanks for the link.