Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Beaverton, OR
    Posts
    979

    Cleaning products for tinted windows?

    I need to clean my windows pretty bad, but I don't want to damage my tint (if that's even possible). This is the first car I've owned without factory tint, just not sure if there's anything I shouldn't use on them. Is standard Windex just fine? I guess I'm more looking for products and chemicals to stay away from, rather than what to use, but I'll accept both answers.
    2016 BMW M340i


    BMW CCA Member . Dinan Stage 1 Software . Dinan 3.5" Exhaust . Dinan CAI & Turbo Inlet . VSRF Charge Pipe . H&R Sport Springs . CF: Front Splitter, Rear Valance, Trunk Spoiler, Roof Spoiler, M3 Mirror Covers . BMW Performance pedals . Gloss black ///M kidneys . 12mm F / 15mm R BMS Spacers. NGK 94201 Plugs .

    2013 BMW X5 M-Sport - Sold
    2009 550i M-Sport - Sold
    2006 650i Vert - Sold
    2004 330i ZHP - Dead
    2001 330i Sport - Sold
    2004 330i ZHP - Sold
    1999 E36 M3 - Sold

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Ocean County, NJ
    Posts
    7,273
    Soft cloth and alcohol based cleaner. I've read in numerous places not to use ammonia based cleaners such as Windex as it can damage the tint over time.
    -Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
    ZHP Pre-Ride Briefing

    2005 ZHP, Alcantara, Silver Cube, Nav, Sharked, BMW Perf Intake, BMW Perf CF Strut Brace, CF Valve/Fuel Rail Covers,
    Shadowline Grills, CF Splitters, Fog Light Inserts, Euro-mirrors, CDV Delete, Beisan vanos, GAS DISA, BP Coded

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Beaverton, OR
    Posts
    979
    Really? I would think alcohol cleaners would be just as harsh as ammonia? Thanks for the tip, what product do you use? I was thinking of getting one of the aerosol foaming cleaners, they seem to work pretty good.
    2016 BMW M340i


    BMW CCA Member . Dinan Stage 1 Software . Dinan 3.5" Exhaust . Dinan CAI & Turbo Inlet . VSRF Charge Pipe . H&R Sport Springs . CF: Front Splitter, Rear Valance, Trunk Spoiler, Roof Spoiler, M3 Mirror Covers . BMW Performance pedals . Gloss black ///M kidneys . 12mm F / 15mm R BMS Spacers. NGK 94201 Plugs .

    2013 BMW X5 M-Sport - Sold
    2009 550i M-Sport - Sold
    2006 650i Vert - Sold
    2004 330i ZHP - Dead
    2001 330i Sport - Sold
    2004 330i ZHP - Sold
    1999 E36 M3 - Sold

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Ocean County, NJ
    Posts
    7,273
    Not sure of the difference between factory and after market tint. I know the ammonia rule applies to after market.

    I went with Invisible Glass from Detailed Image. Very happy with it.
    -Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
    ZHP Pre-Ride Briefing

    2005 ZHP, Alcantara, Silver Cube, Nav, Sharked, BMW Perf Intake, BMW Perf CF Strut Brace, CF Valve/Fuel Rail Covers,
    Shadowline Grills, CF Splitters, Fog Light Inserts, Euro-mirrors, CDV Delete, Beisan vanos, GAS DISA, BP Coded

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Maine
    Posts
    374
    Stay away from ammonia-based window cleaners. I found out the hard way, by using Windex on a car I had years ago with aftermarket tint, and wondered why the tint was turning purple (I thought it was just the long-term effects of sunlight on cheap tint film) - nope, it was the ammonia. Since, I tried probably a dozen different non-ammonia based window cleaners and have found one to be superior: SprayWay. It's relatively inexpensive, and for me, always provided excellent results. The key is to have two micro-fiber towels draped over each shoulder - use one to clean, and one to buff out any remaining streaks. I am very fussy about clean glass, so I would highly recommend this product.


    BMW Perf. Gloss Kidneys | UUC DSSR | B&M SSK | 35% tint | AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses | Tri-Color Coby Wheel | Aux Input

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Posts
    15,433
    I use SprayWay, too. I was turned on to it by Euro Auto Spot (my mechanic in San Diego).

    This stuff is cheap. Here is the SprayWay cleaner at Amazon.com (an affiliate advertiser of ours).

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    ND
    Posts
    1,456
    +2 on the Sprayway. Good stuff.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Beaverton, OR
    Posts
    979
    Thanks guys, you make my decisions so simple! Oh I know this stuff, it's what a lot of detail shops and dealerships use, I used it back when I was just a wee lad working as a lot boy at Herzog-Meier VW in Beaverton. Funny, this was actually the product I was referring to in my first reply "I was thinking of getting one of the aerosol foaming cleaners, they seem to work pretty good." Good stuff boys.
    2016 BMW M340i


    BMW CCA Member . Dinan Stage 1 Software . Dinan 3.5" Exhaust . Dinan CAI & Turbo Inlet . VSRF Charge Pipe . H&R Sport Springs . CF: Front Splitter, Rear Valance, Trunk Spoiler, Roof Spoiler, M3 Mirror Covers . BMW Performance pedals . Gloss black ///M kidneys . 12mm F / 15mm R BMS Spacers. NGK 94201 Plugs .

    2013 BMW X5 M-Sport - Sold
    2009 550i M-Sport - Sold
    2006 650i Vert - Sold
    2004 330i ZHP - Dead
    2001 330i Sport - Sold
    2004 330i ZHP - Sold
    1999 E36 M3 - Sold

  9. #9
    I use a tint safe product called Invisible Glass.

    http://www.autogeek.net/stoner.html?...FdI42godcx3_Cg

  10. #10
    spencers Guest
    Invisible Glass.

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