How to polish a windshield with your own hands at home

Where do scratches come from?

Glass, like any perfectly smooth surface, is susceptible to scratches.
They appear from exposure to abrasive particles, which are in abundance on the machine. This includes dust, small stones from under the wheels of other cars, and worn out windshield wiper blades. Not to mention the traces of scrapers and reagents after the winter. The Lifehacker Telegram channel contains only the best texts about technology, relationships, sports, cinema and much more. Subscribe!

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All this leaves small and deep scratches, dull abrasions, and stains on the surface of the glass. Damage not only spoils the external aesthetics, but also reduces visibility, compromising safety. The biggest problem is caused by glare from the headlights of oncoming cars when driving at night.

Types of polishing

When talking about polishing auto glass, there are two processing options (to understand this issue, see photos and videos). More aggressive is grinding; it is used to eliminate serious deformations, but also carries a number of nuances. At home, this is a more problematic method to implement.

Grinding is not suitable for all types of glass; it all depends on the thickness of the glass, because during processing a large layer is removed, and if the glass is thin, it will simply burst.

A gentle option is to polish car windows with special products. This method allows you to get the job done quickly and efficiently, without causing as much damage as in the first case, although here, of course, you need to know when to stop. Polishing the glass surface at home using this method is not difficult.

What to choose: polishing or glass replacement

There are two ways to deal with unfortunate scratches: more radical, but expensive, and also relatively affordable, but not so effective. The first is, of course, a complete replacement of the glass, and the second is polishing it with an abrasive paste. Both options have both advantages and disadvantages, so each has its supporters.

The absolute advantage of replacement is the guaranteed result. The only downsides are the price of the issue and the need to justify such repairs to suspicious buyers when selling the car.

With polishing the opposite is true. The main trump card here is savings, and among the disadvantages are low efficiency for deep scratches and the risk of getting a lens effect. However, the latter is only possible if the glass is pre-polished, but good craftsmen do not allow this.

When to choose polish

1. There are not very many scratches, or they are in one area.
2. The glass has heating, a rain sensor, a camera and is very expensive.
3. You want to keep the original glass to confirm that there is no accident when selling the car.

When to choose a replacement

1. There is a lot of damage and it is significant.
2. The price of glass is low and comparable to the cost of polishing.
3. You don't worry about the safety of the glass.

Materials and tools

Do not forget that the condition of the windshield largely depends on the wipers installed on your car. If they are worn out or not cleaned, the brushes will not only stop cleaning the surface, but will also cause scratches.

To eliminate this, it is important to choose suitable windshield wipers. How many of you know about the difference between summer and winter wipers? I advise you to read the material at the link to understand this issue. This will allow you to treat the condition of the glass more correctly, as well as delay the need for thorough polishing. If everything is fine with the brushes, they work correctly and do not scratch the surface, there are many reasons to still damage the glass. And they cannot always be prevented.

Therefore, polishing can be safely called a necessity. Sooner or later such work will have to be done. By yourself or with the help of a car service, each motorist decides for himself.

A good way of protection is removable tinting. It is mounted on the windshield. If the design does not violate the law, tinting will perform protective functions. If necessary, the tinting can be changed, and the glass remains scratch-free.

If there is no such solution, the glass will have to be restored. To do this, you should acquire the following materials and tools:

• electric polishing machine;
• felt circles in the amount of 2 pieces;
• first circle for cerium oxide;
• second circle for applying Goya paste;
• cerium oxide itself, if there are deep scratches;
• paste called Goi (suitable for finishing);
• a pair of hands;
• time;
• patience and endurance;
• masking tape;
• film for covering a car.

As for the most basic tool, namely a polishing machine, some people use screwdrivers and grinders instead. I strongly do not recommend it, since you can cut off too much glass, which creates a lens effect.

Polishing by hand, using only hand strength, is possible if there are no significant scratches or damage. That is, when preventive polishing is carried out.

I would also like to remind you that in case of cracks and chips on the surface of the windshield, a set of special repair and restoration work is carried out. But they are even more difficult than polishing yourself.

What results can you expect when polishing?

Scuff marks from wipers to polishing / DIY YouTube channel

Polishing is not a panacea, and you shouldn’t expect a miracle from it. When treating the glass surface with an abrasive paste, a thin layer with a thickness of 100 to 300 microns (0.1–0.3 millimeters) is removed. If the scratches are deeper, they will become less noticeable, but will not completely disappear.

It is quite simple to understand whether the damage can be removed by polishing. To do this, just run your fingernail across the scratch. If it clearly clings to the glass, it means that the damage is deep and the abrasive paste will only smooth it out, making it a little less noticeable.

Glass after polishing with paste from AliExpress / YouTube channel “Do it yourself”

Polishing will either eliminate the following problems completely or minimize them:

• matte grout from windshield wiper blades;
• abrasions from scraper and brush;
• small spiderweb scratches;
• cloudiness and stains from reagents;
• glare from the headlights of oncoming cars.

Polishing with a machine

To remove scratches, apply paste to the surface and rub it. After this, you need to polish the glass with a machine, using smooth movements. Polished glass must be wiped with a napkin and treated with a special mixture. After completion of the work, the surface will acquire a perfect shine and a completely new look.

Attention: do not press hard on the tool or polish for a long time, otherwise the glass may be damaged.

Grinding allows you to remove scratches and other imperfections from auto glass. Despite the laboriousness of the process, it can be done at home, the main thing is to understand the technology and apply a little patience. Look at the photo and you will understand how to do it.

How much does it cost to have your windshield professionally polished?

As with any repair, professional help will cost money. But you will receive a guarantee of results, and the master will be responsible for his work. When contacting specialists, do not look for the lowest prices, but focus on the reviews and reputation of the service station.

The price of polishing varies depending on the region and the chosen car service. In general, the cost of such a service ranges from 1,500–3,000 rubles for local polishing and 5,000–15,000 rubles for full polishing.

For comparison: replacing glass, including work, will cost 4,500–6,500 rubles for domestic cars, 10,000–45,000 rubles for foreign cars. In the case of original glass and versions equipped with heating, sensors and cameras, the price will be even higher.

Auto glass polishing price

Polishing auto glass in specialized workshops, in particular in Remco Concept LLC, is not as expensive as it seems at first glance. At the same time, you will receive a guaranteed and prolonged result, you can count on the durability of the coating - most of our clients return to us after 2-3 years for re-polishing. The key advantage of our center is quality. Our goal is not to polish, repair or tune as many cars as possible. Our main goal is high-quality transformation and restoration of the car, taking into account the tasks that its owner sets for us.

To polish the windshield and optics, the specialists of Remco Concept LLC use professional products, the technology is strictly followed, and quality is assessed. And, what is important, Remco Concept does not inflate prices - firmly occupying a leading position, we ourselves regulate our pricing policy and can offer an attractive price for our services. Contact us!

How to polish your windshield yourself

If the damage is minor or you are confident in your abilities, you can try polishing yourself. Ideally, you need a polishing machine for this, but in the absence of one, an electric drill with speed control will do. The rest of the materials can be easily purchased on AliExpress or at your nearest auto store.

What you will need

• Polishing set with cerium oxide powder.
• Drill with speed control.
• Glass cleaning liquid.
• Microfiber cloths.
• Spray bottle with water.
• Marker.

How to do

1. Wash the glass thoroughly with window cleaning spray and wipe dry with a cloth. Otherwise, grains of sand and other abrasive particles will fall on the wheel and the glass will be damaged even more.
2. If the scratches are small and there are few of them, mark each area with a marker from the inside. This will make it easier to navigate and you will save polish.
3. Prepare a paste from cerium powder. To do this, add a little water to it and stir until you obtain a homogeneous mass, similar in thickness to sour cream.
4. Install the felt wheel attachment on the drill. You cannot use an angle grinder or grinder - due to high speeds, the glass may overheat and burst.
5. Apply some paste to the wheel and spread it over the polishing area without turning on the drill. Start processing at medium speed in the range from 1,000 to 1,500.
6. Move the nozzle from side to side, gradually working the desired area. Make a slight overlap with each pass to avoid leaving gaps.
7. Do not press too hard, as friction will cause the glass to become very hot.
8. Stop often and wet the treatment area with water from a spray bottle to prevent the glass from overheating and the paste from drying out.
9. Depending on the number and depth of scratches, the process can take from 30 minutes to 2-3 hours. Stop periodically, wash the glass and evaluate the result.

Glass polishing

Good visibility is one of the prerequisites for ensuring road safety. An important element of compliance with the latter remains a transparent windshield, on which there are no scratches or other damage that distract the driver from the road and only increase the degree of fatigue (this is especially true when driving against the sun or after rain, when glare on the asphalt greatly interferes). Over time, microdefects and small scratches appear on the windshield as a result of stones from under the wheels of other cars, hail, and other external factors.

A radical solution to the problem of microcracks would be to install a new windshield, but this is expensive and unreasonable, because in our tuning studio you can actually get by with much less bloodshed. We are talking about polishing the windshield, which effectively eliminates the following defects:

• various cloudings and micro-scratches, noticeable when exposed to sunlight;
• all kinds of acid stains;
• any manufacturing defects;
• traces of the wiper blades.

All these damages are effectively removed, which significantly improves the quality of visibility and, accordingly, safety. Practice shows that annual polishing of glass gives good results, allowing you to preserve their original appearance for a long time, thanks to the timely removal of defects and special protective surface treatment.

Windshield polishing steps

In general, the procedure includes three stages:

• preliminary diagnosis;
• preparatory work;
• directly polishing.

At the first stage, a specialist from our tuning studio carefully examines the windshield to determine the complexity of the existing damage. If deep scratches or chips are found, they must first be eliminated due to the impossibility of removing them by polishing or the risk of optical defects.

After assessing the scale of the work, the glass is thoroughly washed and the body is protected from abrasives that can damage the surface. To do this, the edges of the work area are taped with masking tape, and additional film is placed on the sides.

If the damage to the windshield is quite serious, then it is pre-treated with a grinding wheel, which will quickly remove a small layer, automatically removing the flaws. Then comes the turn of polishing, during which a special paste is applied to the felt wheel, after which the entire surface is processed with a grinding machine or drill. The final stage is the application of special liquid glass, which forms a durable polycarbonate film to protect the surface from dirt.

Practice shows that polishing a windshield over the entire surface takes at least 3 hours, which led to the relatively high cost of the process. At the same time, it will still be significantly cheaper than replacing a windshield with comparable quality.

We polish glass of all car brands at an inexpensive price in Moscow: LADA (VAZ), Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Citroen, Daewoo, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, MINI , Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, Skoda, SsangYong, Subaru, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo, GAZ, UAZ and others.

Windshield polishing prices