How to remove scratches from a windshield with your own hands: a step-by-step guide

25.05.2021

Issues discussed in the material:

• Causes of scratches on the windshield.
• 2 options to remove scratches from windshield wipers.
• Proven ways to remove scratches from a windshield with your own hands at home.
• Advice from car enthusiasts for those who want to remove scratches from their car windshield.
• Final recommendations for removing scratches from a windshield.

Windshield wipers often present drivers with unpleasant surprises - rubbing, chips, cracks. You can only deal with this problem if you really know how to remove scratches from your windshield without accidentally adding additional damage and huge costs.

Not only the aesthetics of the car’s appearance, but also your safety depends on the cleanliness and integrity of the windshield. Therefore, if you want to eliminate scratches on it, this article will help you, in which we have collected proven methods and practical recommendations not only from professionals, but also from ordinary car enthusiasts.

Causes of scratches on the windshield

Car windows must be free of defects, since the ability to have a high-quality view of the road directly affects traffic safety.

Very often, car owners have to deal with scratches on their windows. We list the main reasons for the formation of scratches and clouding on the windshield of a car:

• friction of wiper blades when they are clogged with sand;
• pebbles flying into the windshield when driving;
• inaccurate cleaning of frosted glass;
• improper car washing.

Even small defects in the windshield can provoke the development of such troubles:

• poor visibility strains the driver’s vision, which leads to natural fatigue;
• attention is delayed on scratches, which slows down the reaction to the road situation;
• at night, defects change the scattering of light from oncoming cars, which irritates passengers and the driver;
• The external attractiveness of the car is reduced, especially if scratches from the wipers are clearly visible on the glass.

Proven ways to remove scratches from a windshield with your own hands at home

There are several methods for removing small scratches and clouding from your windshield yourself. This can be done by the average person using some tools.

Glass can be restored by polishing. The options for performing this operation differ only in the materials used.

To successfully implement your plan you will need:

• drill or grinder with variable speed function. It is not advisable to use an angle grinder due to the high working speed;
• felt circle;
• polishing paste or its homemade analogues;
• a bottle of water with a spray bottle;
• marker for marking defects;
• a soft cloth;
• masking tape to protect areas that do not need polishing.

1. Toothpaste

The first thing you can try is to use toothpaste as a polishing compound. But not any kind, but with a whitening effect: all due to the content of abrasive particles in it. The currently fashionable gel pastes are completely unsuitable for polishing.

Polishing occurs using a cotton swab with toothpaste applied. It is necessary to make circular movements at the site of the defect. Then rinse the treated surface well. This way you can only remove very minor scuffs and scratches from the windshield.

2. GOI paste

GOI paste is a mixture of organic fats, chrome greens and excipients (kerosene, stearin, silica gel and others). The author of the recipe is the State Optical Institute, the abbreviation of which became the name of the composition. This paste is used for grinding and polishing glass products, and automobile glass is no exception.

When applied, this paste leaves green, rich marks on the surface. But don’t be afraid of this - after polishing, no marks will be noticeable.

Sequence of operations:

• A piece of soft cloth is soaked in gasoline or kerosene, then GOI paste is applied to it.
• The glass at the polishing site is coated with a thin layer of industrial oil.
• Polishing is carried out, renewing the layer of paste on the fabric from time to time.
• Unacceptably strong pressure on the glass. You need to polish until the scratch disappears. A shine will appear on the glass in this area.
• Unused paste is wiped off the glass with a damp cloth. On average, it takes about an hour to remove minor scratches in this way.

The polishing agent is produced both in solid form - bars and pencils, and in paste form. It is the creamy paste that is packaged in plastic jars. On average, 100 g of polish will cost you 250 rubles.

You can remove small scratches from the surface of the glass using GOI paste No. 2 and No. 3. These formulations do not contain large abrasive particles that pose a danger to the surface of the glass.

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3. Fine sandpaper

Since removing scratches from a windshield using toothpaste is a labor-intensive and boring job, many people ask about sandpaper. It is possible to use it, but you need to be careful not to overdo it.

Only the finest and softest sandpaper should be used. And do not forget about accuracy when performing work. If you put strong pressure on the skin or spend a long time processing one place, you can make a scratch or indentation yourself. As a result, the curvature of the glass will be disrupted, which looks much worse than a small scratch.

The effort and time required to polish glass with sandpaper is also high. You should use abrasive materials with a fraction from 600 to 2500. The surface should be treated first with the coarsest paper, that is, with the lowest number. Then, step by step, sandpaper with a higher number, that is, with a smaller grain, is used. Do not forget to wet the sanding area with water from time to time.

However, sandpaper is only suitable for roughing glass. Next you need to polish with GOI or diamond paste. The grain size of these compositions also varies. The same principle applies here - they start working with large grains and end with the smallest ones.

4. Means for polishing car windshields

Today, the shelves of auto supply stores are filled with a variety of windshield polishing compounds. You should know that they should be applied only with a cotton pad or rag, and under no circumstances should you use felt.

First of all, the polish must be applied to the surface with defects, then rubbed so that there are no sharp boundaries. These measures are usually quite effective for minor damage and allow you to smooth out larger ones.

5. Manicure polish

One of the popular methods is to use nail polish. Not just any one will do, just transparent ones. The scratch is covered with a small amount of varnish, being extremely careful. Then wait for it to dry completely. Then remove the excess with a rubber spatula or a stationery eraser.

In this way, even severe scratches and chips can be smoothed out. However, in the rays of the sun, the location of the defect will still be noticeable, since varnish and glass refract light differently.

How to remove scratches from windshield wipers from a car windshield: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0va63_PRFM

What needs to be prepared for restoration?

It is possible to use an electric drill with a speed controller, but polishing with it is not entirely comfortable. In addition to power tools, you need to prepare the following materials and accessories:

• PET film to protect the body from abrasive material.
• Liquid or product to remove paste residue.
• Polishing pastes and polish.
• Microfiber cloths.
• 3M polishing wheel.
• Spray bottle for water.
• Masking tape.
• Marker.

Polishing materials

Small scratches on car glass and how to remove them effectively – that’s what occupies the thoughts of any self-respecting motorist. It should be noted that pastes and polishes play an important role here, because a properly selected product contributes to high-quality restoration. As a material for processing at the first stage, experts recommend:

• CeriGlass paste from Carpro - has a balanced formula based on cerium oxide and ceramics. Designed to work with a polishing wheel or manually using the applicator included in the kit. Price – about 1,700 rubles.
• Fluoropol powder – contains cerium dioxide in a solid mixture of oxides. It is brought into working condition by adding water and stirring until it reaches the consistency of sour cream. A package weighing 100 grams costs 755 rubles.
• GOI paste No. 1 and No. 2 is a dark green solid composition based on chromium oxide. Some craftsmen prefer to dilute the paste in a few drops of machine oil in order to increase work efficiency. The price of the material is from 300 to 500 rubles per kilogram.

The question still remains of how to polish the glass at the final finishing stage. For this purpose, diamond pastes of appropriate concentration are used. The same materials are involved in processing before painting plastic on a car.

Advice from car enthusiasts for those who want to remove scratches from their car windshield

• It's easier to install a new one

“I had the following experience. I decided to find out the cost of polishing glass with scratches. They asked for the service from 6 to 8 thousand. At the same time, glass from China costs 10–13 thousand. Conclusion: it’s easier to change the glass than to bother with polishing.”

• Can be removed

“Glass defects can be polished, but it is hard work compared to polishing other parts. For this reason, not all specialists want to do such work. I know firsthand, I earn money by polishing car bodies and glass.”

• This is just unreal!

“Polishing windshield defects can be compared to drifting in a front-wheel drive car. The laws of physics say that the success of this venture is unattainable. For example, polishing paintwork comes down to removing the varnish to the depth of the scratch. Moreover, the varnish is removed from a sufficiently large area so that the difference in the thickness of the varnish is not noticeable.

It’s the same with glass - you need to remove such a layer of it to completely remove the scratch, and even to a width of 10-15 cm around the perimeter of the defect. This is impossible to do purely technically!

Therefore, it is more advisable to either replace the windshield or continue to drive with defects on it.”

• Glass is polished to 100%

“I can conclude that many people do not have experience in this area. The glass is quite polishable. But this is hard and slow work. And no glass distortion after processing. However, you need to have some specialized tool and clearly know the sequence of actions. Therefore, it is easier to contact a specialist. The likelihood of successfully completing the work on your own is low. Do not use the skin under any circumstances!”

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• The result is simply gorgeous

“I have no experience of such work, but I have seen polished glass. A friend at a service station had a composition applied to the glass to fill defects. Then they polished it, but not much. Just removed excess filler. Of course, they didn’t say the name of the product. As a result, the glass looks like new.”

Final recommendations for removing scratches from a windshield

Both inexperienced and seasoned car enthusiasts make mistakes when polishing glass. To correct deficiencies, you have to contact specialists or change the part. If you have scratched your windshield and are wondering how to remove the scratch, listen to these tips:

1. Don't rush into polishing. It is better to consult a specialist to see if the work can be done. Sometimes it's cheaper to just replace the glass.
2. Tooth powder is not suitable for polishing windshields. It is good for processing headlights, since the material there is thicker. Using powder on your windshield will only increase the number of defects.
3. It is not always appropriate to use GOI paste, although it is often recommended on the Internet. The thing is that these funds come in several types. If you make the wrong choice, you can get the effect of microlenses, which will increase the load on the driver’s vision.
4. It's important not to overdo it. If you put too much pressure on the sander, you can ruin everything. It is better to work without haste, delicately and carefully.
5. During polishing, you need to control the temperature of the glass, as it may crack due to overheating.
6. If you decide to fix scratches yourself, it is wise to find the removed glass and get the hang of it.
7. You can actually remove microcracks on the windshield from exposure to debris and dust with your own hands. Only professionals can deal with deep defects.

Is it possible to learn polishing yourself?

People learn this too! True, you will have to invest a lot of time. What is the cost of choosing a quality machine and suitable paste? To learn all the details and technology, you need to be really interested and love cars! If garage talk has never inspired you, the knowledge gained will not be worth the time and pain.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to remove saffron milk caps and rust from a car body with your own hands

If you have already decided to take on the task of putting the glass in order, approach this task responsibly and do not entertain yourself with illusions. The only more or less working “folk” remedy may save money, but it will take a lot of time and will not bring the desired result. The remaining methods are either frankly useless or unsafe! It turns out that all that remains is to master the science of polishing by purchasing a machine, discs and paste, or give the car into the hands of professionals and sleep peacefully!