Strange fingerprints on windows
Matt
windows have these strange fingerprints on the outside of the upper
pane just above the meeting rails. I've tried cleaning them with a
razor blade, soap and water, Windex, Simple Green (full strength), Goo-
Gone, Goof-off and Turpentine. With tons of elbow grease, I'm able to
get the fingerprints off - with no one product obviously dissolving
whatever the fingerprints are made from. Still, when I go to clean
the window afterward, just spraying a soapy solution to squeegee, you
can clearly see where the fingerprints are - even though the window is
mostly clear. I have 19 windows to go and dread the thought of having
to spend 15-20 minutes on each getting these prints off and even then
- not really getting them all the way off. Any ideas what they could
be and what would dissolve them without damaging the glass or windows?
DerbyDad03
Try these things, in this order, or based on what you already have in
the house.
WD-40
Lighter fluid (Rossignol or Zippo, not charcoal)
Acetone
Ron
If you can only see them when you spray the window with something, why
are you worried about them?
DerbyDad03
Because they're there?
Ron
I guess....a waste of time IMO.
Oren
Caution about the Acetone. Do not get it on the vinyl as it will cause
damage.
aemeijers
Sounds like somebody in the factory had bare dirty hands when they
assembled the sashes or the windows. Residue from the glue that holds
the glass panel in the frame, I suspect. Warm solvent, warm vinyl, glass
surface that it is cleaner than it will ever be again, viola, permanent
fingerprints on the glass. A more permanent version of the wiping
pattern you see on the inside of your windshield when you fire up the
defroster, even though the glass looks perfectly clear in bright
sunlight. Glass ain't solid, it is a supercooled liquid. Not that hard
for stuff to bond with it.
Having said all that- let go of the OCD- nobody else notices or cares.
First good rainstorm, the light layer of haze on the outside of the
glass will hide all until you scrub again.
--
aem sends...
Sum Guy
> Any ideas what they could be and what would dissolve them without
> damaging the glass or windows?
Lacquer thinner. Won't hurt glass, but don't get it on any painted
surface, or plastic. I haven't come across anything that it won't
dissolve, remove, clean, etc. Lacquer thinner is the only thing that
can remove the very nasty PL-premium adhesive (and probably also
expanding foam) from your hands before it dries.
Something else that might also work well in your case - gasoline.
In both cases, just a teaspoon full on a folded half-sized paper towel
or rag is enough.
Oren
I've used some urethane caulk, the stuff used to build school buses.
freight train cars or used in fender well/trunk seams of automobiles.
Choices are chewing it off your hands or repeated use of a pumice
stone in the shower. Get it in your hair and the only solution is to
clip the hair out.
Get in one your clothes - well it _never_ comes out. BTDT.
One of those "I wouldn't want to be the one that takes this thing
apart."
Fred says, "It will stick to a ball of lard."
Sonny
•14 - What can I use to clean my vinyl windows?
A few drops of a mild liquid cleaner in a bucket of water is
sufficient. If you have more stubborn build-up, the following
household cleaners work well: Formula 409, Ajax Liquid Cleaner, Murphy
\'s Oil Soap, Lysol Cleaner, Soft Scrub, or vinegar and water. The
following cleaners or types of cleaners should NOT be used on vinyl;
Clorox, Pine Power, Ivory, Grease Relief, Tide Detergent, nail polish
remover (acetone).
If all fails, there is a paste polish that glass companies used....
can't recall the name. About $30 for a 6 oz can. It is used to sand
out small scratches, unusual finger prints, etc. Very fine grit... It
actually sands down the glass to remove whatever. The same stuff lens
polishers use for making/cleaning lenses for things like telescopes,
microscopes, etc., also. Maybe your local glass supplier will sell
you a tablespoon. It doesn't take much, if you only have a few spots
to clean/repair.
Sonny
Tony
Maybe the fingerprints are etched *into* the glass and not *on* it? Try
some glass polish (a very fine abrasive) found in some auto parts stores
to polish windshields.
Long ago I had a brand new company car that for the few years I had it,
I could never get rid of some streaks when the wipers were running. The
streaks ran vertically, looked like some kind of liquid had run down and
etched the windshield. I didn't think of glass polish then.
Ron
>. A more permanent version of the wiping
> pattern you see on the inside of your windshield when you fire up the
> defroster, even though the glass looks perfectly clear in bright
> sunlight.
Clean the inside of your windshield properly and you won't have a
"wiping pattern".
Matt
Maybe it is some residue from the caulk, but I would have thought that
the goof-off would have taken care of that, if not the turpentine.
After 15-20 minutes of scrubbing and rubbing it looks clean, and is
only visible when the window is wet, foggy, or the sun hits it at the
right angle. So I'm not worried about those situations (no OCD), I'm
more concerned with having to vigorously scrub 19 more windows for 20
minutes to achieve satisfactory results. Especially when half those
windows are on the second story and I'll have to half hang myself out
the window to be able to get any leverage.
Thanks for the other suggestions - I'll try lacquer thinner and
gasoline and just be careful about where I get it.
N8N
Except then you will need to clean the glass with something else,
because lacquer thinner will leave a hazy, streaky residue of its
own. However, I have had to resort to that on occasion for
particularly troublesome windshields.
nate
Smitty Two
<5f9c89a3-b4df-4e7c...@i28g2000yqa.googlegroups.com>,
Matt <mattme...@gmail.com> wrote:
Along with those ideas, I'll throw in serious magnification. At least a
magnifying visor. A good close look might help you identify and remove
the prints. If they're really *on* the glass you might be able to remove
them with a razor blade and water (water keeps the blade from scratching
the glass.)
bud--
Acetone can also dissolve the oils out of your fingers which can be
unpleasant. Gloves are suggested. Acetone will attack some of them.
As Sonny and Tony suggest, a fine abrasive may be needed. If I remember
right, a paste of baking soda is very a very mild abrasive. Some
household cleaners include abrasives.
DerbyDad03
re: "I'll try lacquer thinner and gasoline"
Not at the same time, I hope!
...and put out that d*mn cigarette.
chaniarts
this is not correct. it is not a supercooled liquid. it is an amorphous
solid.
http://www.obscure.org/physics-faq/General/Glass/glass.html
> Having said all that- let go of the OCD- nobody else notices or cares.
> First good rainstorm, the light layer of haze on the outside of the
> glass will hide all until you scrub again.
regards,
charlie
http://www.glassartists.org/ChaniArts
