Clearing 'something' off the windscreen.

[un1corn]

My car has something on the windscreen and it looks pitted. I thought the screen was knackered through grit or something until I took a closer look.

It looks like tree sap but endless washes and windscreen sweeps did nothing to it.

Anyway today I took a stanley knife to the windscreen. With some vigorous scratching (but being careful not to scratch the glass) i managed to clear a good inch square of whatever this crap was. I suspect maybe it is tree sap that has gone so hard, only a blade will get it off.

However, i do risk scratching the glass, and to clear the whole screen using this method would literally take fking hours.

Does anyone have any alternative suggestions?

[Hugo a Gogo]

rubbing alcohol, or nail varnish remover

the good news is that it's not sap, it's insect excretions

some say fatty oils will get it off too, from WD40, to lard, to mayonnaise

Edited by Hugo a Gogo on Monday 23 March 13:23

[Zippee]

Petrol or white spirit on a rag should fetch it off.

[WinstonWolf]

Jif is worth a try on glass

[Pet Troll]

Use the blade but with lots of lubricant. This video shows how it's done (start from 1.55).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4WwOrkgXlc&t=...

[Amirhussain]

Jet wash?...

[Shaw Tarse]

Soak a towel in soapy water, leave it on screen?
Or petrol/white spirit ^^^

Or the one time some PHers condone insurance fraud, lob a brick at it?

[ZOLLAR]

Try this sort of thing.

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/cleaning-b...

once it's all off give the screen a good wash.

[RobinBanks]

Shaw Tarse said:

Soak a towel in soapy water, leave it on screen?
Or petrol/white spirit ^^^

Or the one time some PHers condone insurance fraud, lob a brick at it?

Nah, hit it with a hammer. The brick will likely bounce onto the bonnet

Alternatively, burn it to the ground and claim for the whole car?

[un1corn]

cheers guys ill give all the above a try.

[parabolica]

Zippee said:

Petrol or white spirit on a rag should fetch it off.

And a match. Job done.

[graham22]

Cellulose thinners - in my experience will shift most things. Needless to say, keep clear from surrounding plastic & paint (someone here may say it's ok on waterbased paints but I wouldn't like to try).

If that sounds drastic try from good Traffic Film Remover (TFR).

Edited by graham22 on Monday 23 March 15:10

[Drive Blind]

clay bar worth a try?

[Glassman]

un1corn said:

However, i do risk scratching the glass, and to clear the whole screen using this method would literally take fking hours.

Does anyone have any alternative suggestions?

Wet the glass. Keep the blade moving in straight lines. Once you get the knack, the whole windscreen will take a couple of minutes.

[CallorFold]

Drive Blind said:

clay bar worth a try?

This - supposedly a clay bar is just as good at cleaning glass as it is the bodywork.

[TurboHatchback]

ZOLLAR said:

Try this sort of thing.

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/cleaning-b...

once it's all off give the screen a good wash.

That stuff is great, perfect for removing that sort of thing.

[BritishRacinGrin]

I'd use a razor blade. Nail varnish remover (acetone) will shift most things too and you'll probably have some in the house.

[Easternlight]

Another vote for clay bar, I have to do mine regularly. Working on an industrial estate you get all kinds of crap on your car.

[Blue Oval84]

Tar remover / stanley blade in a scraper (not a knife) / clay mitt would be the three things I'd give a bash...