Did Rain-x ruin my windshield or is it normal (how to make it better)?

I doubt Rain-X is the culprit. If applied properly, Rain-X is VERY good at what it is designed to do -- let rainwater blow off the windshield in the airstream without using wipers. "Spotty" film could be the result of tree sap, pollen, bugs, tar or a combination.

Instead of trying to use the wipers to clean the windshield, clean it by hand thoroughly, then get new wiper blades. You may have to use an ammonia cleaner or other "heavy duty" cleaner along with a nylon scrubber pad.

Once the windshield is clean, you can try Rain-X if you want. However, do NOT apply Rain-X to a dirty windshield! It won't "fix" ANYthing!

It's actually an alcohol of some kind.

Could be rubber from worn wiper blades...

ACtually there used to be a product called "glass wax" but I haven't seen it available for years.

nate

Did you make sure to rub it off after applying it? Many people think all the have to do is just apply it to the windshield. If you put it on and don't rub it off after it has set there for a minute or so, your windows are a big mess.

If you follow the directi> "hls" wrote...

If we wern't to use wipers why do we have them quess like signals to look good Ha Ha

my neighbor had that on a car he purchased, and didnt like it for whatever reason. he used clean rags and gasoline to clean and replaced his wiper blades.

use glass cleaner, then gasoline, then glass cleaner. install new blades.

my father in law uses rain X and swears by it.....

sure environmentally incorrect but I remember when gasoline was a universal solvent for near everything......

Considering that Rain-X should be the same everywhere, and windshields should be the same everywhere, it would seem that those who report problems are the source of those problems due to not following application directions properly.

For my Rain-X applications I clean the glass well first with decent glass cleaner. I find the Zep brand glass cleaner seems to be one of the best. Once the glass is clean and dry and also cooler and out of the direct sun I apply the Rain-X and buff well with one of the micro fiber cloths. I make a complete pass around to all the windows and then make a second pass paying extra attention to the final buffing with a second dry micro fiber cloth.

I never have any issues with streaks or spots and the Rain-X action lasts for a few months. I do prefer the spray bottle Rain-X over the old "lighter fluid bottle" type for ease of application.

If we wern't to use wipers why do we have them quess like signals to look good Ha Ha

That was coherent!?

And therefore weather conditions are the same everywhere. We all get the same contaminants in the air, the same amount of bird crap, the same amount of tree sap, the same temperature differentials, the same humidity.

Really? What were those marks?

I looked more closely at the windshield in the early morning hours just now. The spotty film is all over the windshield - everywhere. I really doubt tree sap would be everywhere. Pretty much, it has to be something that was 'smeared' on somehow since every inch of the windshield is covered.

Funny thing, today it was damp enough for fog to be on the inside and I noticed even the inside had the spotty film. It's BOTH on the inside and on the outside. Jeeeezus.

I tried the brake cleaner for about 20 minutes and I hope that works. I rubbed with a white towel and applied the brake cleaner from a spray can. The stuff dries pretty quickly so I had to keep applying it. You can get high in my car now, just sitting there, so I left the windows open. We'll see if it works to get rid of whatever it is that is smeared on both the inside and the outside of the windshield.

I agree, once the initial cleaning and applying is done (not easy)...subsequent application is easy.

I would think that Rain-X shouldn't be sold much in coastal California since it almost never rains here. Yes, the song is wrong. When it does rain, it just drizzles all day. So Rain-X is all bad and never gets to be good.

I grew up in Florida so I certainly know what real rain is. Out here in California, it won't rain a drop for ten months, and then for two months, there's wet air for weeks. But not really rain. I've been here five years now and haven't seen a real rain yet.

Point is, I want to get that horrid rain-x off my windshield! I sure hope the brake cleaner, recommended by Kraagen, works. Time will tell.

None of which have any relevance to the application process. And for additional reference, I've used Rain-X in CT and in TX and it works equally well in both climates. I've also driven Rain-Xed vehicles between CT and TX and the Rain-X has performed well in all the climates between the two. So again, if you found you had problems with Rain-X, I'd suggest trying it again, paying particular attention to the application process.

As posted earlier, it has alcohol as one of the solvents/carriers, but alcohol isn't the "active" ingredient...

Ingredient # 01 Ingredient Name *WATER (50-90%) CAS Number 7732185 Proprietary NO Percent 90 Ingredient # 02 Ingredient Name METHANOL (20-35%) CAS Number 67561 Proprietary N0 Percent 35 Ingredient # 03 Ingredient Name BENZENEMETHANAMINIUM, N-[2-[(2,6-DIMETHYLPHENYL)AMINO]-2-OXOETHYL]-N,N-DIETHYL-, BENZOATE (

Rain-X now sells Windshield wiper fluid additive (mix with water), window cleaner additive (mix with to water), Winter de-icing washer fluid (full strength), and windshield wipers. I use 3 of the 4 fluids, besides the spray.

on 10/7/2007 9:18 AM Edwin Pawlowski said the following:

Some probably don't get the acid rain that is popular in the NE

-- used to be a product called "glass wax"

Glass Wax was a glass cleaner that did not do the same thing that Rain- X does. Glass Wax was a thick pink liquid that dried white just like car wax. Once dried, you "polished" the glass with a rag to remove. It provided no "rain slides off without wipers" feature. It did do a good job of cleaning glass as well as a number of other surfaces.

It was also good for decorating your windows for the holidays. See a can here:

I know that it wasn't the same sort of product as Rain-X, but I wish I could find some because it did do a heck of a job cleaning up windshields. A friend used to have a can but it is long gone, and I haven't seen any new on the market.

nate