Anyone ever polish a windshield?

[Hay Dude]

My IH-7500 windshield has thousands of fine scratches on it. It almost looks “hazy”.
Am I on the right track that it might need to be polished?

Anyone do this and can impart some constructive or helpful suggestions on what product/technique to use?

 

[Engineer42]

Test a small area with toothpaste

 

[not2old]

I used to work at a business that had a glass shop and I bought the polisher when the glass shop closed. It is a slow speed sander usually used with a foam disc for feather edging when body working on a car. There was a three inch disc on it for polishing glass with jewelers rouge. I don't remember where I bought the rouge and if you want to see a picture of the device, I can't send it until I return home on the week-end.

 

[Rockbadchild]

yes use cerium oxide glass polish

 

[dodge man]

I have a Porter Cable buffer meant for polishing and waxing cars. They make pads and polish made for windshields. The buffing pads are pretty thin so you get more pressure. I get my stuff from Griot’s Garage. I think getting scratches out of a windshield is like getting them out of paint. If you can hook the defect with your finger nail, it’s not going to polish out.

 

[gstrom99]

IHMO, you'll never get it satisfactory, if it has "thousands" of pits. I've polished a few (with the correct tools and paste), that had defective wiper arm streaks. They never came out very good.

 

[Hay Dude]

Wonder if this is best left to a “pro”? Like a body shop or windshield rep. shop?

 

[BleedingOrange]

Haydude, have you priced out a new windshield ? It doesn,t look much bigger than the one I had replaced on my 2008 Ford F150. I paid 300 cash canadian funds to have it replaced. Huge difference from the old pitted one.

 

[Hay Dude]

Haydude, have you priced out a new windshield ? It doesn,t look much bigger than the one I had replaced on my 2008 Ford F150. I paid 300 cash canadian funds to have it replaced. Huge difference from the old pitted one.

Well this is an “International” windshield.
I bet it’s $1,000+
Like these clowns want $1,000 for a new rubber floor mat…

I was looking at this kit from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Nu-Finish-Windshield-Polishing-Applicator/dp/B0DK45X7Q5/ref=sr_1_6?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LzVFMHCGl8d4TGyOkD8IEer_RCdBArsN1P0aCbbvvCDiPnvUVXmojuHA6xFCo2PyyIMU6wJt__bpJ9j4PhscEYkuZ_mFBeyCmsvzCOzNNpmez8eUTiqjhtu_ROvuB9F0DJxkqOrlf1dJNzDezUZX5oIVN1nsR8-Z5oO9Uxm-yCvMuCHZ784duVprfyRYxI11tt3iAeiNcSQPWMDL90ik28cyfDx0cp3JtSkUdaoE3D8elqbbUqk3OALzrsNlyxz-kEaFTO4B8JABrwUyFoWcxfeykMmjYHWpYyWy5mpZP7GfWaadniUJeuPm-NfQuoKAwBUb94Vd9-Ii0D0IcWOVHeaSutVDLwH83xUpxJ1KcpNJKDaCN9wccRGQY-tq0C-kitU3bIXTuFLBjRVHe-dxCcYnGVHq4gJ8bxQdDjJ7Wf9UzgjUdjF0_J5m9LjIGvjH.xfOEsbqS9b3MVrrzoOJxszvr08SpKbHmKqvGx0WNJAU&dib_tag=se&keywords=windshield+polishing+kit&qid=1739230036&sr=8-6

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I was in the glass business for 35 years, worked with pieces of glass that cost 10s of thousands of $$. If you value your time at more than 1 dollar per hour, just get a new windshield. It is basically impossible to get these out and not have the glass destorted. Like was already mentioned, if you can feel it, you aren't going to fix it. I use to go by if your finger nail caught it, time to get a new piece of glass.

Like was mentioned, get a price for a new windshield, don't guess. Go to an auto glass shop and actually check.

 

[Hay Dude]

I was in the glass business for 35 years, worked with pieces of glass that cost 10s of thousands of $$. If you value your time at more than 1 dollar per hour, just get a new windshield. It is basically impossible to get these out and not have the glass destorted. Like was already mentioned, if you can feel it, you aren't going to fix it. I use to go by if your finger nail caught it, time to get a new piece of glass.

Like was mentioned, get a price for a new windshield, don't guess. Go to an auto glass shop and actually check.

These scratches are not the typical WW lines you would see. These look like steel wool “squiggles” scratches.

 

[4570Man]

Well this is an “International” windshield.
I bet it’s $1,000+
Like these clowns want $1,000 for a new rubber floor mat…

I was looking at this kit from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Nu-Finish-Windshield-Polishing-Applicator/dp/B0DK45X7Q5/ref=sr_1_6?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LzVFMHCGl8d4TGyOkD8IEer_RCdBArsN1P0aCbbvvCDiPnvUVXmojuHA6xFCo2PyyIMU6wJt__bpJ9j4PhscEYkuZ_mFBeyCmsvzCOzNNpmez8eUTiqjhtu_ROvuB9F0DJxkqOrlf1dJNzDezUZX5oIVN1nsR8-Z5oO9Uxm-yCvMuCHZ784duVprfyRYxI11tt3iAeiNcSQPWMDL90ik28cyfDx0cp3JtSkUdaoE3D8elqbbUqk3OALzrsNlyxz-kEaFTO4B8JABrwUyFoWcxfeykMmjYHWpYyWy5mpZP7GfWaadniUJeuPm-NfQuoKAwBUb94Vd9-Ii0D0IcWOVHeaSutVDLwH83xUpxJ1KcpNJKDaCN9wccRGQY-tq0C-kitU3bIXTuFLBjRVHe-dxCcYnGVHq4gJ8bxQdDjJ7Wf9UzgjUdjF0_J5m9LjIGvjH.xfOEsbqS9b3MVrrzoOJxszvr08SpKbHmKqvGx0WNJAU&dib_tag=se&keywords=windshield+polishing+kit&qid=1739230036&sr=8-6

I’ve never bought an international windshield but I put one in my topkick dump truck pre Covid for like $220 and I put one in my F-350 a few weeks ago for $350. I’d at least get a price before you mess with it.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If you can feel them, forget about it.

Even if you can't, at best you will hide some of them so it might look OK if the light and angle are "just right".
This is an exercise that you don't want to do. It will NEVER be as good as a new windshield, not even close.

 

[Hay Dude]

I don’t think I could feel them. They’re extremely light & fine, but there’s so many of them.
OK, I will look into a price. I’ve had some bad windshield replacement experiences….

 

[Rustyiron]

These scratches are not the typical WW lines you would see. These look like steel wool “squiggles” scratches.

Are you sure you just don't need glasses?
It looks like it's a "gasket" style so junk yard? I'd keep researching, including an independent auto glass shop. I remember the "bullseye" or chip repair kits that would make them invisible, and that was a long time ago. There might be something similar just for your windshields particular condition.
I understand your hesitation to ask the IH parts guy!

 

[dodge man]

Nu Finish stuff is ok but I wouldn’t expect much on it for scratches. Without seeing your windshield if you got a 50% improvement I’d be thrilled. I’d be thinking power buffer though.

 

[bmaverick]

I don’t think I could feel them. They’re extremely light & fine, but there’s so many of them.
OK, I will look into a price. I’ve had some bad windshield replacement experiences….

White toothpaste with baking soda is the preferred trick for a few scratches.

I've had some success with a glass-polishing compound made from diamond powder. It's available from the Eastwood Company. This way all those 1,000s of micro scratches can be removed. Classic vehicle restoration where old glass is unobtainable is done this way.
Price this stuff around too.

Amazon.com

 

[two_bit_score]

Eastwood sells Autosol as a healight restoration buffing compound.

Search results for: 'Headlight Restoration'

The Eastwood Company provides unique automotive tools and supplies, as well as expert advice and solutions, for the classic car and hot rod enthusiast. Visit us online today.

www.eastwood.com

 

[Hay Dude]

White toothpaste with baking soda is the preferred trick for a few scratches.

I've had some success with a glass-polishing compound made from diamond powder. It's available from the Eastwood Company. This way all those 1,000s of micro scratches can be removed. Classic vehicle restoration where old glass is unobtainable is done this way.
Price this stuff around too.

Amazon.com

This is what I was thinking of doing ^^^
Figured $50 bucks an a few hours might make enougha improvement

 

[riptides]

Try a swipe with brake fluid. If that turns out OK...you might try the pastes route and buffers.