Cleaning the NT stock windshield w/o scratching?

Gabe

Gabe

Tek Monkey
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
144
Location
Maryland
Bike
2011 Black Honda NT700VA
Hey everyone,

How the heck can I clean the stock windshield without scratching it up more? It looks like plexiglass which scratches really easy, so I don't want to take a paper towel to it, smear dirt and end up with more permanent streaks in the plexiglass than necessary. What do you guys use?

Thanks!

- Gabe
 
Hmmm. Cleaning the windshield; I should try that. Seriously, what I do is lay a soaking wet hot towel over the entire windscreen and let it sit for about 10 minutes. After that I clean it with soapy water and a very soft cloth. When dry, I use Plexus (available at the Honda shop and elsewhere) to polish it up and put a slick finish on it. If the windscreen is not too badly covered with dried critters, I go straight for the Plexus and a soft cloth and skip the water washing all together.
 
I took a hint from someone else on this forum and used 'Great Value' (Wal-Mart brand) furniture polish. It worked great as softening up the dried bugs. Sprayed some more polish on a blue shop towel (the ones that come on a roll like paper towels) and wiped it all down. It came out sparkling clean and no sign of any scratching. Supposedly, the polish acts like Rain-X during wet weather, but I haven't been in a situation to see if that works yet. Although it makes sense that it would.
 
Try this stuff, available in lots of automotive stores, bike shops, etc. I carry a bottle wrapped in a soft cloth, it removes bugs, fingerprints, blood, DNA, all that incriminating evidence. :rofl1:

LL75 :)
 

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  • Novus Plastic Cleaner.jpg
    Novus Plastic Cleaner.jpg
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Slow version: mist the entire windshield with tap water and wait a minute. Then mist the windshield with a 50 to 1 solution of Simple Green. Wait a minute. Wipe off with a high quality paper towel or microfiber towel if you wish. Mist again with water and wipe off. Follow with Plexus treatment as below.

Quick version: get some Plexus plastic cleaner and hold your nose at the price. Spray on windshield. Wait a minute. Wipe off with a microfiber towel never reusing a dirty portion of the towel.
 
Cee Bailey makes a cleaning solution they recommend for their windshields. I'm sure it could be googled. I did it. Never use paper towels. I try to use microfiber cloth.
 
I basically use Rick's method above. Sometimes I just use Plexus, but never if there are serious bug guts to remove. Water will dissolve most anything give some time so it works great. Also, micro fiber towels are your friend. I carry some along with cleaner in my "road kit". Never use paper to wipe the screen. I think the NT screen is polycarbonate. It is harder than plexiglass and MUCH harder than whatever my Suzuki screen was made of. That one scratched just by looking at it wrong. I have found the NT screen forgiving and hard to scratch even when i am vigorously scrubbing to remove a speck that turns out to be chip.
 
Add me to the group recommending Plexus. Its a great plastic cleaner and polish. Originally developed for aviation.
 
The CeeBailey screen is pretty hard. And so is the faceshield on my Schuberth. I got caught in Safeway Wednesday while we were having hail with stones up to golf-ball sign. I could see it bouncing 6-8 feet off of some cars. The windshield and faceshield were unmarked, but I got one dent in my gas tank and the cover of the switch for my Denalis was shattered. I probably won't do anything about the dent, but I've got a switch on the way from Twisted Throttle.
 
larrylarry75 said:
Try this stuff, available in lots of automotive stores, bike shops, etc. I carry a bottle wrapped in a soft cloth, it removes bugs, fingerprints, blood, DNA, all that incriminating evidence. :rofl1:

LL75 :)
Click to expand...

I was a Novus Windshield Repair franchisee (rock chip repair instead of replacement) for 5 years ... so I've been using Novus Plastic Polish for 25 years. I'm no longer affiliated in any way, so I can tell you the stuff works great, is inexpensive and a bottle lasts a long time. Of course you can't remove gouges, scrapes or deep scratches.

The picture LL posted is of the #1 polish. The numbering is kinda counter-intuitive. The #2 polish is the "course grade" polish and should be used first to remove haze and fine scratches then the #1 is the "fine grade" to buff to a shine and provide protection.

The #2 "cuts" best when it's about 1/2 dry. For small areas I just use my fingers.
 
MaggieMan said:
I was a Novus Windshield Repair franchisee (rock chip repair instead of replacement) for 5 years ... so I've been using Novus Plastic Polish for 25 years. I'm no longer affiliated in any way, so I can tell you the stuff works great, is inexpensive and a bottle lasts a long time. Of course you can't remove gouges, scrapes or deep scratches.

The picture LL posted is of the #1 polish. The numbering is kinda counter-intuitive. The #2 polish is the "course grade" polish and should be used first to remove haze and fine scratches then the #1 is the "fine grade" to buff to a shine and provide protection.

The #2 "cuts" best when it's about 1/2 dry. For small areas I just use my fingers.
Click to expand...

Yep, you're right about all that. My ex was a plastics engineering type and a firm supporter of the Novus products which is how I became familiar with them. I use the polish as a bug remover and general cleaner when I'm on the road, don't worry about deep scratches until I get home. I buy the #1 in quart-size jugs and transfer it to the smaller bottles like the one in the photo. I recall they also make a "cleaner" which works but not as effective as #1 for bug removal. It's still the best stuff I've tried and as you say, reasonably priced.
 
Awesome responses, thank you all! I've been paranoid since a curved 3 inch scratch somehow ended up on my windshield (I scratched it somehow, and not sure how as I've been cautious about scratching it)... maybe I sneezed.

I will try several of these and I love the idea of a small road kit... wonder if the plexus could work on my face shield on my helmet at some point.

Thanks!

- Gabe
 
Plexus is a good face shield cleaner. I also use it on the mirrors and the instrument cluster cover.
 
Plexus makes a mini spray just for helmets. About the size of a tube of lipstick. I keep a small can in the bike just for the faceshield. Can save your bacon in a pouring rain if you have treated the faceshield before hand.
 
Phil Tarman said:
The CeeBailey screen is pretty hard. And so is the faceshield on my Schuberth. I got caught in Safeway Wednesday while we were having hail with stones up to golf-ball sign. I could see it bouncing 6-8 feet off of some cars. The windshield and faceshield were unmarked, but I got one dent in my gas tank and the cover of the switch for my Denalis was shattered. I probably won't do anything about the dent, but I've got a switch on the way from Twisted Throttle.
Click to expand...

Look for a very hot day (lots of those, this time of year) and park the bike in the sun so it gets good and toasty. Then put a piece of ice on the dent. Some will just pop out from the thermal shock, and if it doesn't work, it's not like you spent a lot of money on this fix!
 
Thanks for the tip, Katerine. I've got a hot day coming up on Sunday -- 98 F. I'll give it a shot.
 
I have found that SPRAYWAY is the best stuff for cleaning any kind of glass and plastic see throu windshield or screen. Initially developed for hi detailed auto work, this stuff goes on as a foam and wipes off with a soft cloth. No scratches or streaks. Works great on visors too. I follow this up with a thin coat of raincoat water repellant and I am good to go!
 
Actually, cleaning the windshield is mostly a cosmetic issue for me, since I rarely look through it. Rather I look over it. Mine is pretty nasty at the moment with dead insects, though.
 
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