How to remove scratches from car glass from windshield wipers, how to remove small and deep damage on the side and front windows?

The glass in the car should not be damaged, because the driver’s safety on the road depends on the quality of the view.

One of the problems that car owners face is scratches. They can appear due to dirt getting under the wipers, sharp branches and stones flying off from under other cars.

Read the article about the means by which you can remove scratches from car glass, including deep ones.

Damage removal options

There are two options to get rid of scratches - remove them yourself, or contact a specialist.

You will be able to deal with the problem yourself if the defects are minor. If the glass is severely damaged, then it will not be possible to do without the help of a specialist .

To understand how significant the defect is, you need to run your fingernail over it. If it falls into the recess and clings to the walls, the scratch is deep.

You will be able to remove the defect yourself if it appeared due to sand getting under the wipers or due to improper washing of the car. When scratches are the result of stones flying into the windshield or the result of too aggressive cleaning of ice, you will need the help of a specialist.

You need to be prepared for the fact that deep defects cannot be completely removed. Such scratches can be polished by approximately 60%. This improves the appearance of the car, but it is no longer possible to make the glass look like new.

Deep scratches

When very deep scratches appear on the forehead, which cannot be removed with ordinary polishing wheels using the mentioned products or their analogues, many motorists give up.

In practice, there is nothing critical or scary about this. Yes, sometimes deep scratches are more like cracks, and then you have to repair the glass or replace it completely.

There is a good way out of the situation. It’s not the most budget-friendly, but you can definitely save on car service costs. I'm talking about diamond type polishing pads. They have a special diamond coating that can save the front from deeper scratches.

Removal instructions

There are proven products that allow you to remove scratches from your windshield at home. These include:

paste GOI,
toothpaste,
sandpaper.

They all work on the same principle - polishing the surface.

Paste GOI

GOI paste is a substance based on chrome green , organic fats and auxiliary additives (silica gel, stearin, kerosene, etc.). It was developed at the State Optical Institute, after which this unique composition was named. The paste is used for polishing and grinding various glass surfaces, including car windows.

Using GOI paste for the first time, you should not be surprised at its rich emerald color. After polishing, it will not leave marks on the glass.

Algorithm of actions:

Moisten a soft cloth with a small amount of kerosene or gasoline, and then lubricate it with GOI paste.
Apply a small amount of industrial oil to the glass.
Start polishing. Periodically, the paste on the fabric needs to be renewed.
Do not press too hard on the glass. Continue rubbing until the scratch disappears and the glass begins to shine.
The remaining paste is removed with a damp cloth. The work takes about an hour.

Polishing paste is available in the form of hard pencils and bars; it can also have a creamy consistency. In the latter case, the composition is packaged in plastic jars. The average price for 100 g is 250 rubles.

To polish glass, you can use GOI paste No. 2 and No. 3 . They do not contain large abrasive particles that can damage the surface of the product.

Sandpaper

Polishing with sandpaper requires care. If you overdo it, you can provoke the appearance of new defects. To process glass, fine 2500 grit paper is used, but you can start with 600 grit paper.

Procedure:

It is most convenient to sand the surface with a grinder with an attachment for sandpaper with Velcro;
the glass is wetted, the device is turned on at low speed (no more than 1500 per minute), if this indicator is exceeded, the surface may burst;
process the defect with 600 grit sandpaper, after which they switch to 2500 grit sandpaper;
complete the process by applying any polishing compound, spreading it with a felt circle.

To prevent the glass from overheating, water must be supplied to it.

If you don't have a grinder or similar tool, you can do the work manually, but in this case it will take longer.

This video will show you how to remove scratches from car glass:

Toothpaste

To get rid of scratches on glass, you can use toothpaste. To get results, you should choose a composition with a whitening effect. Only this paste contains abrasive particles that can polish the glass surface.

Mode of application:

To make the surface of the glass smooth, you need to polish it with a grinding machine with a felt disc.
Its rotation speed should not exceed 1600 rpm. If you don’t have such a device, you can use a felt cloth.
A small amount of the product is applied to the disc or material.
Rub it into the glass in a circular motion.
When the damage becomes invisible, the treated area is washed with water and wiped dry.

Toothpaste has low effectiveness, so it can only cope with minor surface defects.

What to look for when choosing

When choosing the necessary product, you must pay attention to its characteristics.

For abrasive pastes, the most important parameter is grain size. To eliminate small scratches it should be smaller, for large ones it should be larger.

Glass processing often takes place in 2 stages: first with a larger fraction, then with a fine one.

For optical and protective polishes, the type of binder is important. This can be wax, silicone and Teflon.

Teflon-based products are best; the film is very durable. Wax and silicone are worse, but much cheaper, which is why they are popular.

It is also important that the polish has the properties to repel water and dirt.

Ease of use is of no small importance. It is better if the bottle is equipped with a nozzle for uniform spraying.

How much does the service cost and how to find specialists?

The service for removing scratches from glass is provided in auto repair shops . Private craftsmen do similar work. The cost depends on their volume, number and depth of defects. The average price in Russian cities is 500 rubles.

You can find specialists through advertisements on the Internet. As a rule, in each city there are several workshops that provide polishing services for car parts. It is recommended to choose proven services that have positive reviews.

Before agreeing to carry out the work, you need to clarify what result will be obtained in the end and whether the treatment will affect the strength of the glass.

Since in case of deep defects it is better to replace it. Installing new side windows will cost 800 rubles, and a windshield - 1,500 rubles (the cost of the work is indicated, excluding the price of the part itself).

Is it possible to learn polishing yourself?

People learn this too! True, you will have to invest a lot of time. What is the cost of choosing a quality machine and suitable paste? To learn all the details and technology, you need to be really interested and love cars! If garage talk has never inspired you, the knowledge gained will not be worth the time and pain.

If you have already decided to take on the task of putting the glass in order, approach this task responsibly and do not entertain yourself with illusions. The only more or less working “folk” remedy may save money, but it will take a lot of time and will not bring the desired result. The remaining methods are either frankly useless or unsafe! It turns out that all that remains is to master the science of polishing by purchasing a machine, discs and paste, or give the car into the hands of professionals and sleep peacefully!

Helpful information

Tips for removing scratches from glass:

Before sanding, the surface must be thoroughly cleaned. The ingress of small contaminants will lead to the appearance of new defects.
Do not press too hard on the glass. Movements should be circular and fast.
After processing, the glass is cleaned with a soft cloth to remove any remaining polishing agent.
If the glass is removed for work, it must be securely fixed. However, you cannot use clamps that are too powerful, as it may burst.
If polishing is being done for the first time or with a new product, it is better to first practice on some unnecessary glass.

A lot of useful and important information about methods and means of removing scratches on a car can be found here.

Why is it better to contact a specialist?

And yet, GOI paste and a piece of felt cannot be compared with the equipment in the workshops and the experience of the craftsmen in terms of efficiency and feasibility.

Polishing does not cost exorbitant amounts of money, and the advantages of doing it in a salon are obvious.

You won’t ruin the glass by mixing strong polish on the advice of an expert on the Internet or by choosing the wrong machine speed.
The polisher at its optimal speed works more than 100 times faster than your hand with a cloth.
The service workers have been doing this for several days and know the nuances that are not included in the instructions along with the grinding machine.

Advice

We often create scratches on the windshield ourselves by improperly washing the windows. Do not wipe them dry with rags containing grains of sand or hard fabrics - and the problem of polishing can be slightly delayed.

Polishing just seems like a simple process! To do everything correctly and beautifully, grandmother's advice may not be enough. And risking the integrity of glass worth several thousand rubles out of savings of several hundred is a dubious financial tactic.

Preparatory activities

Before starting work, it is important to responsibly carry out the following preparatory operations:

Using an alcohol-based product, thoroughly clean the glass from existing dirt and greasy stains;
We carefully inspect the surface under the light, using a marker to mark the areas where there are scratches. Mark with a marker on the inside of the glass;
We cover the car body with plastic film, fix it with tape around the entire perimeter, only the glass that needs to be processed remains open.
The areas where polishing is planned are re-treated with an alcohol composition.

After completing the preparatory activities, you can begin the main part of the windshield restoration.

Not just the windshield

Please note that it is not only the windshield that is scratched. One way or another, all car windows wear out.

There may be vertical grooves on the side windows caused by opening and closing the windows. It is necessary to ensure that no abrasive gets between the seal and the glass.

Scratches of varying depths may also appear on the rear window. Often they are left by a scraper when we try to clear ice from glass in the morning. Microscopic scratches on all glass also form during careless car washing, especially when they are wiped with poorly washed napkins.