jessicamor

I recently bought a CPO 2016 RX350. This morning was a dark, rainy drive to work, and I discovered my windshield has some sort of hazy area right in front of the driver's seat. The car is relatively new to me. I don't know if the previous owner used something like RainX or a polish of some sort on the windshield that might have left this odd patchy residue that only appears in the rain, but it was a dangerous commute since the hazy spot made seeing in the rain quite difficult. I did a search online and realize that I might have a tough job removing that haze. People have recommended tons of things: light steel wool, acetone, Magic Erasers, Bon Ami or Bar Keeper's Friend, straight vinegar, Dawn, 409, and a variety of de-greasers, crud-busters, and specialty window cleaning solutions that range from $10-$30. I'll start with the easy stuff tonight - vinegar, Dawn, Magic Erasers. My question is about damaging the windshield. Does anyone know if the 2016 RX 350 has a protective film, cover, or another type of thing that I need to be mindful of as I try to buff that spot out? I don't want to cause damage that ultimately results in having to replace the windshield. I also realize this will likely require a wiper blade replacement, in case the goo is on the blades also.

chunktwo

iTrader: (2)

i would start with just simple windshield cleaner (windex or others) with newspaper or microfiber towels. i would NOT use the magic eraser or steel wool - i would think you can run the risk of putting fine scratches on the glass.

after that - the dawn stuff would be my next step in case the previous owner put some type of wax or polish on the windshield. again stay away from anything that is abrasive.

BensonTT

Do you vape in your car?

Usual

The challenge with cleaning oily haze is that you need to remove it, not smear it around.
Waffle-weave micro-fiber towels are like magic for cleaning haze on the inside of a windshield. One for the glass cleaner and a second dry one for wiping.
Magic eraser with glass cleaner has worked well for me in the past but only use with ZERO pressure - they can be very abrasive. I would use them as a last resort.

GSFRX350

You have a classic case of big city living on your windscreen - diesel fumes and other air borne crud gets on the windscreen while driving around, not a problem until it's wet and you get that haze.

There is no film to worry about but as others have said don't use steel wool it can scratch. I'd try straight vinegar first, it's a mild acid that won't harm the glass; use a microfiber cloth, you could also use a dish-washing detergent which may dissolve some of the crud. When I clay my car I do the windscreen too, leaves a very smooth finish, then top off with Rain-X type product which will help stop the crud sticking in the first place. A good set of wipers over time will remove that crud too, helps if you have some washer fluid in the reservoir.

jessicamor

I don't vape or smoke at all.

jessicamor

Thanks for the suggestions. Yesterday after work I used vinegar and a couple of waffle-weave micro-fiber rags and spend numerous minutes really wiping it down, changing out rags midway through. I also wiped down the windshield wipers. In my garage it seemed a little better but it was hard to see without the true conditions I had on the road yesterday (raining hard in the dark with headlights coming at me). Of course, today was a clear drive to work and the windshield looks awesome. I hope it was that easy, but I won't really know until I get another good rain. Thank you all for sharing a few minutes with me. If this didn't work, I'll know what to try next.

GunnyFitz

If you have the Windshield Replacement feature in your auto policy, use it for a new Lexus Windshield. Done...