Folks,
Our rear plastic windows get little respect. Either they are semi-permanently locked up with the soft top and rarely used (like mine) or they might be up all the time, thus suffering UV exposure. Neither is really good for the vinyl. One causes creases and scratches, the other accelerates the aging process. Ugh.
Hauser, if you are satisfied that your window is getting cleaned properly but you believe that static is causing it to be a dust magnet, next time you clean it, try spraying Static Guard on a clean cloth and doing a final wipe of the window with that. We used to use it on rotating Lexan/Perspex drums in the printing industry to do the same thing--prevent dust attraction. It worked well. You can get Static Guard at any grocery, drug or hardware store.
Our windows are clear PVC which is vinyl. They are clear and flexible due to plasticizers in the vinyl. The plasticizers eventually "outgas" from the vinyl, and then it begins to yellow and get hard, or at least, lose its suppleness.
The vinyl compound is pretty similar to clear vinyl tubing; (Richard, that's the tubing I sent you for your washer fluid); I would imagine differences only because of vendors.
According to my chemical charts for the effect of various cleaning agents and chemicals on clear PVC vinyl, concentrations less than 10% of "mild" acids such as acetic are listed as a
good resistance; it goes down with higher concentrations; at 60%, it is still good to fair; concentrated is not recommended. [Why on earth anyone would consider using something you need a mask and gloves for to clean a window is a bit beyond my comprehension.] Citric Acid is listed as good resistance in
any concentration. Putting it into perspective, pure lemon juice is a 5% citric acid concentration. The lemon in any cleaning product is going to be somewhat more dilute than pure lemon juice; it should not be an issue unless the manufacturer precludes plastic use, and I bet that would be because of solvents, not because of lemon.
About the only chemicals that we might have general access to as car buffs that
really attack clear PVC vinyl with immediate results are organic solvents; things such as toluene, trichlorethylene, etc. So, spray cans of carb cleaner, brake cleaner and commercial degreasers are a no-no. They just about all tell you that, too. Read the labels.
Clear PVC vinyl is even resistant to alcohol and ammonia--think Windex and tradional window cleaners.
So, what should you use? Well, if your window is really full of dirt and dust, to prevent scratching the best thing to do is use water or air. You simply want to get the dust and dirt off of it with
no friction. When you've removed as much of the dust and dirt as you can by air and water, then use a purpose made cleaner for plastics; if you don't want to spend the money on that a little soap works too--just something with some surfactants in it.
I would not be afraid of window cleaners, any lemon products, etc. unless they specifically preclude use on plastics; but mostly they are not that necessary.
Like so many other things, the manufacturers have all kinds of things out there for us to spend our money on to clean our clear plastic windows. You'll find a selection at any auto parts store and maybe more at a boat store (probably at a higher price!) Here's a few products and tips to explore:
http://www.diamondite.com/http://www.hurricaneshuttersflorida.com/flashutter/windows/TheCareandFeedingofYourClearVinylBoatWindows.htmhttp://www.ez2cy.com/other_enclosures/e_printable.htmlhttp://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/MKT/MKT6414.htmlhttp://www.autogeek.net/3mplasclean.htmlhttp://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_list.asp?HDR=search&SEARCH=plastic
