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When purchasing a car, each person should be aware that, together with a personal convenient means of transportation, he also receives possible problems in his operation.
In this article we will discuss a very annoying problem: scratches on the windshield. When every day you look at the world through this glass, thin numerous strips start to bother.
Causes of scratching
By purchasing a car, you unwittingly admire its perfect appearance: no paint chips, no scratches on the case and glass, clean interior. But with time and long-term operation, quite unattractive nuances are added to the appearance of the car, which you want to get rid of as soon as possible.
Where do the windshield scratches come from? It is unlikely that the car owner intentionally “injured” his vehicle by running sandpaper on the glass.So.
- The first and most common reason for the appearance of hard-core scratches is sand and urban dust clogged under the windshield wipers. If you neglect and periodically flush the "wipers", over time you can see thin lanes in the direction of their movement. This indicates that the hard particles have a place to be in large quantities, and the wipers now make the glass not shiny, but streaked with noticeable scratches.
- The second reason is small debris and stone rubble, flying out from under the wheels of cars in front of them. In particular, outside the city and at high speeds such “projectiles” can cause serious damage to the windshield of your car right up to chips and cracks on it.
- The third reason is improper cleaning and polishing of the car. The tools that you use or the master in the service station is also able to leave behind scratches.
To prevent scratches on the windshield can only be in one case - do not use the machine at all. Otherwise, it remains only to respond in time to the appearance of damage in order to quickly repair them.
Ways to remove scratches from glass
Since scratches are easy to damage the coating, removing them is easy. Here we consider two options:
- Independent work. In fact, this means that you yourself are buying the necessary tools and materials and get to work, following the instructions below. It is worth choosing this option if you are really confident in your abilities and are not afraid to aggravate the situation. Otherwise, use the second way.
- Appeal to a specialized auto repair. Here it will be done by trained professional masters who do this work not for the first time. Of course, you will have to pay for such a service, but you will have a guarantee that the work is done qualitatively.
It is necessary to choose according to your own forces and means so that the end result will satisfy you. If you are sure that you can cope without the help of professionals, then read on.
Self Scratch Removal
The whole process takes place in several stages, disregard for any of which can turn into unpleasant consequences. Always follow the instructions carefully!
Selection of tools
When choosing a tool, treat it with the utmost care so that the wrong tool will not aggravate the situation.
- The main tool is a polishing machine.
- Mandrels for grinding and polishing discs.
- Polishing felt circle (about 10 pcs.)
- Grinding discs (if you are going to process deep scratches).
- Polishing powder or paste.
- Goggles, spray gun, protective adhesive tape.
Important: rotation of the polishing wheel - no more than 1700 revolutions per minute. In the absence of such a tool or because it is impossible to buy it, use a drill with a cloth attachment on the chuck.
Work surface preparation
- Wash the glass thoroughly and wipe it dry with a dry cloth. There should be no stains and traces of dirt.
- Determine the places that directly require treatment and select them in any way (marker, tape, etc.). Do not forget to cover something (adhesive tape, polyethylene, paper) adjacent to the glass of the car, so that after polishing the glass you don’t have to rub the pieces of paste from the whole body.
- Close the door tightly so that nothing extra gets into the cabin.
Polishing
- Apply paste or powder to the grinding wheel and a small section of glass. Do not immediately cover the entire surface - the paste will dry out and will cease to be elastic.
- Clean the windshield should be smooth forward movements, without exerting strong pressure. Do not let the glass heat up - it may deepen the existing cracks (use a spray gun to cool it).
- Clean each parcel separately and do not go around on the intact surface.
- The surface to be treated is marked with scotch tape (30 * 30 cm is acceptable), and the polisher is in constant motion (hold the tool at an angle of 5º).
Final stage
Remove any paste and wash the treated surface. In case of blackouts or remaining scratches - repeat processing.
If you could not cope with the removal of scratches on their own, contact a specialized auto repair. Do not put this problem on the back burner so that you do not have to completely replace the windshield. Use the tips above and your car will be in perfect shape!
Video: removal of chips on the windshield of a car in 30 minutes
To send
Professional opinion: any scratches are cleaned by grinding and polishing, with the exception of hard-to-reach places. The only question is the ratio of the cost of restoration / replacement.