Cleaning Lexan

Clark Lincoln

Clark Lincoln

Well-known member
What's the best way to clean a lexan windscreen? Can light scratches be buffed out? And rain x didn't seem to work the one time I tried using it. Should I use something else? Or just put a wiper back on-or will that scratch the lexan?
Thanks, Clark
 
These products; http://www.novuspolish.com/index.html seem to work very well.

Try coating the windscreen with Rain-X and then let it sit for a couple of days. Then apply another coat of Rain-X. Once that is done re-install it in the car. To keep the windscreen from fogging apply a coat of joy dishwasher detergent to the interior and then buff it off with a soft cloth. Let it sit for a couple of days and then do it again.

Windshield wipers are very aggressive on lexan windshields. If you just can't get it to work any other way that may be your only choice but I would avoid them if possible.
 
I bought some plexiglass cleaner/polish from a place a while back, but the contents looked and felt no different than a very fine polishing compound.

The last few times I've messed with Lexan, I just use dish soap or alcohol and water to clean, and then swirl remover or a final-stage polishing compound to remove any fine scratches. use a clean foam pad and relatively slow speed to prevent cooking the lexan. (i.e. I use a 6" foam pad it on a cordless drill)

A quick google search turned this up:
http://www.sundancesupply.com/lexanSheetCleaning.pdf
 
I understood that RainEx should not be used on Lexan or plexiglass. Carnuba wax being a better product for shedding rain.

I use Novus brand plastic cleaner for normal cleanup and their fine scratch remover every so often. Both also work great on helmet face shields and dash instrument lenses on your street car. The best price and availability I have found is Harley motorcycle dealers which usually have these products on the shelf.
 
If it's a windshield and it's one of the preformed ones like a "Shields" brand (http://www.racingshields.com), it will have a hardened coating on the outside.

In my experience (and I've really tried) these cannot be improved with polishes or cleaners.

If it's uncoated raw lexan, you can polish it. But if it's a windshield, I'd get a coated piece for it. Especially if you have a wiper.

Under no circumstances should you ever use fog-x on anything lexan.

-Kyle
 
I've always had much better results using Novus on plastic and lexan. It seems to clean into the scratches and pitted areas much better than anything that would be used for normal automotive or glass cleaning. Always use a clean cotton fabric on the plastic & lexan. Paper towels leave small scratches and light swirl marks, making it difficult to see clearly when driving into the sun, or during hazy weather. Driving at night with a Novus cleaned plexiglass front & rear windshield if significantly better.

Using Novus on the interior surfaces of the lexan also makes a huge improvement!
 
I keep water with a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle for cleaning and use carnauba wax for rain.
 
Novus #2 and #3 to polish, Plexus for general cleaning (much better than Novus #1), carnauba wax for rain and a dedicated set of microfiber towels for the windshield only. A wiper will scratch/ruin your windshield, at least it did on one of mine. Best way to prevent scratches is to use Lexan MR10/Marguard, I have it on the rear of my car and it does not scratch like the regular Lexan front.
 
Brillianize is the best cleaner and polish hands down(imo).

Fwiw, Lexan is a brand name like Kleenex. You guys are referring to polycarbonate. There are many different compounds of polycarb that behave differently in regard to scratches, but all uncoated polycarbs scratch relatively easily.

Polycarb, unlike acrylics are very difficult to polish and will often leave you with a worse situation than you started with. The heat and material reduction in the polishing process can significantly change the optics of the polycarb.

I recommend buying a coated or abrasion resistant sheet like this instead of a standard polycarb.
 
team-gpracing said:
Brillianize is the best cleaner and polish hands down(imo).

Fwiw, Lexan is a brand name like Kleenex. You guys are referring to polycarbonate. There are many different compounds of polycarb that behave differently in regard to scratches, but all uncoated polycarbs scratch relatively easily.

Polycarb, unlike acrylics are very difficult to polish and will often leave you with a worse situation than you started with. The heat and material reduction in the polishing process can significantly change the optics of the polycarb.

I recommend buying a coated or abrasion resistant sheet like this instead of a standard polycarb.
Click to expand...

I'll second this, I have been using this product at work for years and buy it by the gallon.
 
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