Okay SHIELDS® people let’s chat about cleaning, cleaning, your polycarbonate windshield that is! Caring for your SHIELDS® replacement windshield is not complicated or hard, but we want to make sure you know just how to do it. Along with this post, we have a video that we put together to show you just what we are talking about.

When you get your windshield you will get a care and installation paper from us. This paper has links to our YouTube installation videos as well. If you threw it away no worries you can print another one here! This sheet is important as it explains what cleaners have been proven safe in the laboratory setting and some tips for you to follow.

Before Cleaning

Before you begin cleaning your polycarbonate windshield be sure to check your wipers and the rest of the door; remove all big chunks of mud or debris that might be drug across the windshield when cleaning. We want to prevent dragging anything across the polycarbonate except the cleaner and rag. Get yourself a good clean rag, we recommend terrycloth. Make sure it has nothing in it before using it.

Basic Cleaning

Let’s get started with what cleaners are approved. If you downloaded the care sheet you’ll notice there are a lot of different cleaners you can use. A tip from the pros, we use just a couple of these because we think they are the best. The first one is Isopropyl Alcohol. This is what we recommend as we use this one in house. Another one is your basic brand foam glass cleaner. We have found this cleaner to work well also and does not leave the residue that other glass cleaners can leave. Steps to follow:

  1. Wash with a mild solution of soap or detergent and lukewarm water.
  2.  Using a soft cloth or sponge, gently wash the sheet to loosen dirt and grime and rinse well with clean water.
  3.  To prevent water spots, thoroughly dry with chamois or cellulose sponge.
  4.  Avoid the use of abrasive cleaners, squeegee, and/or other cleaning implements that may mar or gouge the coating.

Graffiti and Paint Removal

If you struggle with your equipment getting graffiti we have some recommendations for removing it from your polycarbonate replacement door. We suggest that you use the approved organic solvent, Butyl Cellosolve. Be sure to rinse really well after using this solvent. Some other tricks you can try are to use a lint roller or tape to remove old paint. Just lay the sticky side on the paint and pull off like a slow bandaid. One of the great things about our SUPERCOAT™ coating we apply to all of our products is that no glues or paints will permanently stick to the surface.

General Tips

To protect your windshield at all times we recommend having a copy of the care sheet with you in your cab or car. If you are really driven you can keep a bottle of your choice of cleaner and a clean rag in your cab or car somewhere. We recommend this because when your cab gets worked on or you lend it out to someone else who does not know what to do you cannot expect them to know what to do. All it takes is a little extra thought and preparation to keep your SHIELDS® windshield in pristine condition so it lasts you years of hard work!

Until next time,

Your SHIELDS® team.