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Is windex okay...

N

NCjeepgirl83

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Charlotte, NC/Birmingham, England
to use on the rubber window mouldings on my XJ? I'm trying to clean off the mud that won't come off with regular car wash or water from the hose. It's been there for months and I'm trying in vain to get it gone.

I tried windex just a few mins ago and while the mud did come off, so did a bunch of black, and I don't want to fade the rubber. What do you all suggest would be the best way to get the mud remnants off without ruining the rubber?

I also have a pressure washer that I haven't tried yet.
 
Sounds like a job for WD-40...
Spray some on a cloth and try to get the stains out that way.
 
NCjeepgirl83 said:
Oh cool thanks guys! I don't know why I didn't think of warm or hot water...d'oh!
Click to expand...

Bear in mind that Windex typically has ammonia in it. So does bleach...

MpSlayer - that's not just an Army thing. The Air Force likes to have us clean showers with toothbrushes as well...:twak::laugh3:
 
a towel dampened with brake fluid works wonders on old rubber. It will clean without removing the necessary oils in the rubber which is what causes it to become brittle. Just do yourself a favor and keep it off any painted surfaces that you wish to keep painted.
 
5-90 said:
MpSlayer - that's not just an Army thing. The Air Force likes to have us clean showers with toothbrushes as well...:twak::laugh3:
Click to expand...

Lol I meant for the HMMWV windows they have a thin film over the glass that can be damaged by windex.

Shorty said:
Just do yourself a favor and keep it off any painted surfaces that you wish to keep painted.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't recommend doing that just for that reason.
 
Wow...nobody has suggested ArmourAll. It is a rubber conditioner that not only cleans, but conditions to keep rubber and vinyl from cracking.

I use it on the window rubber as well as the door seals. Keeps them soft, pliable, and looking good too.
 
The insides of auto glass windows can also be damaged by windex if it dries on there.
 
WD40 is not a good thing to use on Rubber or Plastics. It acts as a solvent. It will clean and shine it up, but, this is because it is disolveing the rubber or plastic, not really cleaning it.
 
ECKSJAY said:
Umm, sorry Jon...brain fart? Bleach is chlorine and you do NOT want to combine it with ammonia. ;)
Click to expand...

Nope - not a brain fart at all. Two types of bleach in common use:

Sodium hypochlorite is the more common version, pioneered under the trade name "Clorox"

Ammonia (ammonium hydroxide aq., I believe) is less common, but is still out there. You'll often see it as "cloudy" or "clear" ammonia - the difference being either additives or concentration, I don't recall which. Ammonia bleach is gradually being phased off-market because it's useful in making nitrates (not as useful as nitric acid, but most people don't know how to make nitric acid from more common acids. I'm assuming you know what nitrates can be used for?:shhh::read:)
 
Update: well I tried the warm soapy water and toothbrush and it worked a bit (and that was after repeating it several times and rinsing in between) but not as well as the windex I tried (only on one part of the rubber--not the whole thing!) and I also tried the Mr. Clean magic eraser that I used successfully last year to restore the plastic body trim. However, I don't know what's in the magic eraser but I worry that I may have damaged the window moldings...

I know for a fact that my windshield rubber is shot, but it's been that way for a few years, but is there any way I can use ArmorAll or something similar to restore it? It's dry, faded and cracking in the corners.

In doing a Google search, I see someone suggested using Meguiar's M40 vinyl and rubber cleaner and protectant. Is this a good suggestion to use to get the remaining mud off without causing any further damage?
 
5-90 said:
Nope - not a brain fart at all. Two types of bleach in common use:

Sodium hypochlorite is the more common version, pioneered under the trade name "Clorox"

Ammonia (ammonium hydroxide aq., I believe) is less common, but is still out there. You'll often see it as "cloudy" or "clear" ammonia - the difference being either additives or concentration, I don't recall which. Ammonia bleach is gradually being phased off-market because it's useful in making nitrates (not as useful as nitric acid, but most people don't know how to make nitric acid from more common acids. I'm assuming you know what nitrates can be used for?:shhh::read:)
Click to expand...

I've never heard of both referred to as 'bleach' before. :) Hmm.
 
ECKSJAY said:
I've never heard of both referred to as 'bleach' before. :) Hmm.
Click to expand...

Yep - "chlorine bleach" is the sodium hypochlorite variant, and "ammonia bleach" is an aqueous solution of ammonia (which results, I think, in the mild ammonium hydroxide solution.)

You just see a lot more of the chlorine bleach on the market.

Another reason to use chlorine bleach for cleaning - ammonia vapours have a very high affinity for water, and water can absorb something like 700 times its volume in ammonia vapour. Respiratory mucosa are something like 90-95% water - which means you could suddenly find your respiratory tissue coated with a strong ammonia solution - even with what would normally be adequate ventilation...
 
If the windshield rubber is already on its way out maybe it'd be worth it to you to get some new stuff?
 
GrimmJeeper said:
All the more reason to not reccomend mixing them Jon ;)
Click to expand...

I never did recommend mixing them - it was ASS-U-ME(d)

I know better, and I know better than to recommend it (at least, to anyone I actually want to live past the end of the day. There are some people...)

I did mention that Windex typically has ammonia in it. I mentioned that bleach has ammonia in it - but I certainly didn't recommend mixing the two!
 
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