Removing Aluminum Residue Of Glass

[101RRS]

My 101 has a cab roof made of unpainted aluminium checker plate. Over the years the truck sat idle outside in the rain and weather the windscreen has developed white marks where water carrying a small deposit of alumium from the roof has run down the windscreen in various places leaving a white residue.

I have tried a scourer to remove it with no luck and also tried CLR also with no luck (it does work great on the galvanising though).

Anyone else got any ideas to remove this stuff.

Thanks

Garry

[davros]

Something mildly acidic may remove it although you wont want to let it run on paint/bodywork! Maybe start with something like vinegar on a rag left in place for a while? Then up to perhaps phosphoric acid rust-remover or CLR clear?

[mike 90 RR]

Try buffing it out with Turtle wax

.... bewary of using acids on glass, cause thats how you get "white etching"

[Bigbjorn]

Repo or Kitten No. 2

[mcrover]

Jewlers polish and a buff, you wont get it off as it etches in.

[loanrangie]

Use a razor blade.

[101RRS]

Thanks for all the suggestions - I just got the razor blade out and it moved most of it but there was still a bit of staining - had some Repo cutting back compound so I polished the window up with that - finished it very well with just a faint mark remaining - I think further goes with the repo will probably remove the rest.

Thanks - I appreciate the help.

Oh and CLR really works well on the galvanising bits - brings it back to its original rustic self - not like new - just clean and lived in.

Garry

[350RRC]

Hi Garry,

If you are buffing this out with a machine then take care not to heat up the 'screen in a small localized area. Would spoil your day, even if it is only flat glass. Nice truck......... I want one!

DL

[101RRS]

Hi Garry,

If you are buffing this out with a machine then take care not to heat up the 'screen in a small localized area. Would spoil your day, even if it is only flat glass. Nice truck......... I want one!

DL

Thanks - but I don't think my arthritic shoulder can manage to put that much heat into the polishing cloth.;)

Cheers

Garry

[chazza]

It is worth trying eucalyptus oil on glass. I tried every other known solvent to get the fuel bowl clean on my S1; not even acetone worked, but eucalyptus oil did it easily :D

[clean32]

Scraping Glass, with a razor blade ( safety), make sure you wet the glass with a bit of detergent first, Never turn the blade over once used, 3-4 swipes change to a new blade.

Aluminum Oxide is what you have, for that you need some thing Alkali ( NOT acid) i.e. baking soda in solution etc