vinyl failure on glass - second time

[Craig Sjoquist]

Bon-Ami ....is the only glass cleaner needed $2 should last for 100s of cleanings

in fact I clean after my hand lettering on glass to see if I cleaned it well before ..if not paint will come off.... Bon-Ami does not cause harm to paint even

 

[Dave Drane]

Some vinyl has an water base adhesive.. That could cause problems.

 

[Checkers]

I just Wikiied denatured alchohol. It is ethanol or "drinking alchohol" with something added to make it toxic to humans, usually methanol. So you figure Vodka will fix my problem?

Since you wikiied denatured alcohol, you should have read that the additives are unregulated and some additives can contain paraffin.

And, in case you're wondering, paraffin is a wax, which is bad for vinyl adhesion.

Obviously the window is contaminated with something. It could be rain-x, or similar, or something not at all related.

Anyway, Bon-Ami and Rapid Remover and Isopropyl alcohol are my best suggestions for re-cleaning the window before you try applying the graphics again.

Checkers

 

[Custom Bob]

I clean glass with Glass Plus and steel wool. Then I finish off by spraying Rapid Tac on and drying it off, just to get the soap residue off. I've also finished with Alcohol.
I use Oracal Cast on glass and have never had any problems.

 

[javila]

Definitely have a window coating on it. Quick knuckle drag should let you know if there's anything on there that needs to be removed.

 

[westpointsigns]

I always use DOLLAR GENERAL Glass and SR|urface Cleaner / Degreaser with Rubbing Alcohol, then finish with Rapid Tac II.
I have only had problems with the Original Rapid Tac.

 

[signmeup]

Since you wikiied denatured alcohol, you should have read that the additives are unregulated and some additives can contain paraffin.

And, in case you're wondering, paraffin is a wax, which is bad for vinyl adhesion.

Checkers

Parraffin wax is a wax. Parraffin is British for kerosene.....a very thin oil. Either way, I doubt it would help vinyl stick to glass.

 

[signmeup]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I have sent off an email to rain-x to find out what they reccomend. (Not that I have any idea if there is rain-x on the glass in question)

An interesting note on Bon Ami: on their website they reccomend cleaning glass with white vinegar.

I shall reclean the window and re-apply the letters and say a little prayer that she sells the van soon.

 

[Gino]

Maybe the vinyl doesn't work in that particular arrangement of letters... the word might just be taboo.

Actually, we use 91% isopropyl alcohol and it works fine. There could be some minute contaminants in it, but we've never had a problem using it and we use a lot of it.


Another odd part is... all the small copy seems to have stayed in tact. I would imagine you're gonna have to use a lot of elbow grease and get the glass clean. I also don't know why anyone would use Rain-X or similar products on rear side windows. It sounds to me like the person drives this through a lot of car washes and there is a big buildup of wax on it and you haven't broken through to the glass yet completely.

 

[signmeup]

That could be it Gino. There is no evidence of car washing on the any of the vinyl but she may have been a user before the lettering was applied. I'll rub it down with mineral spirits to remove wax and methelene chloride for anything else that might be there. Some bon ami and citrus cleaner too. And isopropyl alcohol.

 

[Billct2]

Any chance this window had been replaced at some time?
Just seems strange that only this window has a problem.

 

[signmeup]

Don't know Bill. Maybe I was just tired of scrubbing by the time I got to this side.

 

[Jester1167]

Just a thought. When it's real cold out you can blow the decals off at a high pressure car wash as well. I have done it on my own vehicle trying to get ice off from an ice storm. Might be more to the story than you know.

Otherwise my guess is rain-x too. I have tried everything but bonami and haven't had any long term luck.

 

[WB]

Seems to me like you've cleaned the window more the adequately .. What type of vinyl did you use? Cal. Cast? What was the Tempertaure like when you installed the vinyl?

 

[signmeup]

It was/is cal. What gets me is it's only on one side of the vehicle. The back and the other side are fine. It was summer when I did the install. I would think it was cleaned pretty well, having cleaned for the first install and then really cleaned the crap out of it for the second install. I'm gonna rub through the glass this time.

Are there additives or mold release in glass that could haunt me 8/9 years after the van was built?

 

[Jim Hill]

Rain-X

I met a guy one day at a car show and we got talking and it turns out his grandfather had started the Rain-X company years ago.

He told me the complete story of Rain-X and when I asked him what was in the product he did not really want to say to much but he did tell me how is grandfather discovered the idea for the product.

It seems he was driving a car in France years ago in the rain and the windshield wipers stopped working so he took his and reached around while still driving and wiped the windshield with his hand.

Once he wiped the windshield with his hand the rain would not stick to the area he wiped.

It seems he was eating a sandwich with mayo on it and it was also on his hands!

When he told me this story I said to him you mean that there is something in mayo and he said yes.

I was also surprised to learn that the number one use for Rain-X was not for car windows but for deicing airplanes in the winter.

My friend said when the grandfather died he left the company to is parents and when they died they left the company to him.



Jim Hill

 

[gabagoo]

What about methyl hydrate? I generally use that to clean most vehicles although I have no idea about rain-x removal.

If you use vinegar, you will have an urge for french fries dude.

BTW nice script font on the window...what is it?

 

[Marlene]

It was/is cal.

it's calendar vinyl and not cast? most likely that is the issue as calendar vinyl is kind of cheap junk used for temp signs even if it says it lasts a few years, I wouldn't use it on a vehicle. do you have any cast that you can use? replace it with that to see if it stays.

 

[TheSnowman]

I'm assuming he got this figured out since the OP was from 2009.

 

[SignTech]

70% alcohol here ... dry apply ... never an issue with glass ... never was a fan of RT