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Window Cleaner:
It is hard to remove that stubborn film from the inside of the windshield. I have tried several automotive glass cleaners. Stoner "Invisible Glass" is very good, but does contain some acetone so keep it away from plastics. Eagle One ‘20/20’ glass cleaner is mainly alcohol and water, but works well. The ammonia based products like Windex may attack aftermarket applied window tinting films and will cause streaking and spots on the dash plastic, so I stay away from ammonia products.
I use Griot’s Garage ‘Window Cleaner’, which is basically isopropyl alcohol and water. No soaps and no detergents, pretty benign stuff in general. You can also make your own window cleaner by just mixing a solution of 10 percent isopropyl alcohol with distilled water. The isopropyl alcohol can be found in the pharmacy or drug section of the supermarket. Try to find the purest isopropyl alcohol you can, usually ‘99% pure’ can be found in many pharmacies. DO NOT use the 70% 'rubbing alcohol' as many brands contain moisturizers or mineral oil.
For lint free results, use the glass cleaner with a quality microfiber or disposable towel. My favorite is Griot’s Garage ‘Lint Free Towels’, made of polypropylene instead of paper; they leave behind NO LINT and are disposable.
Interior Vinyl Cleaner/Protector:
I used Meguiar's M-40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner for several years. While the Meguiar's M-40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner worked very well, when I tried Griot's Garage ‘Vinyl and Rubber Dressing’ I found the Griot's product to clean and remove embedded dirt and grim much better than the Meguiar's, provide a nice satin sheen, last longer, and protected as well as the Meguiar's.
So now I use Griot’s Garage ‘Vinyl and Rubber Dressing’. According to the Griot's Website the ‘Vinyl and Rubber Dressing’ "contains no silicone oils, petroleum distillates, waxes, or other solvents that can dull the surface of rubber and vinyl over time. Cleans even embedded dirt off the vinyl extremely well and leaves a non-greasy satin finish. Contains ultraviolet (UV) blocking agents to help keep the vinyl from cracking, fading and hardening." All I know is it really works well.
Leather Cleaner/Protector:
Griot’s Garage ‘Leather Care’ is the best leather conditioner I have used. Of the other leather conditioners I have used: Connolly Hide Food is extremely good (though it takes a bit more time and effort to apply); Meguiar’s ‘Medallion Premium Leather Cleaner’ works pretty well; Eagle One ‘Leather Conditioner’ looks like hand crème and doesn’t really penetrate into the leather; and Lexol ‘Leather Conditioner’ doesn’t seem to last very long between applications.
I treat my leather seats 2 to 3 times a year. Leather care products will work better if warmed prior to use. Leave the bottle in the sun or place the bottle in a container of hot water (remember to remove the lid). Warm up the leather up, too. Let the car heater run for a bit or park the car outside in the sun to warm the leather. This opens the pores in the leather and allows the conditioner to penetrate better.
First vacuum the seats to remove any grit and sand from the seat seams. If the leather is soiled, simply clean it with mild face soap and a damp cloth. Apply the leather conditioner by hand like hand creme or use a foam applicator. Some people use a cloth to apply the conditioner, but the cloth absorbs a lot of the leather conditioner wasting the product. Let the conditioner soak in for several minutes. Remove any excess with clean terry cloth towels.
For neglected leather try Griot’s Garage “Leather Rejuvenator”.
No, I don't have any "stake" in Griot's garage. I just find their cleaning products to do a very good job.
Rob Mustard (aka REM in Seattle)
1998 Saab 900SET 5-door; Automatic; 64,000 miles
1991 Alfa Romeo Spider 5-sp; 94,000 miles
1984 Saab 900T 3-door; 5-sp; 242,000 miles RIP
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