How to clean clear plastic windows?

If its a chemical reaction you're probably going to have to sand and polish it out.  

First you wet sand (try 800-1000 grit and see if that cuts through it), then move progressively higher to 2000 or 3000 grit. You can also move into the 000 or 0000 steel wools.  Finally, you'll need to get some polishing compound to buff out the fine scratches that remain. It would be best if you popped the window out of the car and could work on it by itself.   This is similar to restoring car headlights.  Something like a dremel with a cotton wheel may move the polishing along, but you'd need to be careful to not burn the window up.

Meguiar's makes a plastic cleaner/polish for things like convertible top windows that you might try before using harsher methods. 

I'm pretty sure I'm in the abrasives first, I don't think this will "clean off".  I also recommend losing the incandescent lighting and move to LED lighting to eliminate the heat.  I converted all my Aerotrain passenger cars to LED lighting.

Skip the sandpaper. It will take years to get the scratches off. Start with the least abrasive and work towards more abrasive. Not the other way around. I have plastic polish but found Mothers Mag Wheel aluminum polish to work best on foggy headlight covers. Try a metal polish if you have any before buying something else.

Pete

@Norton posted:

Start with the least abrasive and work towards more abrasive. Not the other way around.

Pete

Not!!! Yes, the other way around!!!

@Big Jim posted:

Not!!! Yes, the other way around!!!

Actually, Pete has it right.  If the least abrasive method does the job, there's no reason to go any further.  If not, then you step up to something a little more aggressive.  I also concur with the idea of taking the window out, trying to polish it in the car will be a real PITA!

You only go to sandpaper if the scratches are deeper than the grit of the sandpaper, then work finer. In this case the fogging is likely only a few molecules into the surface.

Pete

Toothpaste

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Actually, Pete has it right.  If the least abrasive method does the job, there's no reason to go any further.

I guess that largely depends on how you look at it. And, no he isn't right!

@Big Jim posted:

I guess that largely depends on how you look at it. And, no he isn't right!

Jim, be my guest. Do it your way. Just plan to spend ten times more time on making it right. I have better things to spend my time on.

Pete

Try Armor All original formulation.

Just replace it and spare yourself the work.

@Big Jim posted:

I guess that largely depends on how you look at it. And, no he isn't right!

Whatever.

@mwb posted:

Just replace it and spare yourself the work.

Replace it with what?  It's a specific shape hard plastic window.  There is no listing for the window in the Aerotrain parts.

Haha.  I've been away for most of the year, working on a new N scale layout.  It sure seems like things haven't changed much!  Carry on boys!

BTW, John is usually right about these things, especially getting the window out and replacing the damaging lights with LED's.

Jerry

If you have one of those rotating head tooth brushes, that may be the ticket.  Use a low abrasive toothpaste such as Elmex.

Thank you everyone for all the great suggestions.

After I read Richies comment on Meguiars plastic cleaner I remembered many years ago I had purchased some and went out to my garage and found the almost empty bottle.

Also, all the discussion about using very fine sand paper reminded me that many years ago I had cleaned/polished the headlight lenses of two Mercury sables I owned. The cleaning kit I used at that time used very fine abrasive sheets along with cleaning and polishing creams.

I never thought about using automotive cleaners for the Aerotrain window.

I did try the Meguiars that I had left over and it actually got most of the film off the window.

Not perfect, but very good. I can see the figures I placed on the back seats and it looks good again.

In the next few weeks I may try some very fine abrasive paper and see if I can make it look new.

Thanks to everyone who provided such great advice so quickly!

Jeff

The headlight cleaning/polishing kits would probably be ideal for something like this, I never thought about those either.  They do a great job of taking the haze of plastic headlight enclosures, it's like night and day!

Is it possible to have a replacement window made via the 3D printing processes which are discussed in other threads on OGR Forum ?

I don't think most of the printers currently available can do an optically clear window, certainly a PLA printer couldn't do it.

@Jeff2035 posted:

Thank you everyone for all the great suggestions.

After I read Richies comment on Meguiars plastic cleaner I remembered many years ago I had purchased some and went out to my garage and found the almost empty bottle.

Also, all the discussion about using very fine sand paper reminded me that many years ago I had cleaned/polished the headlight lenses of two Mercury sables I owned. The cleaning kit I used at that time used very fine abrasive sheets along with cleaning and polishing creams.

I never thought about using automotive cleaners for the Aerotrain window.

I did try the Meguiars that I had left over and it actually got most of the film off the window.

Not perfect, but very good. I can see the figures I placed on the back seats and it looks good again.

In the next few weeks I may try some very fine abrasive paper and see if I can make it look new.

Thanks to everyone who provided such great advice so quickly!

Jeff

Glad the Meguiar's worked.

Before trying the abrasive, put a dab of vegetable oil (Canola, olive, etc.) on a tissue and apply it gently on both sides of the window. The window should clear considerably, with the downside being that it won't last forever and may need to be re-applied every so often. Worth a shot.

I bought a headlight cleaning kit once, very expensive and not as efficient as Mothers Aluminum polish. Mothers is a step more aggressive than plastic polish.  Plastic polish is step more aggressive than toothpaste.

Pete

Meguiar's used to make both a plastic cleaner and a separate plastic polish with the cleaner being more abrasive than the polish; perhaps more like the Mother's. I used to start with the cleaner and then finish with the polish and the combination did a very nice job.

I think I have some Mother's Aluminum polish around somewhere, but never thought of using it on plastic. I'll have to give it a try.