Why won’t Clear View remove the fog on my boat windshield?

Steve E asked:

I was excited to receive my clear view kit over the weekend. I immediately started applying it to my clear windows on my Sea Pro. The windows had a cloudy tint to them and I expected it to remove the discoloration. I applied the product as directed on both sides and it did not remove the cloudiness. They look like foggy stains on the plastic. I have tried applying it twice on both sides of the plastic windshield and did not remove the stains. (I call it stains for lack of better term).

When looking thru, it looks like a fog.

Do you have any other solutions or suggestions? I hate to return it, however, it did not do what I thought was my solution.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Answer:

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Hi Steve,

Clear side curtains are typically made of clear PVC, and most plastic windshields are made of acrylic, but it can be different. What material are you trying to restore?

The foggy appearance on see through plastics is often caused by UV damage to unprotected plastic, however, it can also be caused by other reasons, such as attempts to clean it with harmful cleaners, abrasion damage from cleaning with paper towels, etc.

In most cases, UV damage to these materials is superficial and Clear View will remove the fog, but sometimes it can take more aggressive rubbing with Clear View No. 1^®. If the sun damage has penetrated into the plastic, then there are no products that will clear that up and replacement is the only other option. I suggest that you test a small section on your windshield (4” x 4”) and try aggressive rubbing to see if it removes the fog and your windshield is salvageable.

A good analogy is; rusted out fenders on a car. No cleaner or polish is going to fix that.

Another potential cause of fog on your clear plastic is baked on salt. If you use your boat in coastal areas, this could be the culprit. Clear View^® will not remove the baked-on salt. This is a major problem for house and automobile windows. If the salt has not been on too long, keeping the surface wet for 15 to 30 minutes with a weak acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, will usually loosen up the salt so it can be removed with Clear View No. 1^®, and then you can protect it with Clear View No. 2^®

If it’s been baked on for a long time than scraping it off with razor blades is the solution. Scraping clear plastic is not recommended. This is very labor intensive and most people with this problem on glass windshields or windows, opt for replacement rather than spend their time and money on the labor required.

Please try the aggressive rubbing and weak acid techniques and let me know if you are getting the desired results.

Thanks for your question,
Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar