Side View Mirror Care / Glass Cleaning

[Rhinebeck01]

I'm interested in feedback from guys/gals in regard to how they clean, maintain, preserve and protect, their vehicle's side view mirrors and window glass..

After 72,000 miles and over 5 yrs. (2018 JL) of use my stock/factory side view mirrors ended up looking really bad.. Looked like small scratches and defects thanks to years of cleaning with paper towels.

I would clean with say Windex and occasionally, coat the side view mirrors with Turtle Wax T-477R ICE Spray Wax.

Anyway, my side view mirrors got so bad... especially with the Sun reflecting off the mirror defects, that I opted to replace the mirror glass (easy to do) with new mirror glass.

I opted to go with aftermarket, wide angle convex side view mirrors.

Help me clean, maintain, preserve and protect, my side view mirrors... Your suggestions on this would be appreciated.

Oh in regard to glass cleaning...... For vehicle windows, shower stall glass, household mirrors, I use a solution mix of 70% Isopropyl alcohol and Walmart Spray Glass Cleaner. I mix say 60% Alcohol and 40% Spray cleaner. This solution mix yields no smear, sparking clean results. The mix literally dissolves, bugs, soap film, road grime, finger prints, etc.. and it dries very quickly.

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[ChuckQue]

If it’s exceptionally dirty, give the glass itself a spray first to lift the dirt and lubricate the surface, then follow up with a microfiber towel. Use a 2nd clean towel for a finishing buff if you get any streaks. Bam, done.

I also highly recommend you get some ceramic spray coating and apply it. It’s super easy and will help keep hard water, dirt, etc from sticking to the glass as much. I use Adam’s Ceramic Spray. It’s not as durable as some of the high end ceramics so you may need to reapply every 6 months or so but for me it works since it gets beat up on the trail anyway.

 

[ChuckQue]

Oh and don’t use a dry towel for the initial clean. Give the towel itself a light spray so it doesn’t drag dry across the glass. Don’t use paper towels.

 

[ChuckQue]

I'm guilty guilty, of almost daily cleaning of my side view mirrors with paper towels. I am stopping this behavior.

I was told by a Suma Performance mirror offering owner, that the Suma Performance mirrors leave the factory with "a coat of water repellent" Undoubtedly, over time, I imagine that coating wears off.

I messaged @Suma Performance yesterday and asked "Eddy" what he recommends I coat my Suma Performance mirrors with. Suma Performance has a line nano technology water repellents..

@ChuckQue ....Thanks for your input!

Depending on what their repellent coating is, you should be fine with using regular old Invisible Glass with a quality microfiber. If it’s a ceramic based one, I’d ask if they have a “boost” spray to use once every so often to keep the hydrophobic characteristics up.

Also, for great towels check out The Rag Company. They are premium Korean made microfiber and won’t scratch like cheap ass towels from Autozone will. They make some pretty good detailing videos as well.

 

[jludave]

Help me clean, maintain, preserve and protect, my side view mirrors... Your suggestions on this would be appreciated.

Stoner's glass cleaner. Use it on all glass, including side mirrors ever time I wash my Jeep.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

I use the original RainX on the exterior of all of the glass, to include the mirrors. I've done this for decades on all of my vehicles. The treatment lasts much longer when it's not exposed directly to the wind and wipers. All it take to clean them is a quick wipe with a damp microfiber. Between treatments (which last for a year or two) I will use a detail spray if there is a lot of grime.

I never use harsh window cleaning chemicals on mirrors and rarely on glass. I will use dedicated window cleaner on the windsheild prior to retreating with RainX.

Lately I've found that the various ceramic based detail sprays can be almost as effective as the original RainX. The RainX in the spray bottle isn't nearly as effective as the original.

Never use paper towels, especially dry ones on the door mirrors. Same goes for dirty microfiber. They scratch easily and it can not be polished out.

 

[Suma Performance]

We'd recommend using our Suma Detail (LINK) shampoo that's ph neutral that we know doesn't damage the mirror coating. You get 20% off for the first-time purchase.

Use the 20% off code 20DETAILOFF at check-out.
www.sumadetail.com

 

[Rhinebeck01]

Thought of this thread 2 days ago, as I was installing a set of Suma Performance Mirrors on someone else's JL. YES, I have a set of Suma's on my 2018 JL and WOW... I really like them.

A local Tech, that has seen/appreciated my Suma mirrors.... had the vehicle's owner contact me in regard to replacing the side view mirrors on their 2019 JL

The vehicle owner wanted new mirrors ... and also wanted a much wider view. So... @Suma Performance Performance mirrors were ordered.

The vehicle was dropped off and I looked over the side view mirrors and this thread immediately came to mind. I'm not sure how the owner was cleaning his mirrors but they showed lots of feathering and many light scratches.

With that said.... Guys' / Gals.... do be very careful in how you care for your factory side view mirrors... side view mirrors in general. I learned the hard way...

As was the other Suma Performance Mirror installs I have done, the install was easy easy.

Yes, I did butt pucker abit when I pulled the old mirrors off. Install was easy and I made some lunch money doing the install.

The vehicle's owner really likes his Suma mirrors. He called me after driving with them a day.... 50+ miles and well, he is big a fan boy of the Suma Performance side view mirrors.

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[nositting]

windex and DAMP paper towel followed by alcohol and microfiber. my side view mirrors look new but i do this routine about twice a month. i do the windshield about once a week and still have one of my original wipers from 2019 installed. clean windshields really make the wipers last a long time! for the outside of the side views, i use 303 aerospace once a week. jeep is garage kept. my care might be a little excessive for some but i’m happy with it and hit works well.

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