Koenig cleaner/polish. Buy at Sun n Fun or Oshkosh. Don’t pay retail. It can be used on metal and windscreens. It has caranuba wax and does not build up. I buy a case (12 17oz cans) & split it with someone.I have used Plexus for years to clean the windshield...great product. Now I find it isn't available, at least anywhere I can find it. what alternative products have people found for cleaning/debugging windshields?
Yep. i like Novus better than Plexus... Less expensive too.NOVUS Plastic Polish #1
Apply with a damp cloth, wipe with a dry cloth
Yes, I buy it by the case at OshkoshKoenig cleaner/polish. Buy at Sun n Fun or Oshkosh. Don’t pay retail. It can be used on metal and windscreens. It has caranuba wax and does not build up. I buy a case (12 17oz cans) & split it with someone.
AmazonI have used Plexus for years to clean the windshield...great product. Now I find it isn't available, at least anywhere I can find it. what alternative products have people found for cleaning/debugging windshields?
Thanks for the post!! Only missing the surfactant and odor. I am going to give this a try. The missing stuff is in attachment, others are the same.I recently asked this same question. I switched to 210 plastic cleaner and polish after seeing that its MSDS is pretty much identical to Plexus. In fact, if you sprayed plexus and 210 next to each other I doubt anyone would be able to tell a single difference. It's cheaper too!
P.S. I found Prist to be an absolute joke at getting bugs off compared to Plexus or 210.
No problem. There is still a very nice smell to the stuff too despite the difference in data.Thanks for the post!! Only missing the surfactant and odor. I am going to give this a try. The missing stuff is in attachment, others are the same.
What pad do you use on the orbital buffer and do you buff in a particular pattern? I have circular microscratches due to not realizing the impact when cleaning the windshield.I've been an amateur car detailer for more than a decade. On my cars, I polish the windshield with cerium oxide a once or twice a year then apply Rejex. On my airplane, I find that bugs generally easy to get off the plexiglass with any plastic cleaner, or even a soapy rag. What does bother me is the marring and microscratches that are so visible when flying into the sun when it's at a low angle. Those occur from the abrasion from cleaning the windshield of bugs etc. Those microscratches are easy to get rid of with a random orbital buffer and a good polish/cleaner like Novus #2. I do that a couple of times per year then apply a good UV-protecting polish like Novus #1 or Plexus or whatever...only takes a few minutes.
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I always clay bar the plexiglass first so I'm not grinding grit into the windshield while trying to polish, and I tape off the canopy bracing (slider). I use Adam's Polishes products on my vehicles, and on plexiglass I use their 6 inch white foam (fine) polishing pads on a Porter Cable 7424XP random orbital polisher, starting on low speed then higher speed for the second pass. The pad colors vary from mfgr to mfgr but plexiglass is so soft compared to clear coat that I always use fine foam pads and fine polishing compounds, and start with low speeds on the buffer. I can't emphasize the "random orbital" aspect of that enough. Using a rotary polisher or high speed polisher on something as soft as plexiglass is a sure way to heartbreak and your typical $30 big box store polishers will lead to frustration. If you have circular scratching that you can see, that's a problem that will likely need careful but more aggressive attention. I would still use a fine foam pad but would likely use a more aggressive polishing compound. I've seen people recommend headlight polishing compounds based on standard polishing compound and that would probably be fine, but I'm very comfortable with a polisher and use that with Novus #2 or #3 since it's faster and I think more uniform.What pad do you use on the orbital buffer and do you buff in a particular pattern? I have circular microscratches due to not realizing the impact when cleaning the windshield.
Figs
I have a small collection of plastic cleaners, some spray, some liquid, that I will put to the test and report my findings. Plexis is one I have used for decades. I like it but have not used Prist.I tried Plexis but didnt like it as much as Prist. acrylic cleaner. The Prist seems to foam up more and is more economical.
I have a small collection of plastic cleaners, some spray, some liquid, that I will put to the test and report my findings. Plexis is one I have used for decades. I like it but have not used Prist.
When you can get it, Plexus runs at $50 a can here. Its like gold dust. I'm liking the other suggestions.I had used Plexus for years and recently decided it was too expensive. Based on reviews here on Vans Airforce (do a search as this is a reoccurring topic) I bought Brillianize and Sumner Lab 210. Both do good job but the Brillianize spray bottle absolutely sucks. The sprayer leaks out the nozzle when squirting and drips more out then it spritzes. I have gone to the 210 and like it, not as good as Plexus, but the price is right.
I have a can of the 210 that came with the RV-4. It seems to work about the same as the Plexus.When you can get it, Plexus runs at $50 a can here. Its like gold dust. I'm liking the other suggestions.
I've used Pledge on most of my aircraft. I just wish it wouldn't attract so many bees!I have had great luck with pledge on the plexiglass and paint. Before flying I do a fresh coat on the leading edges ( I wipe very lightly most of the wax stay) bugs wipe off so easy when I get back, they won't stick at all.
This Honda cleaner is the best I've found. I use it on my Mooney.I have used Plexus for years to clean the windshield...great product. Now I find it isn't available, at least anywhere I can find it. what alternative products have people found for cleaning/debugging windshields?
I e been using Mr Sheen spray cans as well as other cheaper brands for a hundred years! No issuesIn Australia (and New Zealand?) Mister Sheen furniture polish is sold in aerosol and trigger-pump packs. Don't use the aerosol because the solvents in the propellant won't be friendly to plexiglass. The trigger-pump pack is fine.
There's also VuePlex. It's the same product as Plexus (for a while I think it was produced in the same factory) with an added scent. Available in the cafe blinds aisle at Bunnings, or in the boat cleaning aisle at BCF Outdoors. About $18 per can.
- mark
This comes up every time Plexus comes up. Some old CFI told me to avoid Lemon Pledge because of something having to do with the lemon. Apparently there used to be a non-lemon version.I have had great luck with pledge on the plexiglass and paint. Before flying I do a fresh coat on the leading edges ( I wipe very lightly most of the wax stay) bugs wipe off so easy when I get back, they won't stick at all.
Since you are down under, try Bunnings for Vuplex, in the outdoor blinds section, it is very good, $27.50 NZD per can.When you can get it, Plexus runs at $50 a can here. Its like gold dust. I'm liking the other suggestions.
You are flying to close to the ground if you are collecting bees for sure.I've used Pledge on most of my aircraft. I just wish it wouldn't attract so many bees!
They apparently don't want their canopies to have that lemony-fresh smell!!+1 We have 2 guys on our field that have been using Pledge for 20+ years and their canopies are fine and yet I read documentation from one of the canopy manufacturers not to use furniture polish....so I don't....but I have to wonder what the issue really is.
Thanks for the recommendation Paul - and thanks Mark for the video and info on the product. I'll definitely go and check it out.Since you are down under, try Bunnings for Vuplex, in the outdoor blinds section, it is very good, $27.50 NZD per can.
At the moment for us, Vuplex is the only game in town. I have found Vuplex to be not as good as Plexus. I tend to use a lot more to get the same bug guts removal effect, and the press nozzle seems to be one that is prone to blocking up and a bit of an awkward design that doesn’t lend itself to an even press down. Vuplex is cheaper but I use more, (or waste it when the can is nearly empty,the nozzle clogs up, and I give up in frustration ).Thanks for the recommendation Paul - and thanks Mark for the video and info on the product. I'll definitely go and check it out.