Self inflicted Canopy damage…a tough lesson

[Bsquared]

I purchase an automotive door edge protector for use on the glare shield of my -14A that I completed in 2020. While doing some interior maintenance this week I noticed that there was fingerprints and other stuff on the inward facing side of the canopy so I grabbed a microfiber cloth and a can of acrylic canopy cleaner. I started in the front corner where the glare shield is very close to the canopy. After several cleaning strokes I noticed some weird looking streaks so I attacked it a little harder. I then realized that that rubber edge protector had melted into a gooey mess and I was dragging it across the canopy!!!! I immediately stopped and called one of companies that makes the Vans canopies and asked for cleaning tips. I tried them all and nothing worked. I now have a streaky, gooey mess on about 20% of my canopy. Luckily it is almost all outside of my pilot side line of vision.

I am not soliciting cleaning advise so please don’t offer any. I am in contact with the product support side of a large industrial acrylic manufacturer and they are working the problem for me. I am just offering this as a cautionary tale.

 

[wirejock]

Start with the least aggressive on test parts. Figure out what works, then go to the canopy. If there is still damage, Novus 1,2,3.

 

[georgemohr]

Yeah you'll need to polish that surface to remove the contamination. Assuming the underlying plexi wasn't damaged, this should work. Novus should do it.

 

[fl-mike]

Anything gooey, I grab some Gorilla Tape and try to pull it off using the dabbing technique.

 

[PhatRV]

I am still wondering how the rubber on the glare shield made it onto the canopy

 

[Draker]

I am still wondering how the rubber on the glare shield made it onto the canopy

Sounds like he touched the rubber with the rag soaked in whatever chemical is in the canopy cleaner and it dissolved onto the rag, then he used the same rag on the canopy. Good tip to tape things off so you’re sure you’re only cleaning one thing at a time!